Chapter 3

Two days later, pain woke me before dawn.

The contractions were still far apart, but they were stronger than the ones I had experienced at the station.

My doctor wanted me back at the hospital that morning, and my SUV was still with Marissa.

I called Derek.

It took him a long time to answer.

"What is it?"

"I need to go to the hospital."

"I am in a meeting."

Silverware clinked in the background.

Then I heard Marissa beside him.

"Derek, your coffee is getting cold."

He covered the phone, but it was too late.

I looked at the time.

It was not even six in the morning.

"Where are you having a meeting?"

"There is an early client breakfast at the Arden Hotel."

"With Marissa?"

"Other people are here too."

He answered too quickly.

"Take a rideshare to the hospital. I will come when I am done here."

I did not tell him that my doctor had specifically warned me not to go alone.

After ending the call, I sent my location to Taryn.

She arrived twenty minutes later.

She wore pajama pants beneath her winter coat and had not even stopped to brush her hair.

The moment she saw me bracing myself against the wall through another contraction, her expression changed.

"Where is Derek?"

"In a meeting."

Taryn asked nothing else.

She picked up my hospital bag and helped me into the passenger seat.

On the way to St. Anne, both of her hands remained tight around the steering wheel.

"Corinne, this is not the first time."

"I know."

"How many more excuses are you going to make for him?"

"None."

The doctor confirmed that labor had not progressed, but stress and lack of sleep were already affecting my blood pressure.

A nurse handed me a form.

"Please confirm your emergency contact. If you are brought in again, this is the person we will call first."

Derek's name was printed at the top.

I crossed it out.

Then I wrote Taryn's name and phone number beneath it.

Taryn watched without stopping me or asking for an explanation.

She simply placed her hand over mine.

Before leaving the hospital, I opened the vehicle tracking app to see where my SUV actually was.

The blue dot rested beneath the Arden Hotel.

It was not at Marissa's apartment.

It was not at Derek's office.

The SUV had entered the hotel's underground garage just before eleven the previous night and had not moved since.

Derek's location was at the same hotel.

I downloaded the driving history.

Then another message from Marissa appeared.

"Stop calling him every time you feel a little uncomfortable. He was exhausted last night and barely slept."

I stared at the words for a long time before calling Derek.

"Marissa just told me you did not sleep last night."

"She is worried about you."

"She also told me to stop bothering you."

"Corinne, I do not want to listen to you dissect every message she sends."

"Then read it. I will send you the screenshot."

"No."

His voice went cold.

"Can you stop taking every fear you have about this pregnancy out on her? You have already put her under enough pressure."

My finger froze against the screen.

No matter what Marissa sent me, Derek would refuse to look.

As long as he never saw it, I would always be the irrational wife, and she would always be the harmless coworker.

"Fine."

I ended the call and forwarded the hotel location and Marissa's message to my attorney.

A few minutes later, she replied.

"Evidence received. The divorce papers can be delivered tomorrow afternoon."

Then I opened my patient account with St. Anne Medical Center.

Under medical proxy, I revoked Derek's access to my records and removed his authority to participate in decisions concerning my delivery.

A confirmation warning appeared.

I pressed confirm.

If something happened to me in the delivery room, Derek would no longer have the right to decide what was best for me.