Chapter 3
I never thought Kael would turn around and come back.
He seemed rushed, his chest rising and falling, with a few unmelted snowflakes still clinging to his shoulders.
"Fake," Kael said, his voice tinged with both anger and hurt.
"Your number doesn't even work. The one you gave me. It's fake.
"Were you just planning to disappear again without a word, so I'd never be able to find you?" he snapped.
I stared at the bloodshot veins in his eyes, confused and not sure what to think.
I honestly had no idea why he was so angry.
He was getting married soon, and I was already married. There was no reason we had to stay in contact.
Besides, I was Edward's wife. It was even more inappropriate for me to reach out to him privately.
But Kael didn't get hung up on that. He just stared blankly at the leftover strawberries on Ethan's plate, looking a little dazed.
He pointed at the bits of strawberry, struggling to keep his anger in check, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper.
"Are you still going to tell me he's not my son?
"Did you really think I didn't know you were pregnant before you disappeared?
'"I saw the pregnancy test in the bathroom," Kael demanded.
My eyes flickered, and I shot to my feet, fists clenched so tight my knuckles turned white.
"So what?
"You have no right to even mention the kid to me, Kael," I snapped.
He took two steps closer, his voice trembling with rage.
"I'm his father. That gives me every right.
"I'm taking him into the Reed fold, so he have his paternity legally recognized by the Reed family," Kael shot back.
Without another word, I backhanded Kael across the face.
Even Ethan jumped in fright.
Kael looked at me in disbelief.
I met his gaze, pronouncing each word slowly and clearly.
I said, "You have no right.
"Because the child we had together is already dead.
"While you were busy messing around with other women.
"You were the one who destroyed any chance our child had to be born."
Just remembering what happened back then still makes my eyes burn with tears.
It was the day I found out I was pregnant, and the fifth day Kael hadn't bothered to come home.
I despised what he did, and I tried to leave him more times than I can count.
But he'd just shrug it off with that lazy grin.
"Being unfaithful is just in the Reed family's blood.
"If you want my love, you've got to take the good with the bad.
"Just so you know, you don't get to decide how things go between us.
"You're just some nobody reporter from a regular family. You really think you can walk all over me?
"It ends when I say it ends," Kael said.
Whenever I broke down in helpless tears, he'd suddenly show his softer side, pulling me into his arms and whispering gentle reassurances.
"Lavinia, shouldn't it matter most that I'm the only one who loves you?
"Alright, alright, it's you who's been wronged.
"Want me to buy you the front page of next month's paper? Just say the word," Kael teased.
That was Kael for you. He'd slap me down, then turn around and offer me a sweet smile, like that could fix everything.
Even if his words left me shattered, those empty promises never made the pain go away.
And he never changed, always playing the same game.
His love was always tangled and confusing, leaving me unable to love him with my whole heart, or hate him all the way either.
The moment I found out I was pregnant, my first instinct was to call Kael.
But it was Helen who picked up.
She answered in a lazy tone.
"What do you want, Lavinia?
"Kael's in the shower right now," Helen asked lazily.
My grip on the phone tightened as I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to steady myself. 'Just hold it together, Lavinia,' I told myself.
"Tell him to call me back when he's done," I said.
Helen smirked, her voice thick with suggestive undertones.
"Sorry, Lavinia, this really isn't a good time.
"Come on, you know exactly what we're about to get up to, don't you?
"Kael's not the patient type, you know." Helen taunted.
Helen's smug tone really got under my skin, and I couldn't help but ask, clearly annoyed.
"Where are you guys? I'm coming over right now.
"I want to ask him in person if he's really that busy," I said.
Helen let out a scornful laugh on the other end, then casually tossed out an address like she couldn't care less.
"Go ahead, come if you want.
"Let's see you make a fool of yourself," Helen said.