Chapter 4

The sun was shining through the heavy curtains of the guest bedroom, but I felt like I was under a dark cloud.

 I stared at my phone screen, the message from the unknown number was still there. The picture of Zyran and Mina looking so happy together mocked me. “I’ll enjoy him later.”

 "Stop looking at it," a voice said sharply.

 I looked up. Nixie walked into the room carrying a tray with toast, fruit, and a glass of milk. She looked angry, but her eyes softened when she met my gaze.

 "You didn't sleep at all, did you?" she asked, setting the tray down on the bed.

 "I couldn't," I admitted, sitting up slowly. My body felt heavy. My ankle was stiff, wrapped in a bandage, and my stomach felt tender. "Nixie, that text message... do you think they are...?"

 "Sleeping together?" Nixie finished for me. She sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. "Honestly, Rose? I don't know. Men can be clueless. But Zyran isn't the type to cheat. He's too concerned about his reputation and his 'principles.'"

 She picked up an apple slice, pointing it at me. "But that doesn’t mean Mina isn’t trying. She’s a snake and your husband is letting her crawl all over your marriage because of a promise he made to his mother."

 I rubbed my temples. "He feels responsible for her. He said she is like family."

 "You are his family!" Nixie snapped. "You are his wife! And you are carrying his—"

 She stopped and lowered her voice to a whisper. "You are carrying his child, Roosevelt. You have to tell him, you can't keep this a secret forever."

 "I know," I whispered back, looking at the glass of milk. "But not yet. Did you see how he looked at her last night? He defended her. If I tell him now, he might think I am just using the baby to get rid of her. Or worse, Mina might find out and try to hurt the baby."

 Nixie looked horrified. "You really think she would go that low?"

 "She pushed me down the stairs, Nixie," I said flatly. "I don't put anything past her."

 Just then, there was a knock on the door.

 Nixie stood up and crossed her arms, putting on her "battle face."

 "Come in," I called out.

 The door opened and Zyran stepped inside. He wore a grey suit, looking impeccable as always. He smelled of expensive cologne and coffee. He didn't look like a man who had been dealing with police and stalkers all night.

 He glanced at Nixie, then at me.

 "Good morning," he said. His voice was calm and professional. "How is the ankle?"

 "It’s fine," I lied. It throbbed with every heartbeat.

 "Good," Zyran said, checking his watch. "I have to go to the office for a few hours. There is a board meeting I cannot miss. Security is outside the door. No one comes in or out without my permission."

 "You're leaving?" I asked, feeling a spike of anxiety. "Zyran, we are in a Safe House. Is it safe for you to go?"

 "I have security with me," he assured me. He took a step closer to the bed but stopped a few feet away. "Mina is coming with me."

 Nixie scoffed loudly. "Of course she is. Does she have a board seat now, too?"

 Zyran shot Nixie a cold glare. "Mina needs new identification papers. Her documents were destroyed in the fire. My assistant is meeting us at the office to sort it out. I can't leave her here alone."

 "She wouldn't be alone," Nixie argued. "Roosevelt is here."

 "That is exactly why I am taking her," Zyran said, looking back at me. "I don't want any more 'accidents' while I am gone. It's better if you two are separated."

 I felt a lump form in my throat. He was separating us, but he chose to take her with him. He was leaving his injured, pregnant wife in a strange house so he could babysit his ex.

 "Fine," I said, looking down at my hands. "Do what you have to do."

 Zyran hesitated. For a moment, he looked like he wanted to say something else. He noticed the bandage on my ankle, and his hand twitched at his side.

 "I will be back for dinner," he said finally. "Please... just rest. Don't stress yourself."

 He turned and walked out the door.

 I listened to his footsteps fade down the hallway. I heard Mina’s voice downstairs, high and happy, and then the front door closed.

 Nixie sat back down on the bed and took a bite of the apple aggressively.

 "He is an idiot," she declared. "A handsome, rich, colossal idiot."

 "I know," I said, picking up the glass of milk. I forced myself to drink it. I had to be strong. Not for Zyran, and not for me. But for the little life growing inside me.

 "So, what is the plan?" Nixie asked. "We can't just sit here and wait for them to come back."

 I wiped my mouth and looked at my friend. The sadness was still there, but a bit of fire was starting to burn in my chest again.

 "No," I said. "We aren't going to just sit. I need to make a call. If Zyran is going to prioritize his 'old friend,' then I need to protect myself."

 "Who are you calling?" Nixie asked.

 "My lawyer," I said simply. "I need to know what my options are. Just in case."

 Nixie nodded approvingly. "That’s my girl."

 We sat there in the quiet room, eating toast and planning, while my husband drove away with the woman who wanted to destroy me.

 Two days later, the swelling in my ankle had gone down enough for me to walk without limping. The doctor said the baby was stable, but I still felt a constant, low hum of anxiety in my chest.

 I couldn't stay in the Safe House anymore. The walls were too gray, and the silence was too loud. Every time I saw Mina, she would give me a little smile that didn't reach her eyes, or she would be whispering to Zyran in a corner.

 I needed to breathe. I needed to be me again.

 "Are you sure you're ready for this?" Nixie asked, zipping up her overnight bag. She was going back to her own husband and kids.

 "I have to be," I said, smoothing down my skirt. "I have a presentation for the Henderson account today. If I stay here, I’ll go crazy."

 Nixie hugged me tight. "Call me if the 'Ghost' tries anything. I mean it, Rose."

 "I will," I promised.

 After Nixie left, I called a car. I didn't ask Zyran for permission. I just sent him a text, Going to the office. I have work to do.

 Walking into my design firm, Elite Interiors, felt like coming up for air. The smell of fresh coffee and drafting paper calmed me instantly. My assistant, Sarah, rushed over as soon as I stepped off the elevator.

 "Mrs. King! We didn't expect you back so soon," Sarah said, looking relieved. "We have been trying to manage the Henderson file, but they are asking for you specifically."

 "I’m here now," I said, walking into my office. I ran my hand over my desk. This was my kingdom. Here, I wasn't the neglected wife or the clumsy pregnant woman. I was Roosevelt King, the top interior designer in the city.

 I worked for four hours straight. I lost myself in fabric swatches, color palettes, and blueprints. For a little while, I forgot about Mina. 

 Then, my office phone rang.

 "Mrs. King?" Sarah’s voice came through the intercom. "Mr. King is on line one, he says it’s urgent."

 My stomach tightened. L Was it Mina?

 I picked up the phone. "Zyran? Is everything okay?"

 "I’m fine," Zyran’s deep voice filled my ear. He sounded calm, but there was a hesitation in his tone that I wasn't used to. "I saw your text. I’m glad you felt well enough to go in."

 "I needed the distraction," I said honestly. "What’s wrong?"

 "Nothing is wrong," he said. "Actually, I have a favor to ask. A business favor."

 I sat up straighter. Zyran respected my work. He never asked for favors unless it was important.

 "Okay," I said. "What do you need?"

 "I just closed a deal on a new property," Zyran said. "It’s a luxury condo in the city center. It needs a complete interior redesign. Furniture, paint, everything and it needs to be done fast. Within two weeks."

 "Two weeks is a tight deadline, Zyran," I said, grabbing a pen. "But for you, I can pull some strings. Is this for a client? Or an investment property?"

 There was a long silence on the other end of the line. I could hear Zyran breathing.

 "It’s not for an investor," he finally said. "I bought it for Mina."

 My pen froze on the paper.

 "Mina?" I whispered.

 "She can't stay at the Safe House forever," Zyran explained quickly. "And she can't go back to her old neighborhood. It’s not safe. So, I bought her a place. A fresh start."

 I felt the blood drain from my face. He bought her a condo? A luxury condo?

 "And you want me to design it?" I asked, my voice trembling with disbelief.

 "You are the best designer I know, Roosevelt," Zyran said. "Mina has been through a lot. I want her to have a place that feels peaceful. She admires your taste, she actually suggested it."

 She suggested it.

 Of course she did. She didn't want a home, she wanted to see if I would bow down and serve her. She wanted me to pick out the curtains for the house my husband bought her.

 "Zyran, I don't think—"

 "Please, Roosevelt," he interrupted. His voice was soft and pleading. "I just want to get her settled so things can go back to normal for us. If you do this, she will be out of our hair. We can focus on our marriage. On us."

 I stared at the blank notepad in front of me.

 My heart was screaming no. It was humiliating. It was wrong.

 But if I said no, I would look like the jealous, petty wife he accused me of being. If I said no, he would hire someone else, and he would still spend time checking on the project.

 But if I said yes... I would be building a nest for the woman who was trying to steal my life.

 "Roosevelt?" Zyran asked. "Will you do it?"

 I gripped the phone tight, my knuckles turning white. I had to make a choice. Save my pride or play the game to get my husband back?

 "Send me the address," I said.