Chapter 3
"What did you just say?" I pushed up from the couch, fury rising fast.
Before she could answer, the front door swung open, and William walked in.
He froze when he saw her. "Vanessa? What are you doing here?"
Vanessa arched a brow and looped her arm through his, all casual intimacy. "Our wedding is in three months, Will. I came to go over the details with you."
William's face drained of color. He shot me a quick, panicked look and shoved her hand off. "What are you talking about?"
Seeing the guilt flash in his eyes, I let out a quiet, humorless laugh. "Well, well, Mr. Eaton. Must be nice—keeping a fiancée and a mistress at the same time."
No wonder he never gave me a title in the past three years.
I used to think he hated me for "killing" his brother. Turns out he just already had a fiancée.
And I spent three years being the pathetic extra.
William's expression twisted when he saw my eyes redden. Panic flickered across his face. "It's not what you think. Jessica, just let me explain."
I bit down so hard on my lip I could taste blood, anger crashing over me so fast it nearly knocked me down. "Explain? What is there to explain?
"You humiliated me, trapped me, took away every bit of freedom and dignity I had. Isn't that exactly what you wanted, William?"
He opened his mouth, but nothing came out—not a single word.
Before I could say anything else, Vanessa suddenly stepped forward and slapped me across the face.
She shouted, "You worthless nobody. What are you pretending to be? If it weren't for William, you'd still be rotting at the bottom of the ladder. You think you'd ever step foot in a place like this on your own? What exactly do you have to complain about?"
Complain? Was I supposed to be grateful?
If it weren't for William, I wouldn't have wasted three years of my life. I wouldn't be standing here letting his fiancée insult me like I was dirt.
He shattered everything I had. How could she expect me to say thank you?
William exhaled sharply and grabbed my wrist, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "Jessica, stop. Vanessa loses her temper easily. I'll make her apologize.
"If you want something—money, a car, a place to live—just say it. I can give you anything."
I stared at him, expressionless, then let out a short, cold laugh. "There's only one thing I want. I want you gone. For good. Can you do that, William?"
His face darkened instantly. "Jessica, I've been more than patient with you. Don't push it."
The tight knot in my chest finally snapped. My voice shook, but I screamed anyway, "I don't need your patience! I just want you to leave me alone!"
William's eyes went blood-red as he glared at me. "Leave you alone? And who exactly do you want instead?
"Jessica, you're carrying my baby. Who the hell do you think would want you if it's not me?"
My whole body trembled with rage. I almost slapped him again.
Just then, the phone William had confiscated from me began to ring.
The tension in the room froze for a split second. William jabbed the answer button and barked, "Make it quick. Don't waste my time."
There was a pause on the other end, then a steady voice spoke. "Hello, may I speak with Ms. Jessica Hart? She was recently hospitalized for a miscarriage. She hasn't come back for her follow-up appointment, so we wanted to check on her condition."
The phone slipped from William's hand and hit the floor with a sharp crack. His face drained of color. "Jessica, what is he talking about?
"You miscarried? When? Who did this? Why didn't you tell me?"
He grabbed my shoulders and shook me as if he could force the truth out of me.
And for the first time, watching him panic—watching his heart crack open—I felt something close to satisfaction.
A bitter smile tugged at my lips, and tears spilled down my face without warning.
I said, "So you can feel pain, William? Do you want to know how the baby died? Because of you. All because of you."
William froze, staring at me like he couldn't comprehend the words. "That's impossible, I—"
He stopped mid-sentence, the realization hitting him like a blow. His expression collapsed.
When he looked at me again, there was something small and fragile in his eyes—something almost pitiful. "Was it because I pushed you that day? I didn't mean to. I was angry. Jess, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were pregnant."
After everything, this was the first time I'd ever heard him say the words.
But what did it matter now?
The wounds he carved into me over the last three years had already become scars—deep, permanent, impossible to erase in this lifetime.
I wiped my tears and stared at him, exhausted to the bone. "William, let me go. You've already cost me my child. If this keeps going, you're going to destroy me too."
William's eyes widened, tears hitting the floor one after another. "No, Jess. No. I won't. I swear I won't.
"Just give me another chance. Please. I know I messed up. I really do. I'll treat you right from now on, I promise."
I stood there in silence, unmoved, no matter how desperately he begged.
Vanessa, who had been watching the whole time, finally lost her patience and grabbed his arm. "William, why are you lowering yourself for her? She's worthless. If you want a baby, I can give you one."
"Get out." William's eyes went red as he shoved her to the ground. "You think you're on Jess' level? Don't make me laugh. I'm telling you now—this lifetime, I'll take a child from no one but her."
Vanessa sat on the floor, stunned and humiliated.
She'd been spoiled her whole life, and once she got engaged to William, he tolerated her even when he clearly wasn't into her.
When had she ever been pushed this hard by anyone?
She burst into tears, voice breaking. "William, I'm your fiancée. We're supposed to get married. How can you treat me like this because of some other woman?"
William glared at her, every word like a threat. "Marry you? Who said anything about marrying you?
"One more word, Vanessa, and I swear the Quinn family will pay for your big mouth."
Vanessa's face went white.
She knew he meant it. She scrambled up and fled the room, looking nothing like the elegant woman who'd walked in earlier—just defeated and pathetic.