Chapter 14 #2
“Thank you,” I whispered to her as a knock sounded on the door and Dr. Carson made his way inside.
“Violet,” Doc Carson said as he glanced between Heather and me. “Heather,” he offered her a nod as he addressed her. “I’m guessing you’ve already given our patient the news?”
“I did,” my nurse announced.
“I figured it out when she asked about my period. Heather just confirmed the test results for me,” I explained, so as not to get the woman in trouble.
“Don’t you worry about that. Heather isn’t in trouble. It looks to me like she’s doing her job well from where I’m seated. Whatever you decide to do, my office will help you. No matter what, you understand?”
“Thank you.” I meant that genuinely. There was no way I wanted an abortion, but it was good to know that my doctor wouldn’t take the choice away from me, the laws in our state be damned.
It made me feel better knowing that if something went wrong during my pregnancy, I might not have to pay with my life as a result.
Being pregnant was scary. Also being recently divorced was more so.
Their reaction took one weight off my shoulders, so I could focus on the biggest one.
I needed to track my ex-husband down and tell him he was going to be a father.
Despite our circumstances, I knew he’d be a good one.
Whether this baby ended up being the thing that brought us back together or not remained to be seen.
I didn’t say a word to my mother yet, despite her asking me repeatedly what the doctor had to say. Ridge deserved to know before anyone else. I had Mom take me to my apartment.
“I promise, I’m fine. Dr. Carson gave me a prescription to help.”
“To help with what, though?”
“Mom, please, trust me. I need to get home so I can run some errands.” To her credit, she only side-eyed me suspiciously about twelve times on the ride back to my place but didn’t ask again.
“You know I’m here for you, right?”
I leaned over and gave her a kiss as she parked in front of my building.
“I know, Mom. I love you so much and promise we’ll talk soon, but I need to run out and take care of a few things first.” When she hesitated, like she might hold me captive in her car, I quickly exited and ran to my building.
For the first time in more than a month, I finally felt hope.
I had to take a good shower, change into some decent clothes, and then go deliver the news to Ridge in person. He would still be at the office by the time I was ready. I rushed anyway.
By the time I was ready to walk out the door, a ping from my phone gave me pause. Before I could read it, another one popped in.
DD: I am on my way over. Do not leave your house.
That was strange. How in the hell would my best friend know what I was about to go do?
DD: I mean it. Stay put.
I debated ignoring her texts but decided it wouldn’t hurt to wait a few more minutes to go see Ridge. Whatever was going on, DD never gave orders, so I knew whatever she needed to see me about had to be important.
Violet: I’m waiting for you.
I glanced down to see another text from Moreland’s fiancée.
Gabby: I’m so sorry, Vi. I don’t understand how he could do that, knowing what we do about what happened.
Violet: What are you talking about?
Gabby: Have you heard from Ridge recently?
Violet: We haven’t talked at all in a long while.
Gabby: Oh, God! I’m so sorry. You need to see this.
There was a link included in her text that I stupidly, immediately clicked on.
It took me to a tabloid page and front and center was a picture of Ridge at the airport with his hands wrapped around Fiona’s waist. My heart sunk somewhere into my stomach as I took in all the other details.
He was holding her and staring down into her face as she beamed a huge smile back up at him.
Her hands were on his shoulders. It was a very intimate moment caught on film.
DD: Turn your phone off until I get there.
Violet: Too late.
DD: Shit. I’m speeding. Will be there soon. DO NOT DO ANYTHING STUPID!
Like what?
It wasn’t like I could run to the airport and try to stop whatever this was.
I had wondered why my husband - ex-husband - hadn’t filed charges against Fiona.
Maybe everyone had been wrong. Maybe they had been feeding me a bunch of horseshit to make me feel better.
Ridge never fought for me, and everyone told me that it was for the best. He was giving me space.
We could work it out later when cooler heads prevailed.
Clearly, either they were all liars or Ridge had all of us fooled.
My eyes scanned the rest of the tabloid for more details.
Ridge Westover shocked the world when he cheated on his wife who he had always seemed blissfully wed to.
The woman he cheated with, was none other than his personal assistant - Fiona Iverson.
Sources close to the couple insisted that it was not what everyone thought and that Ridge was some sort of victim, but from what our photographer saw today, that couldn’t possibly be the case.
The top dog of Westover Records was seen getting very up close and personal with his former assistant at the Atlanta International Airport.
Afterward, the couple boarded the same flight bound for Sydney, Australia.
It was mentioned that Westover Records was looking to branch out and bring their production team to Australian shores soon, but it looks like Ridge Westover might just be bringing a brand new - or maybe not so new - love affair there with him.
There were more pictures, each just as damning as the last, including one where that bitch was up on tiptoes kissing Ridge.
It looked like it might be his cheek instead of his lips, but I couldn’t tell from the angle, and the caption heavily insinuated it was heated, though from Ridge’s body language, that appeared to be a lie. I felt sick.
After throwing up what little was on my stomach once again, I made my way to the door just in time to let DD inside before she banged the damn thing down.
“Fuck, Vi. I can’t believe this bullshit.” I didn’t get a chance to respond before my best friend had me wrapped in her arms as she kicked my front door shut.
“He’s with her,” I cried into DD’s shoulder.
My best friend had been there from the very first day when Ridge stalked me to the bar on his birthday after we met in the park.
Tessa had moved to the West Coast and Duri had gone with her for a bit, but it hadn’t lasted a year before she came back to Georgia.
She wasn’t made to be far away from family and friends, even if Tessa flourished there.
We had since lost touch with Tessa beyond occasional updates we shared on social media.
She hadn’t even reached out since everything became public about my divorce.
Duri had always been there, though. I would have reveled in how blessed that made me in the friend department, but my heart was broken all over again.
“I had the slightest blip of hope that we could fix things today, DD. It lasted long enough for me to get home from the doctor and take a shower. Then it all crumbled out from underneath me again.”
“Let’s go sit down and you can tell me all about it, Vi.” We did just that and I told her what I’d learned today. “Fuck, I want to kill him again, and this time your protests aren’t going to stop me,” she angrily insisted.
“He’s not-” Crying induced hiccups interrupted, but once I got them under control, I finished my sentence, “worth it.” I shook my head and swiped the tears away as best I could even though fresh ones continued to soak my face.
“I was going to go tell him at his work today. I’m so glad I got those texts from you and Gabby. ”
“Why? He obviously wouldn’t have been there anyway.”
“No, but at least now I know why. What if I’d heard he went to Australia on business, so I texted or called to tell him the news?”
“I’m not following, sweetie.”
“Don’t you see? I can’t tell him. I can never tell him now.”
“Whoa. I understand you’re hurt, but he’s the father. I never thought you’d be one of those women who would use their child to hurt their ex.”
“Come on Duri, you know me better than that.”
“I thought I did. So, tell me why you think that you can’t let Ridge know he’s going to be a father because I still don’t get it.”
I pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “He’s with her,” I said by way of explanation.
“Yes, I know. I saw the same pictures you did.”
“DD, she raped him. Maybe he has completely lost his fucking mind since then and decided that being with his rapist is okay, but I will NEVER be alright with allowing my child around a woman capable of drugging and raping her boss. Just think what she might do to our child when he has visitation.”
“Holy crap, Vi,” DD huffed. “That’s some fucked shit.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I see your point, though. Your secret is safe with me, but what about your families?”
I shrugged. “I’ll have to find a way to make them understand. My family won’t be the issue. The Westovers will find out eventually, and I don’t know what they’ll do. Who knows how long Ridge will be out of the country, but while he is, I have to get my legal ducks in a row to protect my child.”
“You’re also going to have to maintain a low profile and hide your body as it changes, otherwise the media will no doubt point out that you are with child.”
“I need to call my lawyer. I never thought I’d have to deal with her again after the divorce.”
“I’m so sorry he’s put you through all this. What the fuck is that idiot thinking even breathing the same air as that whore, let alone touching her and going to another country with her?”
“Those are things I will probably never have the answers to,” I whispered.
DD put her arms around me and refused to let go as we rocked back and forth on my couch until all my tears finally dried up. Then, I pulled my phone back out, ignored the multitude of texts that started to pile up and contacted Margaret Atwater again.