Chapter 2

I was leaving, but I couldn’t just vanish without saying goodbye to Matthew. He had been my only real friend in this world of blood and shadows—the only one who saw me as Victoria, not just "The Don’s Woman."

I met him at a quiet bistro on the edge of the city, far from the neon lights of Jayden’s territory.

"You're really doing it?" Matthew whispered, his eyes scanning my face for any hint of hesitation. "Marrying a Lightwood? You have wasted the prime years of youth on Jayden. You loved him madly."

“It's still better than wasting my entire life on someone who doesn't even know my worth.”

I handed him a small, sealed envelope. "This is for you. In case Jayden tries to freeze your accounts for being loyal to me. It’s enough to get you out of the country."

"I don't want your money, Vic. I want you to be safe."

I gave him a sad, lingering smile. "Then wish me luck."

As we walked out of the bistro, the cool night air hit my face, smelling of rain and asphalt. But the air turned stagnant the moment I saw a familiar black SUV idling at the curb.

The door opened, and Jayden stepped out. But he wasn't alone.

Rosaline was leaning heavily against him. Jayden’s arm was wrapped firmly around her waist, his body shielding hers from the wind. He was focused entirely on her, his head tilted down as he whispered something in her ear, his expression etched with a tenderness I hadn't seen in years.

"Careful, Rose," Jayden murmured, his voice carrying in the quiet street. "Just a few more steps. I've got you."

He was helping her walk, his hand clutching a small medical bag. It looked like she had "sprained" an ankle or suffered some minor "emergency" that required his full, undivided attention.

I stood frozen on the sidewalk. Marcus moved instinctively to step in front of me, but I put a hand on his arm.

Jayden finally looked up. When his eyes met mine, he didn't pull away from Rosaline. Instead, his grip on her seemed to tighten defensively.

"Victoria? What are you doing in this part of town?" he asked, his tone shifting to that familiar, impatient edge.

"I came to meet my friend," I said, my gaze dropping to his hand on Rosaline’s hip. “I suppose you were at a meeting, handling some important work. Now I see what work it was.”

"Don't start with the attitude, Victoria. Not today. Rosaline had a fall at the office—a serious one. I had to leave the meeting to take care of her because she has no one else in this city. Unlike you, she actually appreciates the help.” He spat.

"Jayden, it hurts," Rosaline whined, tucking her head into the crook of his neck. She shot me a look over his shoulder—a sharp, victorious glint that vanished the moment he looked down at her.

"I know, I know. We’re almost at the car," Jayden said softly to her. Then, he looked at me, his eyes landing on Matthew. His jaw tightened. "And who is this? Is this why you’ve been so distant lately? Meeting men in the shadows while I’m out working?"

The irony was so thick I could nearly choke on it. He was literally holding another woman in his arms, yet he dared to question my loyalty.

"He’s a friend, Jayden. Something you wouldn't understand," I said, my voice devoid of emotion.

"Go home," Jayden commanded. "I’ll be back late. I need to make sure Rosaline is settled in and her injury is tended to. We’ll talk about your 'friend' then."

He turned back to her, hoisting her up more comfortably as he helped her into the passenger seat of his SUV. He didn't wait for my answer. He didn't even notice that I wasn't wearing my engagement ring.

"Let's go, Matthew," I said, turning my back on them.

"You aren't going to tell him?" Marcus asked as we reached my car.

"Tell him what? That I'm leaving?" I looked back one last time. Jayden was leaning into the car, gently adjusting a pillow behind Rosaline’s head. He looked like the perfect, devoted partner.

"No," I whispered. "He made his choice. By the time he realizes I’m gone, I’ll already be a Lightwood. And he’ll be just another ghost from my past."

I got into the driver's seat and started the engine. And as I reached home, my phone buzzed with a notification. Rosaline had posted a picture on social media, showing a man’s hands wrapped around her ankle, giving her a foot massage.

[Just a minor sprain on my ankle. But he insisted on staying to look after me. The greenest flag ever!]

There was something that broke inside. Perhaps the last string of hope. My doctor’s voice echoed in my head when I barely survived the cake the other night.

“You should be careful of your allergies now that you are pregnant, Miss Victoria. Please do not eat casually.”

That was when I realised I had missed my period. And that was also why I decided to leave Jayden as soon as possible.

He deserved none of this. Neither I, nor the baby, his entire family was seeking to.