Chapter 2

By the time I got to the hotel, I was soaked to the skin.

A dull ache had also started low in my abdomen.

I wanted to change into dry clothes—then remembered my suitcase was still sitting in the emergency stairwell of Darian's building.

I pulled out my phone and found a string of new messages.

Every one of them was from Darian.

"I'm sorry, Amelia. Josie's pregnant. I had to make sure she was okay."

"Where are you? Let me come find you."

Rain lashed the windows without letting up.

I stared at his messages until my emotions settled into something cold and steady.

"Darian, we're done."

I hit send, then blocked his number, his texts, and every social media account he had.

Then I emailed my supervisor.

"Mr. Ford, I'd like to withdraw my transfer request and stay at the Seattle headquarters. Is that still possible?"

His reply came quickly.

"Yes. HR will restart the process first thing tomorrow."

I let out a long breath and looked toward the window.

The thunder barely let up all night.

The next morning, I waited until Darian would normally have left for work, then quietly went back for my suitcase.

What I didn't expect was to find Josie waiting for me in the stairwell.

She stood on the landing, one hand cradling her belly, her eyes ice-cold.

When her gaze caught on the faint mark the ring had left on my finger, she suddenly smiled.

"You're Darian's fiancée, aren't you?"

Before I could answer, she stepped toward me, one deliberate step at a time, until my back was against the wall.

Her chin tilted up.

Her expression was pure, undisguised contempt.

"Darian told you the baby's Zack's, didn't he?"

She kept crowding me into the corner, mockery gleaming in her eyes.

"You really think Darian's generous enough to raise another man's kid?"

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut.

I froze.

My mind went blank; even breathing felt impossible.

The faint smirk at the corner of her mouth told me she was enjoying every second of it.

"I recognized you at the bakery yesterday. You were just too stupid to recognize me."

"Now grab your stuff and get out. You don't belong here."

A bone-deep chill spread through me.

And all at once, everything clicked into place.

No wonder Darian had brushed off every one of my attempts to visit Chicago that year.

Even when I did come, he always booked me a hotel.

Once, I'd complained that the walls were thin and the bed was uncomfortable.

He'd just soothed me gently.

"Sweetheart, a friend's crashing at my place right now. It'd be awkward."

So the "friend" had been Josie.

I drew a slow breath and forced myself to stay calm.

"Darian and I are engaged. We have a wedding date. His family and friends all know about me."

"What about you?"

Josie's smile stiffened.

The shock on her face told me everything.

Darian had been lying to her too.

But I had no interest in arguing with her.

I stepped forward.

"Move."

Josie immediately blocked me, spreading her arms wide.

Her eyes flashed with challenge.

"Don't you want to see Darian one last time?"

Before I could work out what she meant, the distant elevator chimed.

At almost the same moment, Josie grabbed my hand and pressed it against her stomach.

She looked me dead in the eye.

Triumph flashed through her gaze.

Then she threw herself backward.

Her body tumbled straight down the stairs.

Her scream tore through the empty stairwell.

The elevator doors slid open.

The instant Darian rushed out, the color drained from his face.

"Josie!"

"I didn't—"

I barely got the words out before Darian charged at me and shoved me hard to the ground.

My back slammed against the concrete steps.

Pain exploded through me.

But it was nothing compared to the vicious cramp that suddenly ripped through my lower abdomen.

As my vision started to blur, I used the last of my strength to look up at him.

"Darian… help me…"

But he only shouted at me.

"Cut the act! If anything happens to Josie or the baby, I'll never forgive you!"

My breathing grew shallow.

My vision faded in fragments until everything went dark.

The last thing I saw was Darian sweeping Josie into his arms and rushing toward the elevator without ever looking back.