June

I woke up that morning with a strange feeling in my chest—a quiet kind of hope that maybe, just maybe, Axel had remembered. After all, it was my birthday. Even if things between us had been strained lately, surely he wouldn’t forget. There was no way he would. I knew we would get past all of the drama that we've held between us.

But as the morning light filtered through the curtains, my phone remained silent. I stared at it for a few minutes, waiting for the familiar buzz of a notification, the simple “Happy birthday” text that would at least acknowledge my existence. Nothing came.

A part of me wasn’t surprised. This wasn’t the first time Axel had neglected to remember. It had become almost normal now and I hated it. I let out a long, heavy breath, pushing down the familiar ache that settled in my chest.

I tried calling him once, just to hear his voice, hoping for some small reassurance, but it went straight to voicemail.

I scoffed. “No surprise there.” Deep down I expected it because he was always busy. Always somewhere else.

I knew better than to dwell on it. If I let myself think too long about the silence, it would only make the ache worse. So, I got dressed, slipped into my work clothes, and told myself that today wasn’t going to be any different. Birthday or not, life had to go on.

At work, the minutes dragged by slower than usual. I kept my phone nearby, checking it more often than I cared to admit. Maybe he was busy and would call later. Maybe he hadn’t forgotten after all. I reminded myself.

My phone finally buzzed in the early afternoon. For a fleeting second, my heart lifted, thinking it was Lucas. But when I saw the name on the screen, my heart sank. It was his secretary.

I hesitated before answering, already knowing the conversation wouldn’t be one I wanted to have. "Hello?"

"Hi, Mrs. Grey," her voice was polite, professional, and completely devoid of warmth. "I just wanted to let you know that Mr. Greys stay has been extended for a few more days. He’ll be traveling for the rest of the week."

I felt a shuddered as I felt my skin crawl. Of course, what the hell was I thinking, that he would remember?. I hadn’t even realized he was gone again. "Thank you for letting me know," I said, my voice hollow, barely managing to disguise the hurt.

The call ended, and I stood there for a moment, staring at the screen. My birthday. He hadn’t even given me the courtesy to tell me himself.

I pushed through the rest of the day in a daze, trying to ignore the growing fatigue that weighed me down. Everything felt heavier than usual, like the world was pressing in on me from all sides. My co-worker, Marissa, was the one who noticed first.

"You don’t look so good, June," she said, frowning at me as I finished up with a patient.

"You should take the rest of the day off."

I shook my head, trying to force a smile. "I’m fine."

"You’re not fine," she said firmly, crossing her arms. "Go home. Take a break. You’ve been running yourself ragged."

I wanted to argue, but deep down, I knew she was right. "Okay," I whispered, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me.

I left the hospital and went home, but when I opened the door, the empty apartment greeted me like a slap in the face. Axel was gone, and that little red box—the one holding my pregnancy results—was still sitting untouched on the counter, exactly where I had left it days ago.

I stared at it, feeling a lump rise in my throat. I had planned to surprise him, to share the news that we were expecting. But now, it just seemed like one more thing I couldn’t tell him. One more secret to bury beneath the weight of all the others.

I needed to get out. I couldn’t stay in that empty apartment, waiting for a man who didn’t care enough to remember my birthday. I grabbed my coat and keys, and without thinking, I headed to a bar.

I knew it was a bad idea. I was pregnant, after all. But the weight of everything—the loneliness, the neglect, the betrayal—was suffocating, and I needed something to numb it, if only for a little while.

The bar was dimly lit, and the smell of alcohol and cheap perfume filled the air. I ordered a drink, telling myself I wouldn’t actually drink it. But as the glass sat in front of me, temptation grew stronger. Maybe one sip wouldn’t hurt.

I stared at the drink, lost in thought, when I heard a voice beside me. "Rough night?"

I turned to see a man sitting at the bar next to me, his dark eyes glinting with curiosity. He was attractive, in a rugged, confident kind of way. I looked away, not in the mood for small talk. "Something like that."

"Care to share?" he asked, a playful smile tugging at his lips.

I shook my head. "Not really."

But he didn’t take the hint. "Come on, it might help. Sometimes talking to a stranger is easier than talking to people you know."

I glanced at him again, and there was something honest about his presence. I didn’t know this man, but there was an ease to his demeanor that made me feel like he wasn’t judging me. "I’m married," I said, more to myself than to him. "But it doesn’t feel like it anymore."

I darted around the crowd as I thought about the good memories Axel and I had together. At least then, work wasn't getting in the way. I could actually speak to him and he would listen to me even if the funniest stories seemed interesting to me. My career was never the problem for him, I didn't think he had any problem with me, at least the one that I knew of. Now, everything felt disoriented.

"Ah," he said, nodding as if he understood more than he let on. "That’s tough. Sometimes marriage can feel… lonely."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his insight. "Yeah. Exactly."

He introduced himself as Levi, and we talked for a while—about nothing and everything. It was easy, too easy, to forget my troubles as we chatted. He listened when I ranted about the little things, offering little pieces of wisdom here and there without making it seem like he was pushing.

Before I knew it, hours had passed, and I felt a strange sense of calm that I hadn’t felt in a long time. When I finally admitted I needed to go home, Levi offered to drive me. Normally, I would have refused, but there was something about him that made me feel safe and nurtured. So I agreed.

As we pulled up to my apartment, I thanked him, trying to ignore the way my heart fluttered when he smiled. He handed me his card, and I pocketed it without a second thought. I wasn’t sure why, but I quickly gave into the ease provided, a part of me knew this wouldn’t be the last time I saw him. I could just feel it.

But the moment I stepped inside, that calmness vanished.

Kyra was sitting on my couch.

The sight of her in my home—my home—made my blood run cold. How the hell did she get in here? I asked myself.

"Kyra?" I stammered, my voice cracking with disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

She stood up, flashing me a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Oh, Axel asked me to drop something off. I hope you don’t mind."

Mind? I wanted to scream. Of course I minded! But before I could find my voice, she continued, walking toward me with that same fake smile plastered on her face.

"You know," she said, looking around the apartment with a casual air, "I love the color of your bedroom. It would make a great nursery, don’t you think?"

My heart stopped. "Excuse me?" My blood boiled.

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh, I just think a baby would look so cute in that room. It has such a warm, welcoming vibe."

I felt like I was going to throw up. How did she know about my bedroom? How did she know anything about my life? And more importantly, why was she talking about babies? She sounded sure and I couldn't help but think if Axel was yelling her about our marriage? Axelhad welcomed a third party into our marriage and her presence even made me more sick. My stomach churned thinking about her words.

My mind raced, and all I could do was stare at her, frozen in place. It was as if she knew everything. As if she had already taken my place in Axel's life, in my home, in my marriage.

"Oh, and that man who dropped you off," she added, her voice dropping to a whisper, "are you sure the baby is Axel's? Because it seems like you’ve been… busy."

I couldn’t breathe. My legs staggered, too strained to stay in one place, and I gripped the edge of the counter for support, the room spinning around me. "Get out," I finally managed to say, my voice barely audible.

Kyra just shrugged, brushing past me on her way to the door. "Take care of yourself, June. Stress isn’t good for the baby."

I stood there, trembling, watching her leave as if she had just ripped my world apart with a smile on her face. When the door clicked shut behind her, I sank to the floor, tears spilling down my cheeks.

How had it come to this? How had Axel let this happen? And how the hell had I been so blind? Was he a party to this as well? To watch me suffer while he takes this bitch as his tag along?

In my panic, I grabbed my phone and called the one person I knew would help. "Scarlett," I whispered, my voice breaking, "I think I’m in trouble."

June

When Scarlett arrived, I was still sitting on the couch, staring at the door like Kyra was going to walk back in at any moment. The thought of it sent a shiver down my spine, but I pushed it away. I couldn’t focus on Kyra right now. I needed Scarlett to help me figure out what the hell was happening. It felt like everything was crumbling before my eyes and there was nothing I could do about it.

“June?” Scarlett's voice pulled me from my thoughts as she rushed inside, her eyes wide with concern. “What happened? You sounded like you were freaking out on the phone.”

I didn’t know how to start, how to explain that the life I thought I had was unraveling right in front of me. “She was here,” I whispered.

“Who? Kyra?” Scarlett sat beside me, her expression darkening.

“Yeah, Kyra. She was… she was in my house, Scarlett. In my house. She knows about everything. She knows about Axel, about my pregnancy, and she… she even made comments about the baby. Like she was—” I stopped, my voice cracking as the tears I’d been holding in finally fell.

Scarlett frowned, squeezing my hand. “That’s insane. What did she say?”

I replayed the fucking conversation in my head and I wanted to collapse this time.

I shook my head, my throat tight. “It was more than what she said, Scarlett. It was how she acted, like she owned everything in my life, like she already had Axel, and now she wanted to take everything else. She sounded so assured and it was scary. You didn't see the look on her face, it felt like she was enjoying messing with me.”

Scarlett's jaw clenched, and for a moment, she didn’t say anything. Then, almost too casually, she asked, “Who drove you home?”

I blinked, thrown off by the sudden change of topic. “Oh… this guy, Levi. He’s just someone I met at the bar.”

I gulped.

Scarlett's face went rigid. “Levi?”

“Yeah… why?”

She hesitated, and I could see something flicker across her face. It seems that there was something she wasn’t telling me. “What’s his last name?”

“I don’t know,” I said, frowning. “Why does that matter?”

Scarlett gave a stifled smile, but I could see the worry in her eyes. “It doesn’t. I just… I’ve heard that name before. Levi. Just wondering if it’s the same guy.”

My instincts were screaming that something was off. “Scarlett, if you know something, you need to tell me.”

But she just shook her head, forcing a laugh. “It’s nothing, really. I’m probably just being paranoid. You’ve got enough to deal with without me throwing some weird theory into the mix.”

I wanted to press her, but I could see that she wasn’t going to budge. So I let it go, at least for now. There were too many other things on my mind anyway. I leaned back against the couch, my exhaustion finally catching up with me. “I don’t know what to do, Scarlett. I feel like everything is falling apart.”

Scarlett sighed, pulling me into a hug. “We’ll figure it out. You’re not alone in this, okay?”

I nodded, but the hole, aching in my chest didn’t go away. It felt like no matter what I did, I was losing everything. Axel was slipping through my fingers, and Kyra… Kyra was taking everything that was supposed to be mine. She has seated fully telling me that she was aware of my moves that she was going to snap out from behind the scenes soon enough.

All I know was that I couldn't let that happen.

*

The next day at work, things felt surreal. I tried to focus on my patients, but my mind kept drifting back to the chaos of the night before. Every time I thought about Kyra sitting on my couch, smug and confident, my stomach twisted into knots. It felt like a nightmare coming to play before my very eyes. In my own home.

But I pushed through the day, determined to not let it break me. I’d barely made it through half my shift when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, expecting to see some meaningless notification, but what I saw instead froze the blood in my veins.

Photos of Axel. With Kyra.

The first picture was of them kissing, her arms wrapped around his neck, his hand on the small of her back. The others were just as intimate—laughing together, holding hands, walking side by side like they were already a couple.

My hands shook, and I could barely breathe. I wanted to scream, to throw my phone across the room, but all I could do was stare at the images, my heart shattering with every new slide. How long had this been going on? How many times had Axel lied to me, looked me in the eyes and told me he loved me, while he was with her? I shook my head, telling myself not to jump into conclusions. Then the signs were there and I just couldn't ignore it. It tore my heart to pieces, seeing them like that. Everything we've shared turned to ashes in my hands and it seems there was no way of removing it.

I felt the weight of betrayal crush me, and I couldn’t keep the tears from spilling over. I quickly wiped them away, but the ache was too deep, too raw to ignore.

“June?” Marissa’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I hadn’t even noticed her standing there. “Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I tried to smile, but it felt like my face was breaking in two. “I’m fine. I just… I need a minute.”

She gave me a sympathetic look, but thankfully, she didn’t pressure me to speak. I made my way down the hall, trying to pull myself together, but it felt impossible. Everything felt impossible.

I was about to head to the break room when a nurse approached me. “Mrs. Grey, your new patient is ready. You can see him now.”

The term ‘mrs’ made me cringe now that my marriage was mirrored with questions.

I nodded, trying to shake off the pain and focus on my job. But when I walked into the room, I froze.

Sitting on the exam table, with that same easy smile, was Levi.

He looked up, his eyes locking onto mine, and for a second, neither of us spoke. My heart was still pounding from the pictures, from the betrayal, from everything. And now, here he was, the man who had driven me home the night before, the man who had made me feel something I hadn’t felt in a long time—ease.

“Levi,” I breathed, barely able to believe he was sitting in front of me.

“June.” His voice was soft, and his gaze was steady, like he could see right through me. “Are you okay?”

I blinked, trying to find the words, but all that came out was a sob. The well I’d been holding back broke, and I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

In an instant, Levi was off the table and by my side, pulling me into his arms. I didn’t resist. I didn’t even force myself to fall in his touch. I let him hold me, let the warmth of his embrace wash over me as I cried.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t alone. Someone cared. Someone wanted to be there for me.

When my sobs finally quieted, Levi pulled back slightly, his hand gently brushing a strand of hair from my face. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“For what?” I asked, my voice shaky.

“For whatever’s hurting you. For whatever he’s done.”

I looked into his eyes, and in that moment, I knew he understood. He didn’t know the details, but he knew enough. “How did you—?”

“Axel,” he said simply. “I figured it had to be him. A man would be an idiot to make you cry like this.”

I swallowed hard, my heart racing. “Levi, I… I don’t know what to do.”

He held my gaze, his expression serious. “Then let me help you.”

His words hung in the air between us, and for a moment, I considered it. I considered what it would mean to let Levi in, to let him be the one to help me. But I couldn’t. Not yet.

“I can’t,” I whispered. “I need to figure this out with Axel .” I didn't like it but it was what was right.

Levi's jaw tightened, but he didn’t push. Instead, he gave a slow nod. “Okay. But just know, June… you deserve more than this. You deserve to be happy.”

I didn’t know how to respond. I just stood there, feeling the weight of his words settle into my bones.

After a few more minutes, Levi left, but not before giving me a long, lingering look that said more than words ever could. And as he walked out the door, I realized something I hadn’t before.

I was fighting a losing battle.

*

That night, I went home, determined to talk to Axel. To fight for my marriage, for the life I thought we had. But when I walked through the door, I was met with cold indifference. He gave me a cold shoulder like I had already disappeared.

Axel was there, sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone like nothing had happened. Like the pictures didn’t exist, like Kyra wasn’t slowly taking over my entire life.

“I saw the photos,” I said, my voice trembling.

He didn’t even look at me. “It’s not what you think.”

“Not what I think?” I could hear the anger rising in my voice. “Axel, you’re kissing her! You’re with her—”

“She’s pregnant, June,” he cut me off, his voice flat, emotionless. “I don’t need you stressing her out. It’s bad for the baby.”

I stared at him, my heart breaking all over again. “She’s pregnant?”

He nodded, finally looking up at me with a cold gaze. “Yeah. So don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

Something inside me snapped. “I want a divorce.”

For the first time in months, I saw a flicker of emotion on his face—surprise, maybe even anger—but I didn’t care anymore. I couldn’t keep doing this. I couldn’t keep pretending like everything was okay.

I took off my wedding ring and threw it at him. “I’m done, Axel."