The Beginning Of His First Mistake

CHAPTER TWO…!!!

The doorbell rang.

Vivienne opened the door. Nessa stood there holding two iced coffees, a bag of pastries, and enough rage to fuel a small revolution.

"Wait—he did what?" Nessa barged past her into the penthouse, her heels clacking on the marble floor. "He slid divorce papers across the counter like he was handing you a utility bill?"

"Pretty much," Vivienne said, closing the door.

Nessa stopped dead in the middle of the living room. "Who raised this man? Seriously. Was it wolves? Actual wolves? I need to know."

Vivienne let out a tiny, broken laugh. It was barely a sound.

Nessa pointed at the empty kitchen. "What kind of monster serves divorce papers before breakfast?"

"The Dante Ashcroft kind."

"I hate him," Nessa declared. "Always have."

"No, you haven't."

"Fine." Nessa shoved a coffee into Vivienne's hands. "I've disliked him passionately for years. Is that better?"

For the first time all morning, Vivienne almost smiled.

They sank onto the couch together. Vivienne told Nessa everything. The envelope. Dante's flat, cold voice. How he'd called their marriage a transaction. How he'd mentioned Sienna—the woman he'd always loved. The eight million dollars. The house in New York.

And finally, the sixty days.

When she finished, Nessa went completely still. Her brow furrowed. "Wait. You asked for sixty days?"

Vivienne nodded, her eyes fixed on her lap. Her fingers twisted together nervously.

"Why would you do that?" Nessa's voice was sharp with confusion. "You finally have a chance to walk away. This is your freedom. Why would you ask for more time?"

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do. Tell me."

Vivienne didn't answer.

Nessa set down her coffee and turned to face her fully. "Viv, I rushed over here thinking I'd find your suitcases packed. I thought you'd be halfway out the door by now.

Instead, you're buying yourself another month with a man who just threw you away like garbage."

"I know."

"Then why stay?" Nessa asked, her voice softening. "Why spend another sixty days with a man who hasn't chosen you in three years?"

Vivienne looked down at her hands. They were shaking. "Because I have a plan."

Nessa raised an eyebrow. "What kind of plan?"

"I'm going to use these sixty days to figure out what I want." Vivienne's voice was quiet but steady. "What I need."

She took a slow breath. "For three years, I've been whatever Dante needed me to be. Quiet. Supportive. Invisible."

A sad smile touched her lips. "I'm tired of being invisible."

Nessa studied her for a long moment. Her eyes softened.

Then something else flickered across her face—respect.

Like she was seeing a completely different woman sitting in front of her.

"And Sienna?" Nessa asked carefully. "The woman waiting to take your place?"

The room went quiet.

Vivienne shrugged one shoulder. "Then she'll have to wait."

Nessa blinked.

Vivienne met her eyes. "As of this morning, I'm still Mrs. Ashcroft. Sienna is just Sienna."

For a second, Nessa just stared at her. Then a slow grin spread across her face. "Well, well, well. Look who finally found her backbone."

Vivienne rolled her eyes. "I always had one. I just chose not to use it."

Nessa's smile widened. "There she is."

She grabbed Vivienne's arm, her eyes lighting up. "Okay. Then we're making these sixty days count."

Vivienne laughed weakly. "Nessa—"

"No arguments." Nessa pointed a finger at her. "Step one: we're fixing your wardrobe."

Vivienne frowned. "My wardrobe is fine."

Nessa made a face. "Your wardrobe is beige."

"It's a color."

Nessa waved a hand. "It's a warning sign."

Despite herself, Vivienne laughed again. It was small, but it was real.

Nessa sat up straighter. "No more dressing like you're trying to disappear into the wallpaper. We're getting clothes that make you feel confident."

"This is your solution?" Vivienne asked.

Nessa grinned. "It's the beginning of my solution."

Vivienne sighed, but a small smile played on her lips.

Nessa leaned in. "Trust me. By the end of these sixty days, Dante won't know what hit him."

Vivienne looked away. "Dante isn't the point."

Nessa nodded slowly. "Good. Because this time, we're doing it for you."

She handed Vivienne a coffee. "Now drink. You look pale."

Vivienne wrapped her hands around the cold cup. She brought it to her lips—

And stopped.

Her stomach lurched.

Suddenly, the smell of coffee hit her like a wave..

She set the cup down quickly.

"Viv?" Nessa frowned. "You okay?"

Vivienne pressed a hand to her mouth. Her face had gone white. "I—I don't feel well."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know." Vivienne's stomach twisted again. She stood up too fast, swaying on her feet. "I think I'm going to be sick."

She didn't wait for a response. She bolted for the bathroom, her hand clamped over her mouth.

The door slammed shut behind her.

She dropped to her knees in front of the toilet just in time. Her body heaved. Nothing came up, but the nausea kept rolling through her in waves.

She sat back on her heels, breathing hard. Her forehead was damp with sweat.

What is wrong with me?

She pressed a shaking hand to her stomach. Then something clicked in her mind.

She counted back the days in her head. Her eyes went wide.

No. No, no, no.

She was late. Three weeks late. She'd been so busy with the divorce, with Dante, with everything—she hadn't even noticed.

Her heart started pounding.

She scrambled to her feet and opened the small cabinet under the sink.

Her fingers pushed past bottles of shampoo and lotion until they hit a small box in the very back.

She'd bought it weeks ago. Just in case. A stupid, paranoid purchase she'd never thought she'd actually use.

She stared at the box in her trembling hands.

Just in case.

Her hands shook as she tore it open. She read the instructions twice, her eyes blurry with tears she didn't realize she was crying.

She took the test.

Then she waited.

The seconds stretched into an eternity. She paced the small bathroom, her heart hammering so loud she could hear it in her ears.

She kept glancing at the test on the counter, too afraid to look too long.

Finally, she couldn't wait anymore.

She picked it up.

Two pink lines.

Vivienne's breath caught in her throat. The world tilted. She gripped the edge of the sink to keep from falling.

Two lines.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was pale. Her eyes were red and puffy. But there was something else there too—something she couldn't name.

I'm pregnant.

She pressed a hand to her flat stomach. A sob caught in her throat.

Dante's baby.

She looked at the test again. Two pink lines. It was undeniable and real.

A thousand thoughts crashed through her mind all at once. What would Dante say? Would he care? Would he call it another transaction? Another obligation?

She couldn't tell him. Not now. Not like this.

A knock sounded on the bathroom door.

“Viv?” Nessa called. “Are you okay in there?”

Vivienne swallowed hard.

“I’m coming!” she called back, trying to sound normal. “I… I think I’m allergic to the coffee .”

There was a brief silence.

Then Nessa burst out laughing. “Since when are you allergic to coffee ?”

Vivienne closed her eyes. “Since now, babes,” she replied weakly.

“Hmm.” Nessa sounded unconvinced. “That doesn’t even make sense, but okay. Hurry up before I come in there.”

Vivienne’s heart skipped a beat.

“No!” she blurted out, then quickly lowered her voice. “I mean… I’ll be out in a minute.”

She looked around the bathroom in panic.

Her gaze landed on the pregnancy test in her hand.

Without another thought, she wrapped it tightly in a wad of tissue paper and shoved it deep into the trash can beneath a pile of crumpled towels.

Only then did she let out a shaky breath.

Then she splashed cold water on her face. She took a deep breath. Then another.

She stared at her reflection again.

You can do this. Just act normal. Just get through today.

She opened the bathroom door.

Before she could say a word, the penthouse door swung open.

Both women turned toward the sound.

And froze.