Chapter 2

The next morning, he left for the office early.

After breakfast, I asked the housekeeper to bring me a long brass nail.

I hammered the stack of pregnancy disclosures right onto the study door. Each dull thud of the nail hitting the wood felt like marking a verdict, one blow after another.

I snapped a photo and sent it to Edward. "Keep at it tonight. You'd better know everything about the baby by heart."

It took him a long time to reply. [Stop it.]

I looked at those two words and laughed. I wasn't being dramatic.

I was starting to keep score.

For the next few days, Edward came home on time.

He read the disclosures, went with me to two checkups, and acted like the perfect husband whenever there was an audience.

Friends in the healthcare industry all praised him for being steady and considerate. I played along.

At the events we attended together, I sat by his side. When it came to resources, I still had my assistant give them to him. And when he spoke at project meetings, I never undermined him in front of the crowd.

Marriage was a contract, and contracts couldn't survive when emotions got in the way.

But Olivia never left our lives. She started showing up in other ways.

Her art exhibition invitation was delivered to Rivers Manor, the cover featuring the ginkgo motif Grandma Annie adored in her youth.

The card read: [Thank you, Mr. Bennett, for helping me get back on my feet, and thank you, Mrs. Bennett, for your kindness.]

I slipped the invitation into my drawer and left it unanswered.

By the third week, Edward's assistant brought a joint proposal to my office.

The proposal suggested that the Rivers Herbal Cuisine Spring Launch could be paired with Olivia's charity art exhibition, themed Mother's Light.

I skimmed three pages, then closed the file. "Who told you to bring this to me?"

The assistant's face went pale. "Mr. Bennett said you're expecting. He's already reviewed the details for you. Ms. Grant is happy to collaborate. She won't charge for the venue, as long as her name gets featured in the promo."

I asked, "Why is Grandma Annie's old manuscript in the promotional materials?"

The assistant froze.

I pushed the proposal back. "Tell Edward, Grandma Annie's manuscript isn't for display at the art show. Whoever took them out can bring them back themselves."

That night, Edward came home with a box of chestnut cakes.

It was one of the only snacks I wanted since I got pregnant.

He set the box down on the table and spoke gently. "I didn't give the proposal much thought. Olivia's been in a rough spot lately. She wanted to do something charitable. I figured it could help the Rivers Group's reputation, too."

"Who gave her Grandma Annie's manuscript?" I asked.

Edward paused, not answering right away. "I had the archivist at Rivers Manor get her a copy."

I looked at him. "Edward, I'm the one who holds the key to the archive room."

He avoided my gaze. "Your memory's been a little off since you got pregnant. You probably forgot you gave me access before."

I sneered. "So, when exactly did I give you that permission?"

He scowled, finally letting his impatience show. "Charlotte, it's just a copy. Not everyone's trying to take what's yours, you know."

I didn't ask any more questions and pushed the chestnut cake aside. "Tonight, read Page 17. Start with how mood swings during pregnancy affect the baby."

His face darkened. "You're the one being all emotional right now."

"Exactly." I nodded. "As the father, you need to do your part."

He was left speechless.

As I was flipping through the documents, my phone lit up.

The archivist from the archive room at Rivers Manor sent me an access log.

Turns out, half a month ago, Edward got into the archives with a temporary pass. Olivia was the one who applied for that access.

The reason she wrote looked legit. [Helping an old friend organize materials for the Rivers Heritage Exhibition.]

I tucked the log away in an encrypted folder.

Another month went by. That was my paternal grandmother's eightieth birthday.

The Rivers family had sprouted more branches and more relatives over the years. Though Grandma's health was failing, she still refused to hand over the reins.

She always said, "Rivers Herbal Kitchen isn't something you can win with smooth talking. It's about who plays by the rules."

On her birthday, I wore a loose gray dress with a soft sash tied around my waist. The baby was already kicking me at night, not hard, but enough to wake me up from my dreams.

The car pulled up to Rivers Manor. I was about to get out when I spotted Edward's car parked by the side entrance.

He walked around to the passenger side and helped Olivia out.

Olivia was wearing an ivory dress, and on her wrist was a bracelet of vintage silver bells. I recognized them. Those were the same bells Grandma Annie made as a birthday gift for Grandma Grace back in the day.

I stood at the bottom of the steps, watching her take Edward's arm.

Olivia spoke first, "Charlotte, I know I probably shouldn't have come to your grandma's birthday party. But Edward said I've been working so hard on my art show.

"Since it's connected to the Rivers Group Spring Launch, I thought it would be a good opportunity to pay my respects."

She gave her wrist a gentle shake. "Isn't this bell bracelet gorgeous? Edward said you're not into vintage things. It was sitting around collecting dust. He figured I might as well wear it for the occasion."

Edward caught my gaze and explained quietly. "She borrowed it for tonight. You're pregnant. You could easily hurt yourself wearing it."

I asked, "Who opened Grandma Annie's old cabinet?"

His expression tightened. "Charlotte, it's your grandma's birthday. Don't cause a scene."

Olivia ducked her head right away. "Sorry, that's on me. I thought these bells had a history, and I wanted my art show to tie in more with the Rivers family legacy. If it bothers you, I'll take them off."

She said she was going to take them off, but moved at a painfully slow pace, clearly waiting for someone to stop her.

As expected, Margaret Rivers, my uncle's wife, stepped out, trying to smooth things over with a smile. "Come on, it's just a bracelet with old bells. Olivia pulls them off. Charlotte's pregnant, and she's sensitive. Let's cut her some slack."

My cousin, Henry Rivers, chimed in, "Tonight's all about Grandma announcing who'll be the CEO. Edward brought Ms. Grant to help drum up some buzz for our family. No need to make a big deal out of it."

I stood there, gently touching my belly. The baby gave a little kick.

Suddenly, I found it funny.