Chapter 3

I opened the door.

The hallway light streamed in, illuminating Andrew's face. I'd loved that face for what felt like forever.

For so long, I thought he was slow, didn't know how to show it, couldn't stand up for me in front of others.

But now I finally got it. It wasn't that he couldn't have someone's back. He just never had my back.

*****

The next morning, Andrew's call came through when I arrived at the hospital.

I didn't answer.

As the third call rang, my best friend Chloe Lane jumped out of a cab, clutching her thermos, and dashed straight over to me.

"Grace, are you really sure about this?" Chloe was always straightforward, and right now, her eyes were practically smoldering with fury.

She added, "Tell me exactly how that bastard messed with you last night, word for word. If I wasn't worried that you might get upset, I'd rush to the Humphrey residence, celebrating their bloodline dying out."

I shot her a look. "Keep it decent, we're at the hospital."

Chloe shoved the thermos into my hands. "I'm only being decent for you and the baby, not for Andrew. He isn't worth it."

I stayed silent.

Chloe caught on to my silence and lowered her voice. "Are you really going to give up the baby?"

I touched my belly. There was no bump yet, only a strange, unfamiliar weight. "I can't let this baby be born into a home where the father treats the mother like dirt."

Chloe almost let out a string of curses, but in the end, she said, "I'll be with you."

We had stepped into the lobby when Andrew came running in after us.

His hair was a mess, and one of his shirt buttons was out of place. Apparently, he'd rushed over.

He grabbed my arm. "Grace, what are you doing at the hospital?"

Chloe slapped his hand away. "Let go. Keep your dirty hands off her."

Andrew ignored her completely, staring at the medical file in my hand. "What did you book?"

I pulled the medical file behind my back.

He lunged forward, trying to grab it out of my hands.

Chloe cut him off, stepping between us. "Andrew, seriously, do you have any shame? Yesterday, you were all about defending Ainsley and tearing into your wife.

"How dare you show your face at the hospital and try to get in her way now?"

Andrew's face darkened. "This is between me and my wife. Stay out of it."

"Your wife?" Chloe scoffed. "That's rich. Yesterday, when you made her apologize to your side chick, did you remember she was your wife?"

"Ainsley is not my side chick," he yelled so loud that everyone waiting at the registration desk turned to look.

Ainsley showed up too. She was wearing a pale blue dress and carrying a thermos, putting on her best act as the perfect little angel. "Grace, please don't misunderstand.

"I heard you weren't feeling well, so I begged Andrew to bring me along. I brought you some soup."

Chloe looked so mad that her nose was practically bent out of shape as she glared at the thermos. "Wow, you really know how to pick the perfect spot to act.

"Yesterday you called Grace a fat white goose, and today you're serving her soup? Is the Humphrey family running a petting zoo or something?"

Ainsley's face went pale. "Ms. Lane, how could you say that? I'm here to apologize."

Andrew immediately stepped in front of Ainsley, shielding her. "Chloe, keep it clean."

Chloe rolled up her sleeves. "Please, no matter what I say, I'm still not half as rotten as you two."

A nurse called out from the doorway, "Grace Goodwin, number nine. You're up."

Andrew snapped his head toward me. "You booked an appointment with the OB-GYN?"

I walked toward the exam room without answering him.