An Unplanned Event

NATALIE 

The next morning, I woke up to nothing but news about Adrian and Serena. 

They were all over the internet, all in my eyes as I gazed at the screen of my phone. Over and over again, I scrolled through the comments, angry at the people who didn't know anything about a man who had claimed to be single all his life. 

Yet married. 

To me!

In anger, I shoved the duvet to the side of the bed. Standing on my feet, I made up my mind to concentrate on what was there to do. 

There was work to do. 

At the same company Adrian owned. 

A company I worked for as a designer. 

His face was the last I wanted to see, but at the same time, I made up my mind to ignore and concentrate as soon as I reached the office. No one knew about our relationship, after all. 

At the office, I tried my best to face my work. 

But it was hard, sitting in an office built by a man who I was once married to. 

We were no longer together, not when the divorce papers had been signed. But it was hard, more than hard to concentrate on what was there to do and forget I had a relationship with him. 

Marriage. 

I was pregnant. Still pregnant and contemplating what to do. This was too much for me—

My thoughts were cut short when the office line rang. My gaze was fixed on the desk and without hesitation, I picked up a call from Adrian's office. 

“Good morning, sir. How can I help?” 

“Good morning, Natalie.” 

Silence ruled. 

What did he want? 

Did he want to make peace? 

I had signed the divorce papers already. 

“I wanted to let you know—” his voice trailed off. “You should know that my parents are aware of the divorce. I told them late last night.” 

“Oh,” I mouthed. “Okay.” 

“That's not all, Natalie. My dad wants you and me at a diner he's hosting tonight. You should be there at seven. You can close early if you need enough time to get ready, mm?” 

I didn't want to be there. 

But I had to be there. 

Mr. Wolfe had been nothing but a nice man to me, despite not enjoying my stay with the family as a daughter-in-law from the onset. 

“Natalie?” 

“Yes,” I snapped out and nodded. “Thank you.” 

“Will you be there?” 

“Yes,” and I ended the call. That was all he called to say, after all. He wasn't going to add that he would be there to pick me up, he never did. 

Later that evening, I was ready for the moment. 

A moment with the Wolfe family, one last time. They already knew about the divorce. There was no going back to being married to Adrian. 

As I walked out of the big house—a house that now belonged to me, according to what was stated in the divorce papers, I stopped to think about my decision—maybe I was making a mistake going to the Wolfes’ mansion. 

What awaited me there? 

This and many more thoughts ran around in my head but I did not stop walking until I reached the end of the Estate where I could take a cab. 

Upon my arrival at the mansion, I heaved a sigh. There was no going back even if I wanted that. I had come here already, so I had to stay. 

Stay until all of these are over. 

“Welcome, ma'am.” The butler, dressed in his usual uniform, smiled at me. 

I waved and continued to walk. 

But I stopped walking when I reached the entrance of the large living room. 

Loud voices were coming from inside, and they were those of Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe. 

“You worry too much, Gracie.” Mr. Wolfe cried. “Let the poor girl be. It's not her fault.” 

“Oh, really?” Mrs. Wolfe was laughing sarcastically. “Whose fault is it that she couldn't get pregnant in two years of being married to our son? Tell me about it, Anthony. Was it my fault?” 

Mr. Wolfe said again. “Just let her be.” 

But she wasn't going to do that. 

I stood at the entrance and held back myself from shedding tears. I wasn't surprised, either. 

Mrs. Wolfe had shown on several occasions how much hate she had for me. She didn't hesitate to tell me about how unable I was to have children whenever she came over to the house. 

I wiped my face with a wish that my makeup hadn't been touched. 

Then I walked closer and pushed the door open. “Good evening, everyone.” My voice cracked but I covered the mood with a fake smile. 

Mr. Wolfe and his wife looked at my direction. 

“Oh, my child.” He laughed. 

“We've been waiting for you.” He was on his feet and he reached for me. “I almost thought you wouldn't make it to dinner. How are you?”

At that moment, we shared a hug. 

“I couldn't miss this for anything, Mr. Wolfe.” 

“No, call me Dad.” He walked me to a couch. “Thank you for honoring my call. We're waiting for Adrian to arrive so we can begin.” 

The sound of that name almost made me puke. Mrs. Wolfe looked at me, a fake smile on her face. 

“It's good to see you again, you look beautiful.” 

Like I didn't hear what she said about me. 

Why the pretense?

I looked at Mr. Wolfe. 

He was seated again. It was easy to tell that the man was ready to ask a lot of questions. But he shut his mouth when a door opened. 

I looked up and saw a man. 

He walked towards the living room, with a smile. “Hello, everyone.” His hair looked scattered, like he had just woken up from a nap. 

It took moments but I recognized him. 

Dominic Wolfe. 

He was the first son of Anthony Wolfe. According to what I knew, Dominic lived outside the country. And from the look of things, he was back. 

“Hey, Dominic.” Mrs. Wolfe called. 

“Hello, stepmother,” he greeted and took a seat. When he looked in my direction, the entrance door pushed open and the butler walked in. 

“Adrian is here. With a woman.”