Chapter 3
And at the very bottom of the drawer, there was my marriage diary. It was a thick notebook, scribbled with three years' worth of memories.
The first page read, [Kyle bought me a strawberry cake today. He forgot I'm lactose intolerant, took a bite himself, and only then realized something was wrong. He frowned and tossed the rest away.]
[I teased him for wasting food. He just gave me a cold look and told the kitchen to make a new one without cream. Honestly, he's a bit clueless sometimes.]
I flipped to the last page. It was blank.
I guess some stories weren't meant for a decent ending.
I closed the diary and tossed it into the trash.
Soon, a phone started ringing outside the door. It was Mabel.
I answered the call.
She got straight to the point. "I've already met Amber and Noah. Sloane, you're smart. Don't throw a tantrum."
"The Dawson family can more than afford you. As long as you get rid of the baby, you'll get all the dignity and respect you're owed," she said.
I leaned against the closet, suddenly feeling drained.
"Mom, did you know I'm pregnant as well?" I asked.
She paused for a moment.
"Yes," she replied.
"And you can still say that to me?" I pressed.
"Your baby came at the wrong time." Her tone was so calm, it was like she was talking about some ordinary business deal.
"But Noah's different. He's already grown. And Amber was the one Kyle really cared about. Having Noah back in the family is good for everyone," she said.
She continued, "It'll complicate things for you to keep your baby. Sloane, you need to be smart about this."
I listened quietly, then let out a bitter laugh.
"I guess you're right," I said.
She probably didn't expect me to agree so quickly, and her tone softened a little.
"It's good that you understand. I'll have someone send you some supplements tomorrow," she said.
"No need," I replied quietly, "Save them for your darling grandson."
With that, I hung up.
When I glanced down, the screen showed that the recording had been saved successfully.
I tossed my phone onto the bed, my stomach twisting all over again. I rushed into the bathroom and clung tightly to the sink to stop myself from falling over.
The face staring back at me in the mirror was frighteningly pale, and my eyes were red and swollen.
I splashed cold water on my face. I remembered the doctor's words about how the fetal heartbeat could be heard.
It was strange. It was barely six weeks old. Just a tiny thing that was barely formed. Yet, I could feel it trying so hard just to live inside me.
I pressed my hand against my stomach. A painful tightness gripped my throat, making it hard to breathe.
"I'm sorry," I murmured, "It seems that Mom didn't pick the right dad for you."
*****
The next morning, I showed up at work, pretending everything was normal.
I was the head of public relations at Orion Group, and Kyle's wife, though nobody knew about it.
My marriage could fall apart. But work was where I drew the line.
The moment I walked into the company lobby, I could tell something was off.
The two receptionists went quiet as soon as they saw me. In the elevator, a few executive assistants kept shooting each other looks, like they were bursting with gossip but didn't dare say a word.
When I walked into my office, there was already a huge stack of screenshots from entertainment accounts waiting for me on my desk.
The headlines were getting more and more explosive.
[Kyle Dawson's ex comes back with a kid. Is his secret wife about to lose her spot in the family?] One headline read.
[First love returns! Wife's prenatal checkup crashes the reunion. Chaotic love triangle caught on camera!] Another headline read.
One of the headlines read, [Insider reveals: Mrs. Dawson has been childless for years, and the ex instantly takes her place by showing up with a son!]
I looked at the last headline and couldn't help but laugh.
Childless for years? I went for my prenatal checkup yesterday, and now everyone was calling me a hen that couldn't lay eggs.
My phone buzzed with a message from Simon Jules, Kyle's secretary.
It read, [Mrs. Dawson, Mr. Dawson would like you to suppress the online speculation.]
There was another line below, [Also, Miss Lane will be reporting to the company's foundation today.]
I stared at that line for a few seconds before replying with a simple affirmation.
Less than ten minutes later, the public relations department was called into a meeting.
On the big screen in the conference room, trending hashtags from every platform were rolling by. The viral leaked video had captured the exact moment at the entrance of the obstetrics and gynecology department.
In the video, Kyle was holding Noah while I stood across from them, clutching my prenatal report.
I looked like I didn't belong, an outsider in my own story.
Someone whispered, "Should we send a cease-and-desist letter?"
Another person said, "This won't stay quiet unless Mr. Dawson comes forward and clarifies things himself."
Before I could say a word, the conference room door swung open. Kyle walked in with Amber close behind.
She wore a simple beige dress, her hair loosely pinned up. She wasn't holding Noah, but she still looked fragile, as if she could fall apart any second.
The whole room fell silent.
Kyle took his seat at the head of the table and spoke in a calm, detached voice, "Let me introduce someone."