Chapter 3

Audrey's POV

For a moment, I genuinely thought I had misheard him.

"I stopped loving you the day your father killed my father.""

The words echoed inside my head as I stared at Reid, waiting for him to take them back, to tell me this was some cruel joke or that I had misunderstood.

He didn't.

The silence stretched between us while the candles flickered and the soft music continued playing, making everything feel painfully wrong.

"That's impossible," I whispered, my own voice sounding distant to my ears.

Reid said nothing.

"No," I said as I pushed away from the table and shook my head. "You don't mean that."

"I do," he replied without changing his expression.

"You can't..." I said, my breath trembling as tears blurred my vision.

"Audrey—" he began, leaning forward slightly.

"No," I cut him off, my voice cracking. "You don't get to say something like that and sit there as if it's normal."

For the first time that evening, irritation flashed across his face.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked, his jaw tightening.

"The truth," I laughed bitterly before pleading, "The real truth."

"The truth is exactly what I told you," he answered blankly.

"No," I said, angrily wiping away my tears. "The whole city heard those rumors after your father died. People said my father was involved."

"Because he was," Reid countered without hesitation.

"You never believed them," I blurted out as my breathing became uneven. "You defended him. You defended my family. You stood beside me and told me none of it mattered."

"You told me you knew my father wasn't capable of something like that," I said desperately.

"I lied," he replied, his gaze turning cold. The words hit harder than any slap.

"You lied?" I asked, feeling my stomach drop.

"Yes." His simple answer made me want to scream.

"Then why marry me?" I asked, taking a shaky breath.

A cold smile touched his lips, nothing like the one I used to know. "Because it was the easiest way."

"The easiest way to do what?" I asked, my heart sinking.

"Destroy your family," he answered as his eyes locked with mine.

The room spun.

"What?" I whispered, gripping the table to stay on my feet.

"I wanted revenge." He continued.

"No," I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

"You asked for the truth." He added.

"No!" I shouted, refusing to believe him.

"You should hear all of it," he continued calmly.

I kept shaking my head as though denying his words could stop them from becoming real.

"Do you remember the year before our wedding?" he asked after a pause. I didn't answer.

"You were working at Whitmore Row. I kept telling you that you were overworking yourself and that once we got married, there was no need for both of us to bury ourselves in work. I promised I'd take care of everything."

"No," I whispered as a horrible realization formed.

"And you believed me." The tears returned instantly. He was right. I had believed him without question.

"You resigned," he continued calmly. "You transferred your shares and signed every document I placed in front of you."

"No..." I whispered.

"You handed me everything." Every word felt like another knife.

"I loved you," I said, my voice breaking.

"I know," he replied quietly.

"You were my husband."

"I know."

"I trusted you."

"I know."

Each answer hurt more than the last. I covered my mouth, trying to stop myself from falling apart.

All I could think about were the sacrifices I had made for him. The career I abandoned, the opportunities I ignored, the inheritance I willingly placed in his hands because I loved him.

Now he was telling me it had all been part of his revenge.

"Why stay?" I asked before I could stop myself.

"What?" Reid frowned slightly.

"If revenge was all you wanted, why stay married to me for three years?" I asked as a tear slipped down my cheek. "You could have destroyed us and walked away, so why stay?"

He hesitated for only a second before answering. "Because the company wasn't ready."

"The company?" I repeated, frozen.

"Your father's company." He said 

Whatever hope I had left disappeared. He hadn't stayed because he loved me. He stayed because his revenge wasn't finished. A hollow laugh escaped me.

"Oh my God," I whispered as I stepped away from him, unable to bear standing so close anymore.

Everything suddenly made sense. The financial losses. The failed partnerships. The disappearing investments. Everyone had blamed bad luck, poor timing, or the market. But it had never been any of those things.

It had been Reid. The man I married, loved and trusted more than anyone.

"You ruined us," I said, feeling sick.

His silence answered me.

"You ruined my family and destroyed everything."

Before he could speak, the suite door opened. I turned instinctively and froze because standing in the doorway was Blair. Looking elegant, confident and beautiful. As though she belonged there.

"Perfect timing," Blair said with a smile as she walked inside.

I stared at the woman I had called my sister, the woman who stood beside me on my wedding day and knew every secret I had ever shared.

"Why?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"What?" Blair replied, blinking innocently.

"Why would you do this to me?" I asked as tears streamed down my face.

Her smile faded, not because she felt guilty but because she looked annoyed.

"I defended you," I said through my tears.

She remained silent.

"My family welcomed you into our home. My father treated you like family. We grew up together. We were best friends." I continued.

"And?" Blair asked as she crossed her arms.

That single word stunned me. I looked from Blair to Reid and back again. Neither of them looked ashamed. Not even a little.

"Audrey," Blair sighed, sounding almost impatient. "You need to accept reality."

"What reality?" I asked weakly.

She smiled before resting a hand on her stomach. At first, the gesture meant nothing. Then everything.

"I'm pregnant," she announced, her smile growing wider.

The room fell silent. I couldn't breathe.

"With his child," she added, glancing at Reid before looking back at me.

Something inside me shattered completely.

"You've already had three years," Blair continued calmly with a shrug. "I think that's more than enough. If you're smart, you'll stop fighting reality."

"What?" I whispered, unable to process any of it.

"I don't mind sharing," she said with a light laugh. "I know how obsessed you are with him. You can remain in the house, and we'll work something out after the baby is born."

The room tilted and for a second, I thought I might faint. Every memory I had of them suddenly felt poisoned. It was all lies.

The tears wouldn't stop, yet neither of them seemed to care. I looked at Blair as though I were seeing her for the first time.

"What did I ever do to deserve this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

She stared at me for a long moment before a slow smile spread across her face. It wasn't triumphant or satisfied. It was filled with resentment.

She stepped closer and finally answered.

"Because you took everything that was supposed to be mine."