Chapter 19: Breaking Point

Selene

The door to Adrian’s office closes behind me with a soft click, but it might as well be as loud as a gunshot. My heels echo on the marble floor as I walk fast—too fast—past curious glances, past the buzzing receptionist, into the sanctuary of my office.

The second I shut the door, my mask crumbles.

I lean back against it, staring blankly at the wall, my heart thundering against my ribs.

Pregnant.

She said she’s pregnant.

I want to laugh. Or scream. Or cry. But I just… freeze. My mind is spinning. Six weeks. That’s before we met, right? It is of course . So why does it feel like the walls are caving in? This is such bullshit. The minute I let my guard down ...

My hands tremble as I move to my desk. I sit down, elbows on the surface, head in my hands.

I wasn’t stupid. I knew Adrian had a past. But nothing—not even the most dramatic scenario I could have imagined—could have included or prepared me for this. And the way she looked at me, the smug satisfaction on her face and in her voice…I wanted to slap it off her face .

She’s still in love with him.

And now she’s got a permanent link.

I close my eyes and try to breathe through the ache building in my chest. I want to trust him. I do. But trust isn’t so easy when the ghost of someone else’s history is suddenly so alive—and possibly carrying his child.

Adrian

Bianca paces in my office, clearly pleased with the chaos she’s stirred.

“You had no right to ambush me like that,” I snap, standing between her and the door like she’s some kind of threat. Because maybe she is.

“I left you a message last night. You didn’t respond. What was I supposed to do? And now should I have let your new little intern find out on her own?”

“She’s not an intern, Bianca. She’s not just some girl. And you had no business marching in here like you own the place.”

Her smile fades. “I’m pregnant, Adrian.”

“You say that like it’ gives you some right to do what ever the fuck you want? .”

“It’s a fact. You think I wanted this? No. But it happened. And now we have to deal with it, our baby deserves both his or her parents. ”

I rub a hand over my face. I don’t even know what to believe. Bianca and I had been done. Messy, yes. But over. And it was just sex, we never had the connection I have with Selene. So how did I let it get to this point? I always used protection with her because she would not go on the pill.

“I’ll do right by the child,” I say, coldly. “But don’t think for a second this means I’m coming back to you.”

She flinches. “Is that how you want to raise our child Adrian?, we were good together, can’t we try for our child sakes?”

“No Bianca, we definitely weren’t good together, I’m done being manipulated, Selene and I are seeing each other and she is who I want to be with. ”

She doesn’t answer, but the look in her eyes tells me everything.

Selene

I don’t see Adrian for the rest of the afternoon. I bury myself in reports, emails, anything that will keep me from thinking too hard about that moment in his office. That smirk on Bianca’s face. The way Adrian went silent.

I thought I was falling in love. Now I’m falling apart.

Five pm comes and his driver comes in to announce that he will take me home because Adrian is still busy . I grab my stuff and follow the driver . Later that evening , I’m curled up on the couch in his apartment with a half-drunk glass of wine and my suitcase pulled halfway out of the closet. I haven’t packed yet. But I might.

The door unlocks . .and there he is.

Hair tousled. Eyes heavy. Like he’s been through a war.

“Can we talk ?” he asks.

I nod silently .

He walks in and stands in the middle of living room, turning to face me with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“I don’t even know where to start,” he says.

“Start with what matters.”

He closes the distance between us. “I don’t love her. I never did . . Whatever happened between us—it was before I met you. Before you became everything.”

“Adrian—”

“No. Let me finish.” His voice breaks. “You’ve changed me, Selene. And if I could go back and erase that mistake,with Bianca I would. But I can’t. All I can do is ask you to stay. To give me the chance to prove I want you. Only you.”

I want to believe him. God, I do.

Just then his phone rings.

He looks at the screen—and curses.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Bianca. She says she’s having pains in her stomach. She wants me to take her to the hospital.”

He looks torn. Devastated.

“I have to go.”

I nod. “Of course you do. Go.”

He kisses me—fast, desperate—and is out the door within seconds. No apologies, or promises to finish the conversation later.

I stand there for a long time, staring after him devastated. Wondering if this is what my life would be like now. Always second place. Always the other woman.

Then my phone buzzes

Text from Bianca: You should know he will be here with me . I can get him to leave and come to me with a snap of my fingers , and he comes running to me. Let’s face it you were a fun little distraction. You should walk away.

My fingers go cold. I don't bother responding or asking how this bitch got my number. All I know is I can't handle this , and I sure as hell won't come between him and his child.

I look down at the suitcase still open by the closet.

And I decide to start to packing.