Chapter 4
The next morning, I got up early.
I put on a flawless makeup look and slipped into a red dress.
Staring at my reflection, I looked bright and radiant, without a trace of exhaustion or pregnancy fatigue.
When I went downstairs, Adam was sitting on the living room sofa.
He hadn't slept all night; his eyes were bloodshot, and stubble covered his jaw.
He looked completely wrecked, like he'd just crawled out of hell.
Hearing my footsteps, Adam glanced up.
His eyes dimmed the moment he saw me.
"You're still going?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
"What do you expect me to do?" I stepped right up to him. "So, have you made your choice?"
He didn't answer, just stared fixedly at my stomach.
"Victoria, that's my baby too. You can't be this selfish," he said.
"Selfish?" I let out a sharp, angry laugh. "Adam, tell me. Who's really the selfish one here?
"When you threw me to the wolves for your precious Claire, made me the target of everyone's hate, did you ever call yourself selfish?
"And now, when all I want is to get rid of a problem that never should've existed, you suddenly have the nerve to judge me?
"What gives you the right to judge me?"
Adam's lips quivered, his face pale and utterly defeated.
"Victoria, let's talk this out." Adam's lips quivered, his face pale and utterly defeated.
"I don't want to talk." I checked my watch. "It's getting late. I need to go."
He suddenly shot to his feet, blocking my way. "Victoria, you can't go to the hospital!
"I'll go to the press conference. I'll apologize. I'll clear everything up. Whatever you want. Just please, don't hurt our child.
He'd made his choice just as I'd expected.
My face remained expressionless. "Fine. Then come with me. Now. To the press conference."
Adam froze. "Now?"
"Yes, now," I replied.
"B-But what about Claire?" Adam stammered, his voice trembling.
I snapped, my tone frosty, "You're still hung up on her? Adam, do you think I'm too easy to push around? I gave you a choice, not a chance to have both.
"It's either the press conference or the baby. Take your pick."
"N-No, that's not what I meant. Claire's having surgery today, too. I promised I'd stay with her," Adam stammered, his voice shaking.
"Oh? What a coincidence." I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Is it also at ten in the morning?"
He nodded, still avoiding my gaze.
I stared at him, suddenly understanding everything.
That so-called heart surgery was just an excuse to keep Adam tied to her.
Claire was more manipulative than I'd thought.
"Fine," I said, pulling out my phone and pretending to dial.
"If you're that busy, I won't bother you. Dr. Williams, go ahead with the surgery as planned..."
"No!" Adam grabbed my phone from my hand, clutching it. "I'll go! I'll go to the press conference!"
He looked at me, his eyes bloodshot, as if he'd made the hardest decision of his life.
"Victoria, I'll go with you. But you have to promise me that after the press conference, let me go see Claire," Adam begged, his voice shaking.
I looked at him like he was a complete fool. "Adam, haven't you figured it out yet? You don't get to make demands here.
"Today, you either come with me to the press conference and cut ties with Claire for good. Or you go be with your true love at her surgery. And never show your face to me again."
With that, I spun on my heel and walked off without another word.
This time, I didn't give him even a moment to hesitate.
Behind me, I heard his suppressed, painful scream. But I didn't look back.
*****
The Shaw Enterprises press conference venue was much larger than Claire's had been the day before.
There were twice as many media outlets present.
I sat on the podium, staring out at the sea of people below.
Mia stood beside me, leaning down to whisper, "Ms. Shaw, Mr. Reed still hasn't arrived. It's almost time."
I checked my watch to find it was 9:58.
Only two minutes to go.
"Just wait a little longer," I said.
Time ticked by, every second feeling like an eternity.
At 9:59, murmurs broke out among the reporters.
Mia's face turned pale. "Ms. Shaw..."
"Let's start," I said, picking up the microphone, my expression calm.
Mia looked stunned. "But Ms. Shaw, Mr. Reed—"
"He's not coming," I said, my tone flat and certain.
But the moment I picked up the microphone, the doors to the venue were flung open from outside.
Adam rushed in, wearing the same clothes as the night before, his hair messy, tie askew, looking utterly disheveled. But he'd come.
Every single eye in the room was glued to him.
He pushed through the crowd, each step heavy and labored, until he reached the podium.
He stopped in front of me, his shoulders slumping.
Then, in front of every reporter in the room, he picked up a spare microphone, bowed deeply, and spoke.
"I'm sorry. Everything I said at yesterday's press conference was a lie. Victoria and I are legally married. I cheated on her and betrayed her. I'm sorry to her, and I'm sorry to all of you."
His words carried through the microphone, filling the entire hall.
The whole place went dead silent.
Everyone was stunned by the bombshell, too shocked to speak.
My eyes locked on him: the ghostly pallor of his skin, the raw despair drowning his gaze.
And in that suspended moment, I understood.
From here on, there would be no way back.
His life lay shattered at his own feet, and no one else could bear the blame.