Chapter 3

On the fifth day, I didn't get Ethan's promised resolution. I got his assistant.

I don't know how Isabella found my address, but there she was, standing on my porch, her eyes red and swollen.

"Ms. Mitchell... please..."

Before I could react, she threw her arms around me.

"Ms. Mitchell, the baby is innocent! The doctor said if I terminate the pregnancy, I'll never be able to conceive again..."

She looked up, tears streaming down her face.

"I don't want his name. I don't want anything. I just want to keep my baby..."

I looked down at her.

Twenty-two. Fresh out of college. She still had that childish innocence in her eyes.

"Let go of me."

Her voice spiked in pitch, and she dug her fingers into my wrist like a vice.

"Not until you say yes!"

"Ethan said you love him. This is his baby! Why can't you just accept it?"

Her nails bit into my skin. It hurt.

I opened my mouth to speak, but a figure suddenly rushed up the steps.

Ethan grabbed Isabella, pulling her into his arms and shoving her behind his back.

He whipped his head around to glare at me, fury in his eyes.

"Charlie, if you're pissed, take it out on me. Don't go after her."

Time stopped.

I slowly pulled my hand back. There were angry red crescent marks dug into my wrist.

Ethan stood in front of Isabella, shielding her like a knight protecting his princess.

What a perfect match.

My hands slowly curled into fists. My nails dug into my palms, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.

"Look at you, Ethan. You've already made your choice. To you, she and her baby need protecting more than I do."

"That's not it!"

Panic flashed across his face. He took a step forward, reaching for my hand, but I dodged him.

"Charlie, she's pregnant and unstable. I was terrified she'd hurt herself—or you..."

Isabella let out a pitiful sob from behind him, and Ethan instinctively glanced back at her.

The raw worry in that single glance crushed whatever microscopic shred of trust I had left.

I walked to the door and held it open.

If they stayed a second longer, I was going to lose my dignity.

Ethan grabbed my arm.

"Charlie! Let's talk. Let's just sit down and talk. I'll call your parents, I'll call mine, and we'll hash this out face to face..."

I ripped my arm out of his grip.

"We have nothing to talk about. I said everything I needed to say the other night. Take her and get out!"

I turned and walked toward the stairs.

"Charlie!"

I didn't look back. I just needed to escape this suffocating room.

I heard the front door click shut.

They were gone.

I stood on the stairs for a long time. My eyes burned, but no tears fell.

When a heart finally breaks, it doesn't make a sound.

My phone rang. It was my father.

"Charlie, the Andersons in Miami agreed to the terms."

I looked out the window. The sun was setting.

"Good."