Chapter 1

Susie lay beneath Charles, half-naked.

When she saw me, she screamed. Charles froze, then yanked the blanket over her.

He put himself between us, shielding her with his body.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming home?" Charles snapped before he could stop himself. A second later, he softened his tone.

My throat tightened. I could barely make a sound.

I stared at how ridiculous he looked and let out a humorless laugh.

"So you'd have time to hide her?"

Then I turned to leave.

Charles panicked. He leaped out of bed, caught up with me, and grabbed my wrist. "It's not what it looks like."

"Let me explain. I just wanted to see whether I'd still cheat. That's the only reason I brought her here."

I took a breath and kept my voice steady.

"Well, now you know. You cheated."

"Just listen. I had to find out if I'd still cheat so I'd know what to do from now on. Besides, Susie was having a bad day, so I let her come over."

Charles scrambled to explain himself.

I didn't let it show, but inside, I scoffed.

He always had some lame excuse like this.

I was done listening. "Get ready for a divorce. My lawyer will divide everything, and you won't get a cent of what's mine."

I meant every word, and Charles immediately grew desperate.

He kept begging. "Don't do this, Serena. You have to let me explain. I already told you why."

"And we'd been drinking."

He'd barely finished speaking.

Susie had already pulled on my nightgown. She jumped off the bed and grabbed my hands, her eyes bloodshot.

"Please don't blame him, okay? Serena, we're best friends. You're supposed to believe me."

Then she burst into tears, big, fat tears rolling down her face.

She tightened her grip on my hands and kept going. "I'm the one who seduced him. It had nothing to do with him, so don't blame him. Even in bed, he said your name. Last time, too. He loves you."

My hands trembled for a second.

Her words turned my stomach.

I thought I might throw up.

So even while they were sneaking around behind my back, they had to drag my name into it.

The last time, Susie had begged me the same way, crying the same pretty, pitiful tears.

I felt nothing. I pulled my hands free.

"Don't talk to me. You make me sick. Get ready for a divorce."

I started to leave.

Before I could react, Susie shot to her feet, raced to the desk, and pulled a gun from the drawer. She cocked it.

Her hands were shaking.

Charles lunged at her, and they struggled for the gun.

During the struggle, Charles pulled the trigger, and the gun went off with a deafening bang.

The bullet whizzed past my ear and slammed into the door. I gasped. My whole shoulder went numb, and shock rooted me to the spot.

Then a sharp pain stabbed through my lower belly, and I felt something warm trickle out of me.

I stared at them in shock.

"Serena." Charles said my name while still holding Susie up.

I looked down at the blood pooling at my feet and gave a bitter laugh. "Looks like God doesn't want me to have this baby either."

Charles stopped short, his mouth falling open.

Susie cried out, "Serena, the bullet didn't even touch you. How could you be bleeding down there?"

At that, Charles's concern faded.

"Do you really have to make a scene like this?!"

"And lie to me on top of it!"

Charles was so furious that the veins stood out on the backs of his hands. He helped Susie out of the room.

As he passed me, he said, "Don't fake something like this again. Stunts like that make me sick."