CHAPTER 2: The Wife

Amelia stared at the message until the words blurred,Positive,Her baby.Damian’s baby.

For a moment, the noise around her faded into nothing.The applause, the cameras, the whispers—none of it seemed real anymore.

She pressed her phone against her palm and forced herself to breathe.

She couldn’t fall apart here.Not in front of them,Not in front of Damian.Especially not after he had just humiliated her in front of half of New York.

      “Amelia.”Her name came from behind her.She knew the voice,she turned slowly.Damian was standing a few feet away,alone.Sophia remained on the stage, surrounded by reporters.His expression was unreadable.“Come with me.”Amelia almost laughed.After announcing another woman’s pregnancy, he still expected her to obey him?

“Why?”His jaw tightened.“We need to talk.”

“We’ve had five years to talk.”His eyes narrowed.“This isn’t the place.”Amelia looked around the ballroom.“You’re right.”She gestured toward the stage.“This is apparently the place to announce your relationship.”

A flicker of something crossed his face.

Guilt?

Amelia couldn’t tell.“Amelia—”

“Congratulations.”

The word came out surprisingly steady.Damian stared at her.“You don’t have to pretend.”

“I’ve been pretending for five years.”Her voice cracked slightly.“I think I’m finally tired.”

For the first time, Damian looked unsettled.His gaze dropped to the ring on her finger.The ring he had given her on their wedding day.

“Take it off.”

Amelia froze.

“What?”

“The ring.”

He spoke quietly.“If you’re going to walk away, then don’t leave anything behind that will bring you back.”Something inside her went completely still.She looked at the ring,then at him.Five years,five years of waiting for this man to look at her like she mattered.And now, when she was finally ready to leave, he was telling her to remove the last symbol of their marriage,fine.Amelia slowly pulled the ring from her finger.She placed it in his palm.Damian stared at it.For a strange second, neither of them spoke.Then Amelia turned away.“Amelia.”She stopped.His voice sounded different this time.

    Almost uncertain.“You’re not going to ask me anything?”She looked over her shoulder.“What am I supposed to ask?”His gaze hardened.“About Sophia.”Amelia smiled faintly.“You made the announcement without me. I think you’ve already answered everything.”

She walked away.

       Outside the ballroom, the cold night air hit her face.Amelia hurried toward the waiting car, one hand gripping her clutch while the other rested protectively over her stomach.She had no idea what she was going to do.She only knew one thing.She couldn’t stay married to Damian Vaughn,not anymore.Her phone rang.The doctor’s name appeared on the screen.Amelia answered immediately.

“Hello?”

“Amelia, thank God. I’ve been trying to reach you.”She swallowed.“I saw the result.”

There was a pause.

“There’s something else you need to know.”

Amelia’s heart sank.“What?”

“The pregnancy test is positive, but that’s not why I called.”She stopped walking.“What do you mean?”The doctor lowered her voice.

“Your blood work showed something unusual.Amelia’s grip tightened around her phone.“Unusual how?”

“I’d rather explain this in person.”

“Doctor, please.”Another pause.

“The results suggest you may have been exposed to something that could affect the pregnancy.”Amelia’s face went pale.

“What?”

“I don’t want to alarm you over the phone. Come to the clinic first thing tomorrow morning.”The call ended.

Amelia stood beneath the hotel lights, completely frozen.She had thought tonight was about Damian.About Sophia,about the end of her marriage.But suddenly, something much more frightening had entered the picture.

Someone had been watching her health.Someone knew about her pregnancy.

And Amelia had no idea who.

Behind her, the ballroom doors opened.She turned.Damian stood in the entrance, staring at her,his eyes dropped to the hand resting over her stomach.For the first time that night, Amelia wondered,What would happen if Damian discovered the truth before she was ready to tell him?