Four

CHARLOTTE’S P.O.V.

I wanted to set it on fire. 

It took me a moment to collect myself before I rushed outside to the car and yanked the door open. I could hear Justin laughing behind me in the kitchen, but the sound just grated on my nerves. 

I didn’t want to find anything, but with my camera recording me going through every part of the car as quickly as I could, I was disgusted when I pulled a thong out of the pocket behind the driver’s seat. 

Proof.

The text. Her thong… 

And it wasn’t enough. 

I shoved it into the pocket of my robe to throw away before slamming the door shut and walking back inside. 

"I knew you would be excited. Why don’t you get in and test drive it?" Justin asked as he stood at the kitchen island with his phone in one hand before shoving the last bite of his English muffin into his mouth with the other.

 I forced a smile and shook my head as I looked up. "I’m a bit tired today. I want to rest."

"Then go rest, baby," Justin said, walking over to stand before me. I looked down at his chest as he brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. "I have to work late tonight, but tomorrow, I’ll go to the hospital with you to see your Mom."

I swallowed hard as he leaned in and kissed my forehead before leaving the house. 

The second he was gone, I quickly typed out a message to my lawyer.

‘Justin gave me a car. Sell it. Donate all of it to charity.’

***

The next morning, Justin didn’t even notice that the car was gone. He seemed to be in a hurry to get to the hospital to visit my mother, which was unusual.

Every time he laughed with her, it felt like something inside me was twisting tighter, making it harder to breathe. 

But my mom was smiling, so I did, too, hiding my agony and the disdain I now had for my once-loving husband. 

Yet, now, each time he touched my back or hand, bile rose in my throat, and I wanted to jerk away, but I kept my composure as best I could. 

My mother had been in the hospital under close observation for a week now, and didn’t seem to be getting better. The last thing she needed was to see me break down.

"When are you two going to have a baby?" My mom suddenly asked, changing the subject, and my blood went cold. “I want a grandkid before it’s too late. When that car hit me, I saw my life flash before my eyes, and I refuse to leave this world without getting to hold my grandbaby.”

“As soon as we can.  We were thinking about trying again soon. I don’t want to wait any longer.” Justin said immediately, and my head snapped over to stare at him with wide eyes.

I shook my head back and forth before grabbing my mom’s hand.

“It’s not a good time. Maybe one day.” I said immediately… too quickly, and Justin’s jaw tightened.

He looked like he wanted to argue, but his phone rang, saving me from the impending argument. 

After years of trying, we had agreed to take a short break. 

Every month, it had been hitting me harder and harder until it was all I could think about and focus on. I was taking my temperature every day, eating pregnancy-friendly food for every meal, adding every vitamin and supplement that mentioned supporting pregnancy, and had been to multiple specialists. 

None of them could find anything wrong with either of us, and since Justin insisted we didn’t need IVF, the only thing they could recommend was for us to reduce our stress levels. 

It had been devastating, but maybe it was for the best considering…

Justin glanced down at his phone, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips before excusing himself and leaving the room.

I watched him turn down the hallway and listened as his voice drifted further away before I turned back to my mom. I didn’t want to burden her with this, but I also needed to know I had her support.

"Mom,” I said softly, hesitating for a moment. Her smile slowly dropped as if she knew bad news was coming, and I swallowed hard before continuing, “If I get a divorce from Justin..." 

“Charlotte! I won’t hear of it! Where is this coming from? Justin helped our family so much when we were going through hard times! He’s so good to you. Why would you even think about divorce?" My mom said, and I clenched my jaw as I looked up at the open doorway to check for Justin’s return. 

He had done a lot for us. 

When my father had gotten cancer years ago, and my mother was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy, Justin took care of them and paid for his treatment. Without him, my father wouldn’t be alive. 

Even now, he had been incredible and supportive with my mom after her car accident. He had agreed to pay for her medical bills, flew in the best doctors, and had been visiting her with me often. 

Years ago, there had been an explosion at my father’s factory, and it nearly destroyed my family. Half of it had gone up in flames, people died, my father was drowning in lawsuits, and it was about to be shut down.

While my father was facing that, my mother was diagnosed with cancer, and it felt like the world was crumbling around us.

I remembered the moment my father realized he couldn’t save her or his life’s work. 

Then, like a knight in shining armor, Justin swooped in and saved them both, investing in my father’s company to get him back on his feet and covering my mother’s medical expenses. 

Even now, with my mother’s condition getting worse, he continued to support her. He flew in the best doctors. hired private nurses for when she was home, and covered the medical bills until my father could get back on his feet. 

Still, that could never make up for his betrayal. I couldn’t just look the other way.

“But, mom, he…” I tried to explain, but she held up her hand, cutting me off again. 

“No. You don’t give up on the people you love.” She snapped as if I were a teenager, disappointing her all over again. “Especially not after what he has done for us! Charlotte! Have you lost your mind?!”

Justin’s name suddenly lit up on my phone as it buzzed on the table, and I quickly grabbed it, needing an excuse to change the subject. 

“Hey, is everything okay?” I asked as I answered, and I heard Justin sigh. 

“I have an emergency at the company and have to head back. I’ll send your driver to take you home.” He said, but I couldn’t focus on what he was saying because I could hear a woman in the background calling his name.

Rage flooded me as I recognized her voice. 

Tara Whitmore.

“Don’t bother. I’ll take a taxi.” I snapped before ending the call and sitting back down next to my mom.

She didn’t bring up the divorce after that, seeing my anger and having already made her opinion known, and he didn’t try to call back.

Even though I was with her, the room suddenly felt lonely, but I wasn’t going to give up precious time with my mom while I still had it. So I stayed a while longer, catching up with her and playing a round of cards.

It wasn’t long before she said she was too tired and needed her rest. 

I quickly kissed her cheek goodbye and left her room, starting to text my driver to see if he was available to pick me up, only to remember I had already given him the day off since I had expected to be with Justin.

When I looked up from my phone, I glanced around, confused by the unfamiliar corridor I had just turned down, but froze when I saw Justin exit a patient room at the end of the hallway. 

For the briefest moment, I thought he had come back for me.

But then he lifted his arm, and another woman followed him out, stepping into his side.

Justin wrapped his arm around her, kissing her temple like it was the most natural thing in the world… like he had done it a hundred times. 

She looked down, smiling widely, and I followed her gaze… to the hand she had resting on her slightly rounded belly.