Chapter 2
Vivienne moved in early that morning.
I was in the garden watering and trimming my cosmos flowers.
0 They were the only things in this cold, loveless house that bloomed because of me.
Vivienne held her pregnant belly with one hand, covering her nose with the other.]
“Don’t bother trimming them,” she said with a dramatic sigh. []
“I can’t stand the smell. Just get rid of them.“]
I stood and wiped some dirt off my cheek
Vivienne squinted at me, then seemed to realize something.
“Oh–sorry, didn’t realize it was you, Sienna.”
‘I thought you were the gardener.“)
She offered a tight smile.
“Well, if these flowers are yours, I guess you’d be too sentimental to tear them out.“]
“I’ll just deal with it.“]
Carter, standing beside her with a hand on her lower back, frowned.
“You’re pregnant. You don’t have to ‘deal with‘ anything.”
“It’s just a bunch of flowers. Get rid of them.“[]
I glanced down at the garden and gave a small smile.
Carter thought I was hesitating, ready to scold me.[]
But instead, I nodded.
“Sure. I’ve got something to do soon anyway.“[]
“Just have the gardener take care of it.”
Carter paused, caught off guard by how calmly I agreed.]
For a second, I thought I saw a flicker of sympathy in his eyes.[]
“I’ll have them replanted at the Westwood property,” he said softly. [
1
“I know you put a lot into them.”
I did love those flowers.
They were one of the few things I had to hold on to in this house.[]
But now, it didn’t matter anymore.
“Whatever you think is best,” I replied.[]
I checked my phone–my meeting with the investigator was in thirty minutes
I gave them both a polite nod. []
“Excuse me.”
As I stepped past Carter, he suddenly grabbed my wrist.[]
Vivienne looked at him, confused and slightly annoyed.]
He let go immediately.]
“Come back early,” he said. []
“There’s something I need to talk to you about.“]
11.1%
Chapter 2
I nodded.
“Sure.”
The moment I left the Kingsley estate, I could breathe again.
Even if it was just for a little while.
I met the investigator at a coffee shop downtown–the same one I used to frequent back in college.]
The owner did a double take when she saw me. 0
I guess I didn’t look like the girl she remembered.]
Ever since marrying Carter, I hadn’t really lived.]
The Kingsleys thought places like this were too… common.
The investigator handed me a file.
“The ultrasound confirms Vivienne is about four months along.”
“Which… doesn’t match Mr. Kingsley’s timeline.“]]
sb Carter’s miracle child–wasn’t even his.
If he found out, would he be disgusted?
Would he still want the baby just because it’s Vivienne’s?]]
I looked up at the investigator.
If I don’t divorce him, my child still has inheritance rights, right?“||
“Of course,” he said without hesitation.
I pressed a hand to my belly.[]
“And what if the baby’s not his?“[]
He blinked, visibly thrown.
–“0
“Well.. if you’re married, he’s still legally obligated to support the child. But-”
I cut him off with a shake of my head.
That was all I needed to hear.
If Carter expected me to raise his child with Vivienne…]
Then why couldn’t I let him raise a child that wasn’t his?
