Chapter two

Jane's pov

You don't belong here

“I said, what the fuck are you doing here, Jane?” Christian’s voice was sharp, demanding, each word cutting through the air like glass.

I looked at him, my expression calm, my hands folded neatly in my lap. It wasn’t calm, though not really. It was empty. A practiced indifference. I didn’t even flinch, didn’t let him see how his words twisted something deep inside me.

Instead, I glanced at the window, pretending not to hear him. Pretending he wasn’t even there.

“Jane,” he said again, louder this time, stepping closer. “Don’t act like you didn’t hear me.”

Before he could press further, the door opened, and Dr. Bright walked in. She barely glanced at him as she came to stand by my side.

“Mr. Holmes, please,” she said firmly, her professional tone leaving no room for argument. “Be calm. She’s just come out of the theater. She needs rest.”

She handed me a clipboard with discharge papers and a prescription slip. “Here are the documents, Mrs. Holmes,” Dr. Bright said gently. “Sign here, and I’ll get everything finalized for you.”

Before I could pick up the pen, Christian’s voice cut through the air again, colder and harsher this time. “Wait. Jane…” He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as if he were only now piecing something together. “Don’t tell me… Don’t fucking tell me you terminated the pregnancy.”

I froze, the pen hovering over the paper. His words were like a slap, but I wasn’t about to let him see the impact. Slowly, I set the pen down and turned to him.

“You’ve got some nerve, Christian.” My voice was soft, steady, but every word carried weight. “You’ve been ignoring my texts for hours. Hours. You made it perfectly clear how you felt about this baby.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” he snapped, his confusion genuine, or at least it seemed that way.

I leaned back in the chair, my arms crossed. “I’ve been texting you since I got here. I even called you. And you told me, in no uncertain terms, that Amanda and her baby were the only ones you cared about. That I should go ahead and terminate this one because it didn’t matter to you.”

“That’s a lie,” he said immediately, his tone sharp. “I never said that. I never texted you, and you never called me. Don’t put words in my mouth.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and shoved it in front of me, scrolling through his messages. “See? Nothing. No texts, no calls. Whatever you’re talking about, it didn’t come from me.”

But I didn’t even look at the screen. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of trying to defend himself. Instead, I turned to Dr. Bright.

“Is there anything else I need to sign?” I asked her, my voice flat, ignoring the storm brewing just inches away from me.

She hesitated, her eyes flicking between Christian and me before sliding the clipboard back toward me. “Just these, Mrs. Holmes. You’re almost done.”

I signed the papers quickly, barely noticing my shaky handwriting.

“Do I need a family member to countersign, or is this enough?” I asked the doctor, trying to keep my voice even.

Dr. Bright shook her head. “No, you’re fine on your own.”

I handed the clipboard back, then turned to Christian. “Go back to Amanda, Christian. That’s where you belong. That’s where you’ve always belonged.”

The words stung even as I said them, but I kept my face blank.

It was then that I noticed her. Amanda. She was standing just outside the door, her hands resting lightly on her stomach. She winced, clutching her side, her face twisting in pain.

“Christian…” she murmured softly, her voice weak.

His head snapped around immediately, his attention shifting like a reflex. “Amanda?” he said, rushing to her side.

I watched as he caught her before she could stumble, his hands steadying her as if she were made of glass. His touch was so gentle, so caring. The way he looked at her… It was like she was the only thing that mattered in the world.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his voice soft now, full of concern.

“I think it’s just cramps,” Amanda said, leaning into him. “I’ll be fine.”

“Let’s get you checked out,” he said, his arm around her protectively.

And just like that, I disappeared.

It was like I wasn’t even in the room. Like I’d never been in the room.

I stared at them, my chest tightening painfully. The hurt was overwhelming, but I swallowed it down. I refused to let it show.

Christian turned to the doctor. “Can someone take a look at her? Please?”

Dr. Bright nodded. “Of course. Follow me.”

As they left the room, I sat there alone, my hands clenched into fists on my lap. The silence was unbearable, but it gave me too much time to think.

How had I ended up here? How had I married a man who could treat me like this? Who could toss me aside so easily?

My mind replayed the last five years, the slow, painful unraveling of our marriage. The way he’d always made me feel like I was competing with someone who wasn’t even there. And now that Amanda was back, I’d lost.

Completely and utterly lost.

The door opened again, and Christian walked back in, his expression hard.

“This isn’t over, Jane,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “I deserve some fucking answers.”

I met his gaze, my own eyes cold. “Do you?”

He didn’t reply. Instead, he turned on his heel and left, heading straight back to Amanda.