Played Dad, Lost Me

Her voice wasn't loud, but it hit like a bomb in my chest.I snapped my head up and shoved him off me.Stared him down, hoping—begging—for something. Anything.But he just looked away, eyes on the floor. Guilty as hell.I pointed at Rainee, my voice shaking. "So it's true? You married her? Then what about me? What about our baby? You're ditching your own kid to play dad to one that doesn't even know who their real father is?"Before I could even finish, Rainee started sobbing. "My baby's not a bastard! He has a dad!"Quentin freaked out.Then—he slapped me.The crack echoed. My cheek lit up like fire.He looked at me like I was nothing. Pulled his hand back like it didn't just hit me. His eyes were cold, disgusted. "Vivienne Watson, have you completely lost it? Do you even realize how much damage your words could do to Rainee?"I didn't know how much it could hurt her. All I knew was Quentin wasn't the guy I used to love.I wiped the blood off my lip, the metallic taste th

That was it. My heart just... snapped.I stared at him one last time.No begging. No hope left.Then I was in the attic, locked up like I was nothing.Night fell. Rats scratched in the corners.One of them waddled right up to me.Then—creak.The attic door started to open.The rat bolted.Rainee's smug face popped into the doorway.No one else around, so she dropped the sweet act and went full venom."Look at you now. I told you Quentin was mine. But you? You actually thought you could steal him? Marry him? Please. You were just his side project."That grin lit a fire in me.I grabbed something off the floor—launched it at her.She screamed and hit the ground.Then I saw it. A rat.Footsteps thundered upstairs. Quentin and Cecilia stormed in.Rainee was on the floor, clutching her stomach, sobbing like she was dying."Quentin! My belly—what if something happened to the baby? I was just being nice, offering Vivienne food, and she threw a rat at me!"She turned up the

He kept babbling like that forever, but couldn't land a single excuse.So I spelled it out for him, sharp as a blade. "You just loved Rainee more."He froze—then started slamming his head against the wall, over and over, the thuds echoing.Out in the hallway, the noise must've carried. Cecilia and Rainee barged in.They shoved the door open and stopped dead. There I was, covered in blood. Quentin looked wrecked.Rainee rushed me and shoved hard.I hit the floor like dead weight. The abortion had already wrecked me, and now a deep red streak followed me down the tile.Quentin's eyes went wide. He staggered toward me, but Cecilia yanked him back."Don't, Quentin. She deserved it for what she did to you," she snapped, pure venom in her voice.Rainee threw herself between us like some guard dog. "Try touching him again, Vivienne, and I swear—you're dead."Even with pain ripping through me, I smiled.I finally got it—there was something real between Rainee and Quentin, something

The next day, I applied for a new position in another city.Only transfer open? Overseas.Perfect. The farther, the better.By day three, the company fast-tracked my passport, and I was gone.***Five years flew by.I buried myself in work, tuned out the world.Every now and then, updates from home popped up—friends, clients—but I never listened too hard.Time dulled the pain. The memories blurred.Eventually, I worked my way up to president of our overseas branch.***Spring rolls around, and HQ called me in for a report.The moment I step into the office—bam. Quentin.And of course, we ended up in the same elevator. Just the two of us.He looked at me, steady, but his voice cracked a little."How've you been?"I didn't answer. Just nodded.We used to spend nights tangled up, spilling every thought like it mattered.Now? I didn't even wanna speak.Ding.The elevator stopped.I stepped out. He grabbed my wrist.His face gave nothing away— except for that hint of a