Chapter 4
Cheryl's smile faded in an instant, replaced by a look of disappointment.
"You need to add a clause—if you break the marriage, then you have to walk away with nothing too," I said, my tone cold and firm.
Cheryl hesitated, caught off guard.
She scrunched up her lips, clearly unhappy.
"You don't trust me, do you?" she retorted, her voice tinged with hurt.
I trusted her so much that I foolishly believed all four miscarriages were just accidents, not because she caused them.
Just thinking of those poor little lives made my heart twist so badly that I could barely get a word out.
Noticing how upset I was and afraid I'd change my mind, she hesitated, but finally gave in to my condition.
That afternoon, we went to a lawyer's office and got the agreement notarized. At least now, my assets weren't totally up for grabs anymore.
"Hey, Eric. What brings you here?" Cheryl called out, grinning widely as she dashed straight over.
Eric rubbed the back of his neck, looking totally sheepish. He couldn't meet anyone's eyes.
"Just happened to be in the area." He shrugged, trying to play it cool.
Right, a total coincidence. I'd sooner eat that notarized paper than believe that.
"Well, since we've run into each other, why don't we all go grab dinner?" I said, flashing a knowing smile, like it was no big deal.
I crashed what was supposed to be their precious alone time. Cheryl threw me a look full of silent accusations, but she didn't dare say a word with me right there.
Once we sat down at a restaurant, I glanced at their glum faces across from me, playing dumb.
"What's with you two? Seriously, you both look down, like wilted veggies—no energy at all," I joked, trying to break the ice.
Cheryl huffed and looked away, clearly annoyed, while Eric mumbled something about the heat.
"Alright then," I said, dropping the menu onto the table.
"I think we should call it a night. I've got to get back to the office for some overtime," I said as I stood up.
"Eric, mind giving Cheryl a lift home? I can't help worrying about her going alone, especially in her condition," I added, making sure to sound like the ever-concerned husband.
My request caught them completely off guard.
"Are you... sure that's okay?" Eric asked, his voice thick with uncertainty.
What did it matter now? The baby was already on the way, wasn't it?
"Come on, with everything we've been through, there's no need to be nervous. Just make sure Cheryl gets home safe. I'm heading out," I said, flashing a casual grin that hid everything I was really thinking.
I drove off like I was leaving, but as soon as I hit the corner, I circled back and parked nearby.
As soon as they thought the coast was clear, they couldn't wait to jump into each other's arms, hugging tightly, like they'd been holding back forever.
"God, Eric, I've missed you so much," Cheryl gasped, her voice trembling.
Eric couldn't help himself. He just leaned in and kissed her in a daze of passion, like nothing else in the world mattered.
"Missed you too," he said, not even bothering to hide the longing in his voice.
Then, hand in hand, they walked straight into a hotel.
Once I'd confirmed their room number, I kept out of sight around the corner, my nerves buzzing, and pulled out my phone to call the cops.
"Hello, I'd like to report a prostitution incident in room 1103 at the Pineview Hotel," I said, my voice steady but my heart pounding like crazy.