Chapter 4 · For 83 Sundays, He Played Husband to His Late Brother's Widow, So I Left While Pregnant

After Grant fell asleep, I found Theo's birth records in his study.

I had only gone in there to retrieve my passport and the deed to the house my mother had left me.

When I opened the bottom drawer, I found a blue folder wedged beside the safe.

It contained every record from Theo's birth to the present day.

Vaccination records, preschool bills, a medical authorization form, and an emergency contact form that had been updated the previous year.

In the space marked "Father," someone had written:

Grant Bennett.

The signature was his.

The papers rustled in my trembling hands. I placed them back on the desk and photographed every page with my phone.

This wasn't a child growing attached to an adult man. Nor was it Grant occasionally helping his late brother's widow.

He had officially stepped up as Theo's legal father on paper.

Yet on the day our second baby's heart stopped beating, the hospital needed me to confirm my emergency contact for the procedure, and I called Grant six times.

He didn't return until three hours later.

That day, he knelt beside my hospital bed, held my hand, and told me there had been an emergency at work.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice wouldn't stop trembling.

I had believed he was in as much pain as I was.

Now I finally realized that day had also been a Sunday.

Footsteps sounded from upstairs.

I had just closed the folder when Grant appeared in the doorway of the study.

He was wearing pajamas, his hair still tousled from sleep.

"Why are you still awake?"

"I was looking for the deed."

He glanced at the open safe, and his expression visibly tensed.

"Why do you need it this late at night?"

"My documents should be somewhere I can access them myself."

Grant walked closer, his gaze falling on the blue folder.

He stopped.

It lasted only a second, but I saw every trace of sleep disappear from his face.

I slipped the deed into a document envelope and walked past him.

Grant reached out and grabbed my arm. "Audrey, did you open that folder?"

"Do you want me to have opened it?"

His grip loosened.

"Those are some family records left over from after Daniel died. Theo needed a local emergency contact to enroll in school, so I signed the form."

"Did the emergency contact also have to be listed as his father?"

Grant didn't answer.

I pulled my arm free and left the study.

The following afternoon, he went out to prepare for our anniversary dinner as though nothing had happened.

Before leaving, he fastened the buttons on the back of my dress and watched me through the mirror.

"Six o'clock. I'll be waiting at the restaurant."

He bent down and kissed my shoulder.

"Don't be late."

Not long after the door closed, Elise sent me another photo and several messages.

They only strengthened my resolve to leave.

Two suitcases were already hidden in the guest room.

I placed my wedding ring on top of the emergency contact form in the study. Beside it, I left the child's drawing and printed copies of the birthday photos.

I didn't leave the ultrasound report.

Grant had already chosen one child. I wouldn't use another to test whether he regretted that choice.

At 5:40 p.m., I drove away from our marital home.

At 6:07, Grant sent his first message.

"I'm here. I've also ordered the nonalcoholic champagne you wanted."

At 6:25, he asked whether I was stuck in traffic.

By 6:48, his messages had turned anxious.

"Audrey, answer your phone."

At 7:12, a notification from the smart lock appeared on my phone: Grant Bennett is attempting to enter the residence.

Another message appeared immediately afterward.

"Why has my access to the house been revoked?"

I parked outside the house by the lake and disabled our shared location.

My phone lit up again.

This time, it wasn't Grant.

Elise had sent me a photo of Grant from behind.

"Since you aren't going home tonight, Theo and I will keep him company for you."

I stared at the photo for several seconds before calling the property manager.

"Restore Grant's access for two hours so he can collect his belongings."

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my voice unnaturally calm.

"Then replace every lock. No one is allowed inside."

My phone began vibrating nonstop.

I didn't look at it again.

Chapter 4

After Grant fell asleep, I found Theo's birth records in his study.

I had only gone in there to retrieve my passport and the deed to the house my mother had left me.

When I opened the bottom drawer, I found a blue folder wedged beside the safe.

It contained every record from Theo's birth to the present day.

Vaccination records, preschool bills, a medical authorization form, and an emergency contact form that had been updated the previous year.

In the space marked "Father," someone had written:

Grant Bennett.

The signature was his.

The papers rustled in my trembling hands. I placed them back on the desk and photographed every page with my phone.

This wasn't a child growing attached to an adult man. Nor was it Grant occasionally helping his late brother's widow.

He had officially stepped up as Theo's legal father on paper.

Yet on the day our second baby's heart stopped beating, the hospital needed me to confirm my emergency contact for the procedure, and I called Grant six times.

He didn't return until three hours later.

That day, he knelt beside my hospital bed, held my hand, and told me there had been an emergency at work.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice wouldn't stop trembling.

I had believed he was in as much pain as I was.

Now I finally realized that day had also been a Sunday.

Footsteps sounded from upstairs.

I had just closed the folder when Grant appeared in the doorway of the study.

He was wearing pajamas, his hair still tousled from sleep.

"Why are you still awake?"

"I was looking for the deed."

He glanced at the open safe, and his expression visibly tensed.

"Why do you need it this late at night?"

"My documents should be somewhere I can access them myself."

Grant walked closer, his gaze falling on the blue folder.

He stopped.

It lasted only a second, but I saw every trace of sleep disappear from his face.

I slipped the deed into a document envelope and walked past him.

Grant reached out and grabbed my arm. "Audrey, did you open that folder?"

"Do you want me to have opened it?"

His grip loosened.

"Those are some family records left over from after Daniel died. Theo needed a local emergency contact to enroll in school, so I signed the form."

"Did the emergency contact also have to be listed as his father?"

Grant didn't answer.

I pulled my arm free and left the study.

The following afternoon, he went out to prepare for our anniversary dinner as though nothing had happened.

Before leaving, he fastened the buttons on the back of my dress and watched me through the mirror.

"Six o'clock. I'll be waiting at the restaurant."

He bent down and kissed my shoulder.

"Don't be late."

Not long after the door closed, Elise sent me another photo and several messages.

They only strengthened my resolve to leave.

Two suitcases were already hidden in the guest room.

I placed my wedding ring on top of the emergency contact form in the study. Beside it, I left the child's drawing and printed copies of the birthday photos.

I didn't leave the ultrasound report.

Grant had already chosen one child. I wouldn't use another to test whether he regretted that choice.

At 5:40 p.m., I drove away from our marital home.

At 6:07, Grant sent his first message.

"I'm here. I've also ordered the nonalcoholic champagne you wanted."

At 6:25, he asked whether I was stuck in traffic.

By 6:48, his messages had turned anxious.

"Audrey, answer your phone."

At 7:12, a notification from the smart lock appeared on my phone: Grant Bennett is attempting to enter the residence.

Another message appeared immediately afterward.

"Why has my access to the house been revoked?"

I parked outside the house by the lake and disabled our shared location.

My phone lit up again.

This time, it wasn't Grant.

Elise had sent me a photo of Grant from behind.

"Since you aren't going home tonight, Theo and I will keep him company for you."

I stared at the photo for several seconds before calling the property manager.

"Restore Grant's access for two hours so he can collect his belongings."

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, my voice unnaturally calm.

"Then replace every lock. No one is allowed inside."

My phone began vibrating nonstop.

I didn't look at it again.