Chapter 2

I'd been watching Marissa's reaction the whole time.

She flicked a glance at Elliot. When she saw his head was down and he wasn't saying anything, her smile went a little stiff.

"Gideon... what are you talking about?"

I played dumb and kept my voice soft.

"I was doing the math. Around the time you got pregnant, we barely slept together, right?"

The color drained from Marissa's face before my eyes.

I smiled.

"You haven't done anything wrong. What are you scared of?"

"I'm not scared."

She gave a dry laugh.

"How could you ever suspect me and Elliot? You know I've always said you put your friends before me."

As she talked, her eyes kept drifting toward Elliot.

So I turned to him too.

"Elliot, you and Naomi should get a move on. If one of us has a boy and the other has a girl, we'll marry them off to each other when they grow up. Deal?"

Elliot's smile looked forced.

"Come on. It's not the Middle Ages. Promising kids to each other doesn't work anymore. Let them find true love on their own."

I pressed him.

"But we made that pact back in high school, remember? If our kids were the same gender, they'd be like real siblings. If they weren't, they'd marry each other. Why the sudden change of heart?"

Elliot's smile was painfully unnatural now, and his tone cooled.

"I just don't want to force my kid into something they don't want."

Marissa jumped in quickly.

"Yeah, Gideon. Elliot has a point. Let's not force the kids."

I smiled, toying with them.

"Okay. No forcing. But if the two kids fall in love on their own someday, you're not allowed to stand in their way."

"No way!" Elliot suddenly shot to his feet. "Absolutely not!"

It was so abrupt and so loud that doctors, nurses, and patients' families passing by all turned to look at us.

A nurse spoke up.

"Sir, please keep your voice down. This is a hospital."

Marissa immediately apologized to everyone with an awkward smile.

"Sorry. I'm pregnant and he's just overexcited, so he got a little loud."

The nurse nodded.

"It's normal for a new dad to be happy, but please be considerate of the other patients."

Marissa nodded again.

"I will. Thank you."

Only then did the crowd move on.

A deathly silence fell over the three of us.

After a while, Marissa finally pulled herself together. Realizing she might have overreacted, she smiled at me.

"Gideon, I'm a little thirsty. Could you go buy me some water?"

Her face was pale and her smile was forced. Elliot's brows were knitted tightly together. I knew they had something to say to each other in private.

So I smiled and nodded.

"Sure."

Marissa swung my hand affectionately, just like she always used to.

"Thank you, Gideon. You're so good to me."

I shook off her hand, turned, and got on the elevator.

A second before the doors closed, I saw Marissa turn away in tears, and Elliot immediately go after her.

We were on the second floor. I rode down to the first, then slipped into the stairwell next to the elevators.

The moment I stepped in, I heard an argument echoing from the landing above.

Marissa was confronting Elliot.

"Why would he suddenly want a paternity test? Did you let something slip?"

Elliot dropped his usual gentleman act. His voice turned low and nasty.

"You're the one who's with him day and night. If anyone gave it away, it's most likely you."

Marissa's voice was low and sharp.

"I'm warning you one more time. Gideon is my husband. He's the love of my life! If you dare let him find out the truth, you know exactly what'll happen!"

Elliot's voice went cold.

"And what about me? What am I to you?!"

"Elliot, don't forget—you're the one who came after me."

"So what? What's wrong with going after someone I like? Besides, you didn't exactly say no..."

Marissa gave a low laugh.

"If Gideon hadn't been away on business back then, you think I would've gone to bed with you?"

"But you didn't push me away, did you?"

Elliot's voice dropped.

"Marissa, around Gideon you always play the sweet, innocent good girl. Does he know the real you? If he found out who you really are, would he still stay with you? It's just me. We're the perfect match. A slut and a scumbag belong together..."

"Shut up!"

Marissa's voice went ice cold.

"Gideon is the kindest, most decent man in the world. You can't hold a candle to him!

"If you weren't his best friend, I'd have told him everything you did a long time ago!

"I only kept it from him because I didn't want him to get hurt! Mm—"

What followed were Marissa's soft, broken moans and Elliot's low, muffled groans.

And the wet sounds of kissing.

A long while later, Elliot spoke, his voice hoarse.

"Babe, from now on, whenever Gideon's away on business, if you need anything, you know where to find me."