Chapter 84 The Nesting Lie
Every single thing she owned had been moved into my room.
Anger swirled within me and my hands clenched at my side.
I walked back downstairs slowly, my anger rising with each step. When I got to the living room, I sat on the couch, my elbows on my knees as I stared at the front door, waiting for her to get home and explain the rubbish I just saw.
Forty-seven minutes later, she arrived.
She walked into the living room, smiling, but she froze when she saw me sitting on the couch.
“Alex,” she said, her voice light.
Maybe too light.
“Why is all your stuff in my room?” I muttered, my voice low.
I didn’t stand. I just turned slightly to look at her.
She blinked slowly as if she was deciding how much to pretend.
“The baby wanted it,” she said simply.
I just stared, watching her swaying her hips as she moved closer.
“The guest room is too small and too far from you. The baby said it needs the master bedroom. I was just… listening to what it wants,” she said, her words irritating the hell out of me.
My jaw tightened so hard that I felt the pull.
“The baby,” I scoffed.
She nodded, smiling as if we were talking about a comedic series.
“Yes. The baby… our baby,” she replied.
I stood from the couch, slowly and deliberately.
“You moved into my room without asking… without telling me. You rearranged my entire space… my clothes, my things, my life… just because the baby told you to?”
“I thought you’d understand,” she retorted, her smile fading slowly.
“I don’t understand.”
I almost snapped, but then I remembered what the doctor said about not stressing her.
“You had no right to touch my things,” I said through gritted teeth.
“I’m nesting, Alex. Pregnant women do this,” she said, moving her hand to her tummy and rubbing it.
“Nesting?” I laughed.
“Does that mean claiming a territory that isn’t yours?”
“We are having a child together. That makes it mine,” she whispered, raising her eyebrow.
“No… it’s not,” I said quietly.
She stared at me.
Then I took a slow and long breath as I tried to force the anger down because the doctor’s warning still rang in my ears.
“Move your things back to the guest room. Tonight,” I muttered, lowering my voice.
“You can’t be serious,” she replied.
“I am.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said outright.
Without any more words, she rolled her eyes, turned and disappeared into my room.
I sank back onto the couch, burying my head into my palms.
And I wondered how much longer I could keep pretending this was still about doing the right thing.
Because right then, the only thing that felt right was getting as far away from her as possible.
CASSANDRA’S POV
I pushed the door to Alex’s room open and walked in with a smile on my face.
The room was ours now.
Maybe just mine.
I had shifted Alex’s things to one side of the closet. My dresses hung proudly on the left rail, my heels lined up neatly below them while my perfume bottles sat on the dresser like trophies.
I closed the door behind me and twirled in front of the full-length mirror, feeling powerful and in control as I watched my reflection.
“Let him be angry,” I thought to myself.
The baby wants the master bedroom. That was what I told him and that was what he would have to accept.
I didn’t care whether Alex liked my decision or not. All I needed was to be close to that room with the files in it. I needed some documents in it and I was going to get them one way or the other.
I unpacked everything I just bought, pulled my clothes off and slid into the shower.
I allowed the water to run hot until steam filled the air, then I stepped under the shower and sighed as the heat hit my skin. I took my time washing my hair twice and lathered my body with the expensive rose-scented body wash I had just bought for this room.
When I was done, I stepped out and sat in front of the dresser, layered my skincare products and wrapped myself in a fresh towel.
After I was done, I reached for my phone on the night stand. I picked it up, and scrolled to the contact I saved with M and tapped the call button.
M answered on the first ring.
“Done?” he asked without greeting.
“I’m in the master bedroom now,” I said softly.
“He tried to fight it, but when I said the baby wanted it, he backed down.”
“Good girl,” M chuckled.
“The plan is falling into place faster than we thought,” I added, my voice dropping.
“Excellent. Keep him soft. And Cassandra?”
“Yes,” I answered.
“Don’t get sloppy… One mistake and this all falls apart.”
“I promise I won’t,” I said, shifting the phone to my mouth and covering it with my palm.
I ended the call and tossed the phone onto the bed.
JOAN COLE’S POV
We were curled up on the wide sectional chair in Dave’s living room, the kind of lazy Sunday afternoon where time feels optional.
I had my legs tucked under me, head resting on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around my back while his thumb traced absent circles on my arm.
It had been two months of being his girlfriend.
Dave shifted slightly and planted a kiss on my temple.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you something,” he said, his voice low.
“Okay?” I tilted my head to look up at him.
“My parents are coming into town next weekend. They will be here for ten days. Mom has been asking about you nonstop since Jane opened her big mouth,” he added.
My stomach dropped.
“Oh… that’s soon,” I managed to utter.
“I’d really like you to meet them. Just dinner at their place… nothing formal,” he explained.
“I would like that too,” I replied, forcing a small smile.
Inside me, alarm bells were already ringing.
Dave’s family weren’t just ordinary family. They were very rich. Like stunningly rich. And me?
I was just Joan Cole.
An interior designer who still checked her account balance before buying groceries, who lived and shared rent in a three-bedroom apartment with a friend.
I wasn’t in their league.
Not even close.
“Hey,” he squeezed my shoulder.
He must have noticed how tense I looked.
“They are going to love you,” he added.
I nodded, but the doubt had already taken its space in my mind.
The following Saturday arrived too fast.
I stood in front of my mirror for almost an hour, changing outfits countless times before settling on a simple navy wrap dress.
Lena had told me it was elegant and not trying too hard.
I paired it with low heels and the silver drip earrings Lena had insisted I borrowed.
My hair was down in loose waves and my makeup was soft.
“Do I look presentable?” I asked Lena, looking at myself in the mirror.
“You look breathtaking,” Lena smiled, blowing me a kiss.
“Okay,” I replied, my palms getting wet.
Soon, Dave arrived with a gentle smile on his face.
He got out of the car and led me to the passenger’s seat before going over to the driver’s seat.
I held a handkerchief in my hand, letting it absorb the sweat in my palm.
“Are you nervous?” he asked as we drove.
“A little,” I admitted.
“I… just want them to like me.”
“They will,” he muttered and reached for my hand, lacing his fingers through mine.
“You are impossible not to like,” he added.
I wanted to believe him, but it was hard to.
After a few minutes' drive, we arrived at the Wilton family home.
Dave parked in the circular drive, my heart thumping so loudly that I was sure he would hear.
He got out of the car, helped me out of the car and led me towards the entrance.
I had been there to meet with Jane before, so the environment wasn’t really new to me.
When we stepped inside, a tall woman with silver streaked hair pulled into a bun walked down the stairs.
She wore a cream silk blouse and tailored trousers looking sophisticated.
It was undeniably Dave’s mother.
Catherine Wilton.
She stopped when she saw me.
She looked at me from head to toe slowly as if she was assessing me.
That was it.
I would soon be sent out.
That I was sure of.