Chapter 2

Lucy’s POV

I stood frozen in a spot, the scan result still clutched in my trembling hands, yet my mind was no longer focused on it anymore .

Something darker, colder, had taken hold of me at this point. The scarf lay there on the bed like a taunting shadow, its delicate fabric whispering secrets I wasn’t ready to hear.

Fear twisted deep within me with just seeing this scarf.

I swallowed hard and wiped at the tears threatening to spill over my cheeks. I Just couldn’t let this moment break me down, not after everything I’d endured over the years.

I quickly masked my emotions, replacing the turmoil with a brittle smile, just in time to hear his voice behind me.

“Lucy,” Andy called softly.

I turned, forcing myself to meet his own gaze.

He stood in the doorway, tall and composed as always, though there was something different in his stance this time.

Something cautious and strange.

“Where did you go to, Lucy?” he asked, taking a step closer to my standing position.

“I’ve been looking all over for you.”

His words were caring enough, but the warmth I once found in his voice now felt hollow and strange. I studied his face carefully as I crafted a small, fake smile to match his own concern.

“Just for a little walk,” I lied, my tone calm even as my chest tightened.

“ Just needed some fresh air.”

He didn’t look convinced with my reply. His gaze lingered on me for a moment before drifting past me to the bed. His expression shifted, his eyes narrowing as they locked on the scarf.

“Who owns this?” I asked sharply, walking to the bed and picking it up. My grip tightened on the fabric, and I turned back to him with a stern and serious look.

“How did this get into my house, Andy?”

His face changed immediately, his usually confident features now clouded with unease. His jaw tightened, and his eyes darted from the scarf to me and back again.

“Lucy...” he started, but his voice wavered.

My heart sank as soon as his voice tremble.

That hesitation told me everything I needed to know. “Andy, don’t lie to me,” I snapped, taking a step toward him.

“Who does this belong to?”

“It’s…” He stammered, his composure cracking further.

“It’s nothing. I mean..” he immediately tried to smile.

“It’s nothing you say?” I cut him off, anger rising to the surface now.

“Do you think I’m so stupid, Andy? Do you think I don’t know what’s happening under my own roof?” My voice trembled, not with fear, but with the effort it took to keep from shouting.

Andy sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as he ran a hand through his hair. He avoided my eyes, a clear sign of guilt.

“I got it for you,” he finally said, his voice quieter and more calmer now.

“For me?” I repeated, my tone dripping with disbelief and a chuckle.

I held the scarf up like it was evidence in a trial.

“Why would you get such thing for me, Andy?”

He hesitated again, his lips parting and closing as if searching for the right words to mix up.

“When my mother was barren…” he began, his voice faltering as he spoke up. “She used to wear this scarf on her head. She swore it helped her conceive. I thought maybe..”

I laughed, the sound bitter and cutting, interrupting him mid-sentence.

The absurdity of his excuse was almost too much.

“Andy, are you serious right now? You’re trying to tell me this scarf is some kind of fertility charm or child giver?”

He flinched at my tone, his jaw tightening again.

“Lucy, I know how it sounds, but...”

“No,” I snapped, taking another step toward him. My grip on the scarf was so tight now I thought I might tear it apart.

“Don’t even try to spin this into some fairy tale as you usual do. Do you think I’m blind or a fool? Do you think I don’t know what’s really going on under my own roof?”

Andy finally met my gaze, his eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite place, was it fear? Anxiety? Guilt?

“You’re lying to me, ain't you” I said, my voice breaking slightly.

“You’ve been lying to me for years, haven’t you?”

“Lucy, I...”

“Who is she?” I demanded, my voice rising up with anger.

The words hung in the air between us, sharp and accusing.

“Who does this scarf belong to, Beta Andy?”

Andy’s lips pressed into a thin line, his silence speaking louder than any excuse ever could. The weight of his betrayal crushed down on me, stealing the breath from my lungs.

I stepped back, needing to put some distance between us. My heart pounded in my chest as my mind raced, replaying every moment, every interaction, every late-night excuse. How long had this been going on under my roof? How many lies had I believed?

“I deserve the truth at once,” I said quietly, my voice trembling but also firm.

“If you respect me at all, you’ll tell me all I need to hear from you.”

Andy opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, a sound came from the hallway outside the room.

It was faint but distinct ,the soft creak of a floorboard, followed by the rustle of fabric.

I turned sharply, my eyes narrowing as I stared at the doorway. For a moment, there was only silence and building tension. Then, slowly, a figure appeared in the doorway.

She stepped into the room as though she owned it, her heels clicking softly against the wooden floor. Her lips curved into a smirk, her eyes gleaming with something that looked like triumph.

“Am I interrupting anything?” she asked, her voice smooth and laced with mock innocence.

I felt the air leave my lungs as I took in her presence. She was beautiful in a sharp, almost predatory way, with a confidence that made my skin crawl. Her gaze flicked from me to Andy, and her smirk deepened.

The scarf slipped from my fingers, landing soundlessly on the floor.

“Who is she, Andy?” I asked again, my voice now barely above a whisper.

Andy didn’t answer my question this time.

He didn’t need to at all.

The look on his face, and the smug glint in her eyes told me everything I needed to know.

This was really her.

This was the woman who had invaded my home, my life, my marriage, my old built love.

And she was standing right in front of me, with a smile.