Chapter 3

Brianna's POV

The cab was faster than Hugo's car.

I stood in the dim shadows of the residential complex and watched Hugo and Katalin walk hand-in-hand into the yard next door to Mom and Dad's house. It wasn't long before Mom and Dad went in, too. Kieran and Vivian were right on their heels.

The courtyard soon came alive.

I walked over and stood on the other side of the wall from them. The light inside was warm, filled with continuous laughter and cheerful voices. I stood beneath the incandescent streetlight, feeling like a clown spying on their happiness.

Mom's voice was gentle, but her words sliced right through me. "The moment we saw this little house was up for rent that day, we rented it right away. From now on, whenever Hugo visits Kat, he can just tell Bri that he's coming over to see us."

Vivian clapped her hands excitedly. "That's a great idea!"

Right after saying that, she sighed. "I just feel bad for Kat. She'll have to limit how often she goes out while living here, or she might run into Bri."

I caught a hint of heartache flash across Hugo's face through the gaps in the fence. "I'm so sorry to put you through this, Kat."

Katalin shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears. "I don't mind, as long as I can be with you."

She forced a smile that clearly broke Mom's and Dad's hearts. "Kat's so sensible, unlike Bri…"

Both of them sighed, yet it struck me like a sledgehammer, leaving me breathless.

Realizing the mood had grown heavy, Vivian hastily changed the subject. "Look, I bought so many things for my goddaughter!"

The excitement on her face and the sparkle in her eyes took me back to the nights we used to hide together under the covers.

After learning that Hugo and I were a thing, she had poked me in the waist. "It's a deal, okay? In the future, I'm going to be your daughter's one and only godmother!"

"Who knows, it might be a boy."

My answer overlapped with Katalin's.

Vivian looked visibly shaken for a moment. She shook her head briskly before schooling her expression and beaming. "I'll love them either way!"

With that, she shifted her attention to Hugo. "Have you decided on a name for the baby?"

Hugo's gaze rested on Katalin's lower abdomen, and he nodded gently. "Yeah, Nadia Cavill."

My eyes widened, and the last taut thread in my mind finally snapped.

Two years ago, Hugo and I had a child, too. But after learning of his affair, I miscarried. That was the name I had chosen for my unborn child.

Everyone's expression shifted slightly in the courtyard, but no one made a sound.

Wood splinters from the fence dug into my palm as I shoved the gate open.

After a brief silence, everyone instinctively shielded Katalin.

The color drained from Hugo's face. "Bri, what are you…"

He paused for a beat, and his voice began to tremble. "So, you've found out."

The others' expressions changed as well. Yet, every single one of them eyed me warily.

It felt as if a fire was burning inside me, scorching me with unbearable pain. "That bastard in her belly doesn't deserve to share a name with my child!" I rasped, pointing at Katalin.

Hugo's pale face hardened as he gazed at me coldly. "Watch your tongue, Brianna!"