Chapter 122 What Had Happened

Chapter 122 What Had Happened
Brielle's POV

I had been awake for hours, listening to Daylan toss and turn beside me through the night. He wasn’t usually restless in his sleep, he was always the steady, calming presence that made me feel safe. But tonight, something had changed. Maybe it was the pressure of the clinic’s opening, or maybe something else was weighing on him. Either way, the tension in the air was palpable.

This morning, I gave up on trying to sleep. I slid out of bed carefully, not wanting to wake him, and headed to the lounge. Wrapping myself in a soft blanket, I curled up on the sofa, trying to distract myself by scrolling through my phone. The sun hadn’t fully risen yet, but its soft light was starting to filter through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the lounge. I tried to focus on mindless things such as news articles, a few funny videos, even some baby clothes online that made me smile, but my mind kept wandering back to Daylan. Something was wrong, and I could feel it.

I was deep in thought when I heard his footsteps approaching. I glanced up to see him enter the lounge, looking as tired as I felt. His hair was disheveled, and the shadows under his eyes made it clear he hadn’t slept well. Without a word, he walked over to me and sank down beside me on the sofa, his body slumping as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

I turned to face him, my concern deepening. “Daylan... are you okay?”

For a moment, he didn’t answer. He just stared ahead, his jaw clenching. I could feel the tension radiating off him. Finally, he took a deep breath, turning to meet my eyes. “I need to tell you something. Something that happened last night.”

My heart sank. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. I placed my hand on his knee, bracing myself. “Okay… what is it?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly struggling to find the right words. “Abby was at the opening last night.”

The name hit me like a punch to the gut. Abby. The woman who had caused so much chaos in our lives before. A chill ran down my spine, and I removed my hand from his knee and pulled the blanket tighter around me, instinctively retreating from the thought of her. “What do you mean she was there?” I asked softly, though I could feel my voice shaking.

He closed his eyes briefly, then continued, “She showed up. I didn’t realize it was her at first… she came into my office after you left with Rick and Natalie. At first, I thought it was you because my office was dark, and I didn't expect anyone to look for me in there.” He swallowed, looking down at his hands. “She was wearing your scent, the same perfume you always wear.”

My mind raced. She was wearing my scent? My stomach turned. “Why would she do that?” I asked, the words almost a whisper. I couldn’t understand it. The thought of her pretending to be me, even for a moment, made me feel violated, like she had crossed a line that no one should ever dare cross just to have Daylan. I didn't even want to think about it.

Daylan’s voice was tight with frustration. “I don’t know. She kissed me, and I thought it was you, just for a second. But something felt wrong. I pulled away, turned on the light… and there she was.”

I sucked in a sharp breath, feeling my heart start to race. My fingers tightened on the blanket, trying to keep myself grounded. “She kissed you?” The words felt foreign in my mouth, like they didn’t belong.

He looked at me with a pleading expression, his voice urgent. “I didn’t know it was her. I swear. The moment I realized, I pushed her away. I told her to leave, to never come near us again. She’s moving to London, and she said she’s pregnant.”

My chest tightened at his words. Pregnant? My mind went blank for a moment as I tried to process everything. It was like one blow after another, and I felt as if the room was spinning around me. But I forced myself to focus, forced myself to breathe. “Pregnant?”

He nodded, his face darkening with anger. “But it’s not mine. She’s barely showing, and I haven’t seen her in months. She was trying to stir up trouble, but I made it clear to her that we are done. For good. She will be out of our lives for good.”

I let out a slow breath, the weight of his words settling over me like a heavy blanket. Abby. Why couldn’t she just stay away? Why did she always have to find a way back into our lives? I felt a deep ache in my chest, not from Daylan, but from the sheer exhaustion of it all. The never-ending drama, the games, the constant intrusions into our lives. I was tired. So tired.

“You said she wore my scent?” I asked quietly, my voice barely audible.

He nodded. “Yeah… it was deliberate. I think she wanted me to mistake her for you. That’s what makes it worse.”

I shook my head, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. “I will have to change it then. I can’t have her wearing something that reminds you of me.”

Daylan reached for my hand, squeezing it tightly. “I think it will be better if you have a new scent so that this doesn't happen again if she decides to pop up out of nowhere. But hopefully, she remains in London. I just want you to feel safe.”

I closed my eyes for a moment, leaning into his touch. “I just don’t want any more surprises, Daylan. We have enough on our plate with my health, the baby... I don’t have the energy to deal with her anymore.”

He leaned closer, resting his forehead against mine. “I know. And I promise you, Abby’s out of the picture. I won’t let her or anyone else come between us. We’re stronger than that.”

I opened my eyes and met his gaze. I could see the guilt etched in his expression, the frustration that he hadn’t been able to shield me from Abby’s intrusion. But none of this was his fault. He hadn’t done anything wrong. Abby was the one who had crossed the line.

“I trust you,” I said softly, feeling the truth of those words deep in my chest. “And I believe you.”

His grip on my hand tightened just a fraction, his voice low and filled with emotion. “I’m sorry. I wish I could make all of this go away. I hate that she’s still trying to mess with us.”

I shook my head, my heart aching for him. “You don’t need to apologize. I just… I’m relieved she’s leaving. Hopefully, this will be the last time we ever have to deal with her.”

He kissed my forehead, lingering for a moment as if to let the touch anchor us both. “It will be, I promise. From now on, it’s just us. You, me, and our little one. No more Abby. No more drama.”

I smiled, even though my heart still felt heavy. I wanted to believe that this was the end of it. That we could finally have some peace. Daylan was right, we had so much to focus on now. My health was still a concern, and the pregnancy brought its own set of challenges. But through it all, I had him, and he had me. That was what mattered most.

“I just want a peaceful life,” I whispered, resting my head against his shoulder. “For us. For our baby.”

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. “You will have that. I will make sure of it.”

And for the first time in what felt like ages, I let myself believe that maybe, just maybe, we could finally have the peace we deserved.