Chapter 297: Back to the Beginning

\[Sarah\]

The familiar scent of my own home wrapped around me as I stepped through the doorway, a strange comfort after weeks away. Everything looked exactly as I'd left it—Emma's stuffed rabbit on the sofa, William's science project notes spread across the dining table, a forgotten coffee mug still sitting on the kitchen counter. It was as if time had stood still here while my entire world had been upended.

My first call after settling in was to Liv. I needed normalcy, a friend untouched by the drama of kidnappings, gunshot wounds, and billion-dollar ransoms. When she answered, her gasp of surprise was audible even before she spoke.

"Sarah? Oh my God, you're back?" Her voice pitched higher with excitement. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming home? Where are you? Are you okay? I'm coming over right now!"

I couldn't help but smile at her rapid-fire questions. "I'm fine, Liv. Just got in, actually."

"Don't move an inch. I'll be there in twenty minutes. Maybe fifteen if traffic cooperates."

Before I could respond, she'd already hung up. I sank into my couch, hand instinctively cradling the small swell of my abdomen, and closed my eyes. The quiet of the house enveloped me—a stark contrast to the chaos of the past weeks.

True to her word, Liv arrived in record time, arms laden with shopping bags and a massive bouquet of sunflowers. The doorbell rang repeatedly, as if she was too impatient to wait even a few seconds.

I opened the door to find her slightly out of breath, designer sunglasses pushed up into her tousled hair, eyes wide with concern.

"Sarah!" She dropped the bags in the entryway and pulled me into a fierce hug, then abruptly pulled back, eyes scanning me from head to toe. "Look at you—you've lost weight! Is that good for the baby? How are you feeling? Is your arm healing properly?"

I guided her inside, closing the door on the outside world. "I'm fine, and the baby's fine," I assured her, the lie slipping off my tongue with practiced ease. No need to burden her with my medical concerns. "Come in, sit down. You're making me tired just watching you buzz around."

Liv followed me to the living room, her expression suddenly serious as she placed the flowers in a vase I'd hastily filled with water. "You know I've been worried sick, right? First you're kidnapped, then shot, then there's that awful news article..." She trailed off, watching me carefully. "Speaking of which, why didn't you tell me about the billion dollars?"

I shrugged, arranging the sunflowers with more attention than they required. "It wasn't my money to discuss."

Liv snorted, plopping down onto my sofa. "That's the biggest non-answer I've ever heard. Theodore Pierce spent a billion dollars to save you, and you don't think that's worth mentioning to your best friend?"

I turned to face her, forcing a smile. "You mentioned having gossip for me on the phone. What is it?"

Liv shifted uncomfortably, suddenly fascinated by a loose thread on the sofa cushion. "I don't know if now is the right time..."

"Just tell me," I said, sinking into the armchair across from her. "I promise my psychological resilience is at an all-time high these days."

She bit her lip, hesitating. "It's about Theodore. I wasn't going to say anything, but since you asked..." She took a deep breath, as if bracing herself. "He's been seeing Victoria Cross again. They've been spotted together at restaurant three times this week."

The words landed like a physical blow, though I kept my expression carefully neutral. "That's his choice," I heard myself say, the banality of the comment surprising even me.

"Sarah, that's your reaction? 'his choice?" Liv's voice rose with indignation. "That backstabbing jerk!"

My phone chimed with a notification, a welcome interruption. I glanced down at the screen: a bank alert. Wilson's transfer had come through—every penny Theodore had given her for Lily's surgery, returned to my account.

"Sarah?" Liv prompted, leaning forward to study my face. "I know you're the one who ended things, but doesn't it bother you that he's already back with Victoria? It seems deliberately cruel, especially after everything you've been through."

I raised my eyes from the phone, placing it face-down on the side table. "Theodore's choices are his own," I said evenly. "We're no longer together, so who he spends his time with isn't my concern."

Liv looked unconvinced. "You can't possibly mean that. Not after everything you two have been through."

I stood up, suddenly needing to move. "Victoria's devotion to Theodore has always been..." I searched for the right word, "absolute. She removed her own uterus to prove she'd never burden him with children." The memory of that revelation still made my skin crawl. "Perhaps he's realized that being with someone who loves him that completely is the better choice."

"Sarah—"

"No, I mean it," I interrupted, surprised by how steady my voice remained despite the hollow ache spreading through my chest. "It actually makes sense. With her, his life can return to its original track. No complications, no children to worry about, no messy emotions to navigate."

"But what about Emma? She adores him." Liv's expression was pained.

"And William doesn't," I pointed out. "He's never accepted Theodore as a father figure."

"And what about..." Liv's eyes dropped to my abdomen.

My hand instinctively moved to shield my belly, as if I could physically protect the vulnerable life within from this conversation. "This baby may not even make it to term," I said softly, the admission scraping my throat raw. "The medications I needed after being shot... they've affected the development."

Liv's eyes widened with horror. "Oh, Sarah, I had no idea. I'm so sorry."

I shook my head, not wanting her pity. "My point is, relationships exist between two people. If Theodore has chosen to restart things with Victoria, I respect his decision."

The look Liv gave me was a mixture of concern and disbelief, but before she could argue further, my phone rang again. It was William's school—time for pickup.

"Come with me?" I asked Liv, grateful for the reprieve from this conversation.

When we arrived home with William, I was surprised to find Mike in the living room with Emma on his lap, Alex hovering awkwardly by the entryway. Tension hung in the air like a gathering storm.

"Sarah," Mike looked up with relief. "You're back."

"Hello, Mike," I greeted him, helping William with his backpack. "Alex, this is unexpected."

Alex shuffled his feet, not quite meeting my eyes. "Theodore wanted me to check on the children," he explained, though there seemed to be more to his presence than that simple mission.

Dinner was a stilted affair, with conversation carefully navigating around the elephant in the room. William chatted about a science competition, while Emma happily showed off a new drawing. It almost felt normal, until my phone chimed again with another bank notification. The money I'd attempted to transfer to Theodore had been returned to my account, with an error message about incorrect banking information.

I glanced at Alex. "Did Theodore change his bank account? I tried to transfer funds to him, but they were returned."

Alex's discomfort was palpable. "I... I'm not sure about his banking arrangements."

"You're his friend and assistant. You know everything about him," I pressed, keeping my tone light despite the building frustration. "Has he changed accounts?"

Alex tugged at his collar, sweat beading on his forehead despite the cool air conditioning. "I don't think he wants the money, Sarah. He never asked for repayment."

"He's right," Mike interjected, setting down his fork with a little too much force. "Theodore doesn't need the money. You're just torturing yourself trying to repay a debt he doesn't care about."

"Wait," Liv's eyes narrowed as she turned to Alex. "Is this some kind of power play? Theodore refuses Sarah's money while flaunting his relationship with Victoria? What kind of game is he playing?"

Alex's cheeks reddened. "There's no 'relationship' to flaunt. They're just colleagues. They've known each other for years."

"Colleagues?" Liv's laugh was brittle. "Is that what they're calling it now? Do all Pierce Technologies employees hold hands at restaurants?"

"Liv," Mike warned, with a pointed glance at the children.

"It's a fair question," Liv persisted, leaning toward Alex. "What exactly is going on between your boss and Victoria Cross?"

Alex's composure cracked. "Sarah's the one who ended the relationship! She pushed him away when he tried to explain about the baby. Now she expects him to sit alone in his penthouse pining for her? He's Theodore Pierce—he has options!"

The table fell silent. Even William and Emma stopped eating, their wide eyes darting between the adults.

"That's enough," Mike's voice was firm as he stood up. "Alex, I think it's time for you to leave."

After Alex departed and the children were settled in their rooms, I retreated to my bedroom, closing the door softly behind me. My fingers hovered over Theodore's name in my contacts before I finally pressed "call." Each ring seemed to stretch longer than the last, my heart accelerating with each passing second.

"Sarah." His voice was cool and distant when he finally answered, as if speaking to a business acquaintance rather than the mother of his children.

"Your banking information must have changed," I said without preamble. "The transfer was returned."

A beat of silence. "How much did you manage to scrape together this time?" The casual dismissiveness in his tone made my fingers tighten around the phone.

"Is there another way I should be returning the funds?" I asked, ignoring his question. "Would cash be preferable?"

"Contact Victoria," he replied, his voice suddenly softer. "From now on, direct all financial matters through her."

My breath caught in my throat. The confirmation of Victoria's new role in his life, spoken so matter-of-factly, sent a cold wave washing through me. "Victoria," I repeated, the name bitter on my tongue.

"Yes, Victoria." Something shifted in his tone—a hint of satisfaction, perhaps. "She's been extremely helpful lately. So calm, so accommodating, never questioning my decisions or second-guessing my judgment. Being with her is... restful."

Each word was a precision strike, targeting my deepest insecurities with unerring accuracy. A wave of nausea rolled through me, sudden and violent, completely unrelated to my pregnancy. I pressed my hand against my mouth, fighting the urge to retch, but a strange sound still ran out of my mouth.