Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
THREE MONTHS LATER
Anna
Happy wasn’t a word that could describe how I felt inside. My life was finally perfect—the kind of perfection I’d always dreamed of. Something I never thought I’d have or experience. I was sitting on the couch, going over some orders for the shop, when I heard the elevator ding, and Wes stepped out.
“Hey, sweetheart.” He smiled as he walked over to me and kissed my lips.
“Hi. How was your day?”
“Exhausting. If anything could go wrong, it did.”
He walked over to the bar and poured himself a scotch.
“Do you want one?” he asked.
“No. I’m good.” I smiled.
He downed his drink and poured another one.
“Serena brought her baby into the office today for the first time. She’s due back from her maternity leave next week. Her son is so cute and tiny. I held him.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. For quite a while. He seemed to like me.”
“That’s because you’re extremely likable, Mr. Carter.” I grinned.
“You know, I got to thinking about how we have never talked about children. How many kids do you want?”
I looked at him and gulped. There was a reason this subject never came up.
“Wes, I don’t ever want children.”
“What?” he asked as he walked over to me. “What do you mean?”
“I never have, and to be honest, I don’t plan on having any.”
“Anna, I don’t understand.”
“I assumed you never wanted them either since we never talked about it.”
“I love kids, and yes, I want them. I guess we never talked about it because we were so wrapped up in everything else. You’re seriously going to sit there and tell me that you don’t want to have children with me?”
“You act like you’re taking this personally, Wes. I just don’t want children, period.”
“Why? Because of your mother?” His eyes narrowed at me.
“Don’t. Don’t do this.” I shook my head as I got up from the couch. “Don’t bring her into this.”
“I am doing this.” His voice grew louder. “If it’s because of her, maybe you need to get some therapy.”
“Excuse me? You’re standing there telling me that I need therapy because I don’t want kids?”
“Who the hell doesn’t want kids, Anna?” he yelled as he held out his arms.
“There are lots of people in this world that don’t want kids.”
“That’s just insane.” He finished off his scotch and walked back to the bar.
“Oh. So now I’m insane because I don’t want kids. Do you hear yourself?” I shouted.
“We’re having kids, Anna.”
“Is that so?” I stood there with my hands on my hips. “I hate to tell you this, Wes, but it’s my body, and if I don’t want kids, I’m not having any.”
“Man, I wish we would have discussed this before?—”
“Before what, Wes?” I asked in a harsh tone.
“Nothing. Listen, Anna, let’s discuss this like mature adults. I want nothing more than to have a baby with you someday. It doesn’t have to be now or in a year,” he calmly spoke. “I can wait until you’re ready.”
“I’ll never be ready. I don’t want children. Not now, not ever, and I’m not going to stand here and tell you okay and give you false hope, and then in a couple of years, we’re standing in this exact spot having the same argument. I don’t want children. Period.”
He stood a few feet away from me with anger in his eyes. An anger I’d never seen before from him.
“Then why are we doing this?” he asked.
“What? Getting married? Because we love each other. Have you forgotten that? You’re going to let something like me not wanting children ruin us?”
“It’s like I don’t even know you, Anna. You won’t even consider it a possibility?”
“No, because I’m not going to lie to you. I’m being honest, Wes. I’m being real and raw here.”
“Relationships are based on compromise. I’ve compromised a lot with you on all sorts of things, and now you won’t even extend me the courtesy of considering having a family?”
“No. I won’t. There’s nothing to consider. I don’t want kids.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way. Maybe this isn’t going to work out after all,” he somberly spoke as he held out his hand.
I couldn’t believe this was happening as my body shook from head to toe, and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I removed the ring from my finger and placed it in his hand.
“Don’t do this, Wes,” I spoke as numerous tears fell down my face.
“I’m sorry, Anna. You and I want two totally different things, and if we can’t see eye to eye on this, then there’s no point in moving forward.” His eyes swelled with tears. “I’m leaving. I’ll give you a couple of hours to gather your things and move out. If you need more time than that, let me know.”
He walked away and pushed the button to the elevator. I ran to him and grabbed his arm.
“Don’t,” I cried. “Please.”
He jerked his arm out of my grip and stepped into the elevator. The doors shut, and I fell to my knees and pounded on them as I screamed his name. I gathered myself from the floor, shaking and crying like my life had just been ripped away from me. I walked up the stairs, grabbed my suitcase from the closet, and threw some of my clothes into it. I went into the bathroom, gathered my makeup and toiletries, and threw them in a duffle bag. Grabbing my phone, I texted Franco.
“Are you home?”
“I just walked in. Why?”
“I need to talk to you. I’m on my way over.”
“Okay. I’ll be here. Everything okay?”
I didn’t respond and tossed my phone in my purse. I grabbed the duffle bag and my suitcase and headed out of the penthouse. I arrived at Franco’s apartment and lightly knocked on the door. I didn’t feel like digging out my key.
“Why didn’t you—Anna, what happened?” he asked as he looked down and saw my suitcase.
I broke down, and my bottom lip started to quiver.
“Wes left me.”
“What? Get in here.”
He pulled me into his apartment and then grabbed my suitcase. He placed his hands on my shoulders and led me over to the couch.
“What happened? Why would he leave you?”
“He wants kids, and I don’t. We got into a huge fight about it, and he said if I didn’t want them, then there was no use in moving forward.” I cried on his shoulder.
“Shit. It’s okay.” He held me. “Everything is going to be okay.”