Chapter 2

I looked at the little charm Hudson kept on his desk, a stuffed bear that was not particularly well-made. I had laughingly asked him when he had started liking cutesy stuff like that.

Hudson had replied that it was a freebie he got with his coffee. I had not thought much of it at the time and even found the contrast kind of adorable.

Thinking back, the day Mia moved into our house, she had a stuffed bunny in the same style hanging from her suitcase. They were a matching set, and I had been too blind to see it.

Then there was last month's company team-building dinner. I had brought Mia along as my plus-one because I did not want her to feel lonely at home. During the meal, they served Cajun crawfish, which was my absolute favorite. Hudson put on gloves and peeled a whole bowl of them.

I was thrilled and ready to take the bowl when he casually pushed it in front of Mia instead.

"Mia hasn't had much of an appetite lately, and it's rare for her to want something spicy. Let her have this bowl first. I'll get more for you in a bit."

Everyone at the table praised him for being such a thoughtful man, taking such good care of even my best friend. Even though I felt a pang of jealousy, I forced myself to be understanding.

I even replied, "You're right. Mia's appetite has been pretty bad, so it's great when she actually wants to eat something."

I wanted to slap myself for being so stupid back then.

After thinking it through, I made my decision. Divorce was inevitable, but now was not the right time. To avoid tipping them off, I swallowed my disgust and came home right on schedule.

When I opened the door, the smell of home-cooked food hit me.

Hudson came out of the kitchen wearing an apron and carrying a pot of soup, while Mia sat at the dining table, sneaking a piece of meat.

"Honey, you're home! Go wash your hands and come eat. I made your favorite minestrone soup today."

Hudson's smile was warm and gentle. He kept putting food on Mia's plate while saying things like, "Mia, eat more. You're eating for two now. Don't worry about saving Charlotte's money, she makes plenty."

Mia shot him a flirtatious look, then turned to me. "Oh my gosh, Hudson is so good to me. Charlotte, you're not jealous, are you?"

Watching her act all innocent after getting what she wanted made me roll my eyes internally.

"Of course not," I said, smiling faintly.

I picked up a juicy piece of meat and dropped it into Mia's plate. "Eat up. You need to put on some weight for the baby."

That evening, I used work as an excuse to stay in the study. I did not come out until late into the night, moving as quietly as possible.

As I passed the guest room, I heard muffled voices inside. "Hudson… I want to…"

Mia's voice was sickeningly sweet. "The doctor said it's okay to have sex during the second trimester…"

"No." Hudson's voice was rough but firm. "What if it hurts the baby? Just hold on a little longer, okay?"

"But I want you so bad… It's been forever since you touched me… Be good now. For our baby's sake, okay? Just a few more months."

I stood outside the door, my whole body ice cold.

After a while, Hudson walked out looking flushed and frustrated.

My heart jumped, and I quickly slipped into the bedroom and got into bed. The next second, he walked in and wrapped his arms around me from behind.

His hands urgently slipped under my nightgown. "Honey… you're still awake?"