Chapter 41
Serenity
Not caring how I look, I sprawl out on Lana’s sofa as Victor disappears into the kitchen. My muscles feel like they weigh five hundred pounds.
Within a minute, Victor returns with a glass of water. He lingers for a moment before offering it to me. I can’t stop the small smile that curves my lips. I have no doubt he thought about putting the cup to my lips but decided against it.
He doesn’t say anything as he turns and heads back into the kitchen.
I take a sip. The coldness goes down my throat, and I suddenly need more. I drink the rest of it and place the cup on the coffee table. Laying back again, I drape my arm over my forehead. My head is pounding like someone is using a jack hammer on it.
After about ten more minutes, I’m almost asleep, but Victor reemerges carrying a wooden tray.
I force myself upright, and he places it on my lap.
I take it all in. A homemade yogurt parfait with granola and cut up strawberries rests on the side, and a plate of scrambled eggs and toast sits in the center.
My heart flip-flops inside my chest. Victor, a billionaire who never had to cook his own food, made me a meal.
It sounds like the bare minimum but in billionaire speak …
I place the tray down and grab hold of his hand. Touching his skin is a mistake, but this might be the last time I get to touch him, so I soak it up and release him.
Stand strong.
“Is something wrong with the food? That YouTube tutorial said no one could mess it up.” A frown tips his lips down, and I itch to put a smile back. “But I guess they didn’t take someone like me into account.”
No matter how hungry I am, I need to talk to him first before I chicken out.
“Please, stop,” I say, my mouth dry. Even after the water, I’m still parched. “I need to tell you something.”
He tilts his head to the side. “What is it?”
My pulse is erratic as I look into his light blue eyes.
He doesn’t say anything, waiting for me to explain.
But, what if he doesn’t want a kid? My heart kicks into overdrive.
It’s too late for that thought now. And even though we won’t be together past the year mark—we’ll have to co-parent for the rest of our lives.
I’ll have to live every day missing him, seeing him with another woman, all while smiling so I don’t end up putting a wedge between the baby and me.
He grabs my hand, startling me from my thoughts. “Whatever it is, it will be okay. We can work through it together.”
My heart balloons before dropping. The longer I sit here and panic, the less likely I will tell him, so I spit it out in a rush, “I’m pregnant.”
He blinks rapidly as if he’s about to deny it. Then a smile tips his lips up. “Are you sure?”
I nod and fill him in on the tests I took.
Wetness gathers in the corners of my eyes. Victor kneels in front of me and wipes away my tears with both thumbs. “Shhh. It’s okay. We’ll talk about everything later. Just eat.”
I nod, still sniffling, and take a bite of the eggs. I’m stupid for delaying telling him the rest of what I need to say, but my hunger wins out.
The eggs are soft and fluffy and do strange things to my heart. “You did well,” I say around my mouthful. “Are you sure you’ve never cooked before?”
Victor chuckles, and even though we’re over, it’s like music to my ears. “I’m absolutely certain.”
I devour the rest of the food in record time and lean back to pat my now full belly.
“Do you want me to help you to the bathroom so you can change or shower or whatever it is you might need?” Victor asks, keeping his gaze on my every movement.
I swat at him when he reaches a hand out. “I’m able to do it myself. Stop babying me.”
He takes a step back. “I’m sorry. I’m still reeling at the thought I could’ve lost you, but you’re right.”
Pushing up from the sofa, I stand on wobbly legs. I’m not injured, thankfully, but my legs still ache from the two-mile sprint. And not to mention that even more is sapped out of me probably because of my early pregnancy.
I make it to the bathroom—without help—and finish showering in what feels like an eternity but is maybe an hour.
I change into fresh clothes Sully brought from his house.
I never take that long, but I needed it to wash all the filth off of the day’s events.
I also needed time to decompress after everything.
Now that I’m clean, I almost feel like myself. Except with more of the pieces of my heart broken off. Victor was so kind and gentle and thoughtful earlier. But I can’t place my trust in him again. He was swayed against me so easily. It can happen again.
I let out a frustrated sigh. I was finally accepting I was falling in love with my husband, allowing myself to see a future for the four of us.
I place one foot in front of the other, and when I make it back to the living room, I plop down on the sofa.
The room is empty. Maybe he left. It’s for the best. He probably needs time to think about what I told him.
No matter how badly he broke my trust, I believe he wouldn’t run away from his responsibilities.
The floor creaks, and I remind myself it’s Victor. But that doesn’t stop my raging heart from going into a full gallop.
He strides into the living room from the kitchen. “I’m just checking on you before heading out.”
I let out a sigh, steeling myself. “We need to talk.”
His blue eyes shutter. “Please, don’t.” His voice sounds hollow, and I have to resist the urge to reach out and console him. If I touch him, my resolve might crumble, and I must hold firm. “I’m sorry about everything. I never should’ve thought it was you.”
“But you did. You jumped right to that conclusion and didn’t think once about defending me.”
He runs his fingers through his hair. “What about the baby?”
If he thinks he’ll convince me to stay with him after the contract because of the baby, he has another thing coming. I’ll co-parent with him, but I can’t stay with someone because I’m pregnant. “What about the baby?”
Victor stares at me for a moment like I’ve lost it. Maybe I have. I just watched someone get shot and killed right in front of me. And it wasn’t a stranger. I don’t give a fuck if he was a horrible piece of shit. He was still Summer’s father.
“I want to raise my child.”
I’d never keep our baby from him. Though he broke my trust, he’s a good person, and I’d never do that to him.
“Of course, you will but as a co-parent. I’ll go to any event required as your wife, but I think it’s best for Summer and me to stay here in Granite Falls.
We can use my pregnancy as an excuse for why I need privacy.
” He takes a step forward. I want to reach out, to touch him, to hug him, to kiss him, maybe even slap him, but I hold up a hand.
If he doesn’t leave now, I don’t trust myself to hold strong. “Please, go.”
Victor bows his head. “Don’t force me to,” he whispers.
“Look at what just happened.” My voice raises, and he jerks his head up. At this point, I’ll say anything to make him leave. “That is my track record with husbands.”
My stomach twists as horror takes over his face.
He stumbles back a step. “Don’t worry. I’ll only bother you to see the kids,” he says, his voice colder than I’ve ever heard from him.
The kids as in plural. Even after I turn him down, he still wants Summer in his life.
He turns to leave, saying nothing else as he stomps away and down the staircase, toward Lana’s Boutique, taking a heart shard with him.
He’s not out of my life for good. Not even close.
We have a baby to care for together and the rest of the contract.
Even though I should find comfort in that, I don’t.
This is how it’s meant to be. Me here in Granite Falls, and him in New York living the life of a billionaire.
Summer will miss him, and I will, too. But this is for the best. He just doesn’t know it yet.