Chapter 007

Leslie stepped fully into the room and walked straight toward the couch where her clothes were lying. Earlier, she had only picked up the clothes from the guestroom, the ones Nicholas had left there. It was obvious he spent most of his nights there.

She paused after that, her eyes lifting as she finally took in the room properly. It was huge. She had been here several times before, but she had never truly looked at it. Most of the time, she was in a rush, too focused on herself, on making sure she looked irresistible, on pleasing Nicholas. Now, standing there with no one touching her, no one watching her, she noticed the details. The space. The quiet luxury.

For a brief moment, she wished it were hers.

‘If they get divorced, he’s definitely keeping this house,’ she thought.

She turned then, finally facing Fatima.

Fatima stood a few feet away, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her posture stiff. She was waiting. Waiting for whatever excuse, apology, or lie Leslie was about to offer.

Sorry I slept with your husband? Or maybe, He came after me. Or better yet, Sorry I pretended to be your friend and insisted on being your maid of honor, I just wanted to know what it would feel like to stand at the altar with your husband?

“Okay, I’m not even going to try and sugarcoat it,” Leslie said finally. “It is what it is. Nicholas and I fell in love.”

Fatima’s brows lifted slightly. “Excuse me?”

“You and I both know you two never worked,” Leslie snapped back.

“And that gave you the right to sleep with him?”

“Somebody had to give it to him.”

Fatima let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “Okay. Is this really what you want to say to me right now?”

Leslie hesitated for the first time. “I mean… yeah. I’m pregnant, Fatima, and—”

“You have proof?” Fatima cut in sharply. “And how far along are you?”

“Oh, what are you, my doctor?” Leslie scoffed. “I know my body. I’m positive I’m pregnant.”

“Hold on.” Fatima chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “So you don’t have proof that you’re pregnant?” she asked calmly. She was a doctor, no one could fool her when it came to these things. “You just know you’re pregnant?”

“I get really scared in the rain,” Leslie said abruptly. “So I’m leaving.” She picked up the clothes she had left there earlier and walked out without looking back.

Fatima stood there, stunned. The way Leslie had rushed out, the tension in her voice, it was as if she wasn’t even sure herself. Could she be lying? The thought barely had time to settle before Fatima’s phone started ringing.

She inhaled deeply before answering. “Mad,” she said, forcing her voice steady.

“Tima, hey! How are you?”

“I’m good. How are you?”

“I’m fine. Oh my God, this wedding planning is no joke. How did you do it twice?”

“I hired a planner, Mad. You should do the same,” Fatima said. Her older sister was getting married in a few months and had refused to hire a wedding planner.

“You’re right. Please send me your planner’s contact.”

“I will,” Fatima replied. They talked a little longer before saying goodbye. Madelyn was only a year older than her, and since losing their parents in a terrible accident, it had always been the two of them, until Bonnie and Wave came along.

Madelyn loved them like her own, and they were so protective of each other. She was a journalist, and if she ever found out what Nicholas had done this time, she would destroy him. Lucky for him, she was too busy planning her wedding.

Fatima placed her phone on the nightstand and wiped her tears away before heading to the bathroom to prepare for bed. She was going to sleep in the kids’ room. The storm was loud, and Wave was afraid of thunder.

***

The night passed slowly, painfully, but she managed.

By morning, Fatima had the kids ready for school. Even Wave went to a daycare facility. Mrs. Wilson had breakfast ready, and Fatima sat with the kids as they ate. She had no appetite, but before they could ask her questions, she forced herself to eat anyway.

Mrs. Wilson informed her that her husband had already left by the time she arrived and that Mr. Kingston was staying in one of the guestrooms. “I’ll take breakfast to him now,” Mrs. Wilson said.

Fatima stopped her gently and asked her to take it after they had all left. She whispered so the kids wouldn’t hear. She didn’t want them to know he was there, they would want to see him, and she didn’t want them to see him like that.

After breakfast, they were ready to go. The storm had calmed, though it was still raining lightly. Fatima drove the kids to school and then headed to work.

When she arrived, she found her office decorated.

“You got an upgrade,” Gisele said excitedly. “They even gave you the chair you’ve been asking for forever.”

Gisele, her best friend and a nurse at Oakwood Medical, beamed at her. Fatima had been promoted to MD, Clinical Supervisor years ago, which came with her own office.

“I see,” Fatima said distractedly, reaching for her phone as she noticed the email her lawyer had sent.

She had filed for divorce weeks ago. The papers were ready. Nicholas had been acting strange, and the cheating scandal had gone far enough to threaten her image.

She had been holding the divorce papers in his office when he walked in and told her they were renewing their vows. She thought they were finally going to fix their marriage. He hadn’t been present as a husband for months, hadn’t even touched her, but when he spoke about renewing their vows, she believed him. She hid the divorce papers in a hurry and got distracted planning the wedding.

That was why she told him to check his drawer and instructed her lawyer to continue with the process after she had asked him to dismiss it days earlier.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Gigi said. “Once I’m on break, I’m coming back so you tell me everything.”

Fatima nodded, forcing a smile. After Gisele left, she sank into her chair, covering her mouth as reality crashed over her again.

It had all been there, the late-night calls, the frequent trips. She should have known. Even when she first filed for divorce, she believed they had simply outgrown each other. But now she knew the truth. She had seen it with her own eyes. He admitted it had been going on for three years. Three years.

She wondered how stupid she must have looked. How many times he had probably laughed at her for not seeing it. Tears slid down her cheeks as she stared at the new rings on her finger. She had accepted them even after he had said another woman’s name… three times.

She reached to pull them off.

“I wouldn’t do that just yet.”

Fatima looked up sharply to see Violet standing in the doorway, her handbag at her side. One look at her face told Fatima she already heard.

Violet was Nicholas’s mother. Image was everything to her. She had been the loudest voice insisting on renewing the vows. And she had never liked Fatima. She saw her the same way Nicholas did: as someone useful for appearances.

“Mother,” Fatima said quickly, standing up and inviting her in.

Violet paused, scanning the office with visible distaste before stepping inside. No diamonds. No luxury. Nothing worthy, in her eyes.

“First things first,” Violet said, standing instead of sitting. “You and Nicholas are not getting a divorce.” She spoke with quiet finality.

Fatima dropped back into her chair, bracing herself. She was about to speak when two more figures stepped into the office. Nicholas and Leslie.

Fatima stood immediately.

They stopped a short distance away. Nicholas was holding a brown envelope. She barely had time to wonder what it was before he spoke, explaining that they had the test results.

Her stomach dropped.

Violet must have dragged them to the hospital. That was just like her. But bringing them here, into Fatima’s office? “Give it to Fatima,” Violet said. “She’s the doctor here.”

Fatima’s breath caught.

She had to look at her husband’s mistress’s pregnancy results.

Just what kind of cruel fate was this?