LAUREN'S POV

Ethan looked up, his smile dropping fast. He frowned, like he was annoyed. Like I was the one doing something wrong.

"What are you doing here, Lauren?" he asked, standing up slowly. He didn't even look surprised to see me. No smile, no warmth, just those cold, annoyed brown eyes.

I held up the USB, my hands trembling. "You left this," I said, forcing the words out of my mouth.

"I told Rosa to bring it," he said sharply. "Not you. You shouldn't have bothered coming."

That was the first thing he said. Not thank you. Not are you okay? Not even a quick lie to pretend he cared about my feelings. No, he was mad that I came instead of the maid.

I blinked, staring at him. "That's what you're upset about?"

He said nothing. Just stood there, his jaw tight.

Before I could say another word, the lady sitting beside him spoke.

"Ethan... who is she?"

Her voice was smooth, soft, almost mocking. I turned to look at her. She crossed her legs slowly, like she was in no rush. Her nails were painted a pale pink, and the way she looked at me made my skin crawl.

Ethan didn't answer right away. I turned to him, heart pounding in my chest, waiting for him to speak. But he just opened his mouth, then closed it again.

So I answered for him.

"I'm his wife," I said quietly. I held up my left hand and showed her the ring.

But then I looked down at Ethan's hand. It was bare. No ring. No sign he'd ever worn one to work.

My chest felt like it cracked open. That moment hit me so hard, I almost forgot to breathe.

"Oh," the woman said, blinking at me. "You didn't mention a wife last night when I asked you."

Last night.

Those two words echoed in my head. Then it clicked, she was the same woman from the photo. The lipstick. The lie. The intern at the company he said not to worry about. It was her. He was with her.

My throat burned.

Ethan must've seen it in my face, the way I finally put it all together. That's when he quickly stepped in.

"Yes, I'm married," he said, like it was suddenly important now. "This is Lauren. My wife. Lauren, this is Sofia...an old friend from college."

Sofia.

I already knew. But hearing the name out loud still made my stomach twist.

Sofia turned back to me, and for a few seconds, she just looked. Up and down. Her eyes sharp. Her mouth curled into the smallest smirk as her eyes dragged over my outfit, my hair, my body. She wasn't even subtle about it.

Then she laughed. Just a little.

"Wow! I honestly can't believe it," she said, almost like she was talking to herself. "Ethan... really? This is who you ended up with?"

I felt the burn in my face. "Excuse me?" I said, my voice tight.

She kept smiling like I wasn't even worth being mad at.

"I mean, no offense," she said with a shrug, even though offense was clearly the point. " She's not what I expected. Did you stop caring about appearances completely? She's... so plain. And you've gained a lot of weight, haven't you? You could've at least dressed up properly before coming here."

I froze.

I turned to Ethan. Waiting. Begging silently for him to say something. To tell her to shut her mouth. To defend me, just once.

But he didn't.

No "Don't talk to her like that."

Instead, his face... his face said everything. He was embarrassed of me.

The same man who used to kiss my stretch marks and say they were proof I brought our daughter into the world... now looked like he didn't even want to be seen beside me.

I looked down at my outfit.

Jeans, blouse, nothing fancy but clean, neat, decent. I wasn't trying to impress anyone. I came here to drop off his stupid USB, not walk a red carpet.

And no...I wasn't skinny like I used to be in college. I had a child. I had a life. And I was tired. But I wasn't ugly. I wasn't nothing.

I looked up at Ethan again. "You're really going to let her talk to me like that?"

He didn't answer.

I felt my knees go weak, but I stayed standing. I wouldn't cry in front of her. I wouldn't give her that.

My mind started spinning, pulling me back to college. Back to when it all started.

I was just the quiet transfer student on scholarship. Ethan and Sofia were the golden couple back then. Everyone knew them. They were rich, good-looking, and popular.

Until his family lost their money. And she dropped him like he was trash. I still remember how bad he took it. The whispers in the hallway. The pity. The gossip.

I had liked Ethan then quietly from afar. I never expected him to notice me but one day, he did. He asked me out. Took me for coffee. Talked to me like I mattered. I thought... maybe he was different.

Now here we were.

Full circle.

Sofia was back, sitting in his office like she never left. Like I never existed.

And yeah, maybe I had gained a little weight. But I had also grown a life inside me. Carried our daughter, stayed up through fevers and nightmares, and ran a home while he "worked late."

Ethan used to say he liked me this way. He used to tell me I didn't need to lose a pound. "You're perfect the way you are," he'd say. "Don't stress yourself."

So why was he quiet now?

Why did he look like he agreed with everything Sophia just said?

I held onto my pride and tried to keep my voice from shaking.

"Why are you even here?" I asked, my voice steady. "Why are you sitting this close to my husband? Acting like you belong here?"

She smiled again, but this time, it wasn't playful. It was cold.

"I have every right to be close to Ethan," she said simply.

Then she leaned back against the couch like she was on a talk show.

"And," she added, dragging the word out slowly, "I'm pregnant."

The room spun.

My legs felt like jelly.

I blinked at her. "What?"

"I'm expecting Lauren," she said, placing a hand on her flat stomach. The smirk on her face turned smug. "Ethan's baby."

Pregnant.

  That word rang in my ears over and over again like a siren. My brain heard it, but my heart... my heart refused to believe it.

  I turned slowly, like my whole body had forgotten how to move. My eyes landed on Ethan. He wasn't looking at me. He was staring at the floor like a boy caught stealing. My lips parted, and my voice came out so weak, I barely recognized it.

  "Ethan... is it true?"

  I prayed – God, I actually prayed in that second that he would look up and say no. That Sofia was just playing a sick joke. That it was a lie. That he didn't do this to me. To us. To our daughter.

  But he didn't even lift his head. He didn't say a single word. His jaw clenched, his eyes flicked to the side like a coward, and in that second... I knew. He didn't have to say anything. His silence hit harder than a slap.

  It was true.

  She wasn't lying. Sofia was actually pregnant with his child. And I...his wife was standing there like a fool. Like a leftover.

  Something inside me cracked. I could feel it. It started small, like a pinch in my chest, then it spread like fire across my whole body. My stomach twisted. My throat tightened. My legs felt weak. I didn't cry. I didn't scream. I just... broke quietly.

  In a daze, I turned around and walked out of his office. I didn't say goodbye. I didn't wait for an explanation. I didn't even look back.

  Each step felt like dragging cement. My heels tapped against the marble floor, too loud in the silence. The hallway spun a little, but I didn't slow down. I needed to get out. I needed to breathe.

  "Ma'am?" Ethan's secretary stood up as I passed by. Her face looked worried. She probably saw everything. I could see it in her eyes. Pity.

  "Are you alright?"

  I didn't answer. I couldn't. My voice had gone missing. I kept walking, fast, like maybe if I moved fast enough, none of this would be real.

  I reached the elevator and pressed the button with a shaking hand. But after a second, I stepped away. I couldn't just stand there. I couldn't be still. I felt like I was going to explode.

  Without thinking, I turned and pushed open the stairwell door. One step. Then another. I gripped the railing like it was the only thing holding me up.

  Down. Down. Just keep going down.

  I burst through the exit door and into the sunlight. The bright light hit me like a slap. I blinked hard, trying to adjust, but the world kept spinning. I reached into my bag for my car keys. My hands were shaking so much I dropped them.

  "No, no, no..." I whispered to myself as I knelt down and picked them up.

  I stood there for a second. My car was just a few steps away, but I couldn't move. My chest was too tight. My breathing too shallow. My body frozen.

  I couldn't drive. I couldn't even stand up straight. So I walked.

  I didn't know where I was going. I just turned and walked away from the building. Away from Ethan. Away from the woman carrying his child. Away from the life I thought I had.

  People passed me on the street. Cars honked. I didn't see their faces. Didn't hear their voices. Everything was muffled and distant.

  I kept walking.

  Her voice kept echoing in my head. "I'm pregnant."

 And him... the man who swore he'd love me forever. The man I gave up my whole career for, picking up extra shifts so he could build the company he dreamed of – Black Enterprise. The same man who kissed my belly when I was pregnant with Elena and whispered, "You're my home." He said nothing. Not even I'm sorry. Not even a lie to hold onto.

  Just silence.

  My feet hurt. My heels rubbed raw against my skin. My blouse clung to my back with sweat. But I didn't stop.

  I couldn't.

  Because if I stopped, I'd have to think. And if I thought, I'd have to feel. And if I felt... I'd fall apart.

 I reached a corner and leaned against a lamppost. My hand gripped the cold metal, trying to stay upright.

  The world tilted.

  My knees buckled a little. I blinked fast. Everything was spinning. My heart pounded in my ears. My stomach turned. I swallowed hard, but it didn't help.

  Then everything went black.

  I don't remember falling. Just that my body gave up. Gave in. But I didn't hit the ground.

  Someone caught me. Strong arms wrapped around me, lifting me gently.

  "It's okay. I've got you. You're alright."

  The voice was deep.

  My head rested against a chest. I could feel the warmth through his shirt. I wanted to ask who he was. I wanted to see his face.

  But I couldn't open my eyes. I was so tired.

  "Stay with me," he said softly.

  I tried to speak, but my lips wouldn't move. Everything felt heavy. My arms. My legs. Even my tears were stuck.

  He carried me. I didn't know where. I didn't care.

  I let myself go.

  All I remember is the way he held me – like I still mattered. Like I wasn't just someone left behind.

LAUREN'S POV

Beep. Beep. Beep.

 That was the first sound I heard as I slowly began to regain consciousness. For a moment, I didn't recognize it. I didn't recognize anything. My mind was foggy, floating somewhere between confusion and panic. I had no idea where I was, and my body felt heavy, like it had been dipped in cement.

 As my eyelids fluttered open, a flood of bright white light stung my eyes. I winced and turned my face to the side instinctively. That's when the smell hit me - antiseptic, sharp and sterile, mixed with a faint trace of something metallic. The beeping beside me became more consistent now, matching the rhythm of my unsteady heart.

 Then it hit me.

 I was in a hospital.

 The moment that realization clicked, I sat up quickly - but instantly regretted it. A sharp, splitting pain surged through my head, forcing a gasp from my lips. My hands flew to my temples as I leaned forward, trying to ride out the wave of pain. It felt like my skull was being cracked open from the inside out.

 I stayed like that for a few long seconds, eyes squeezed shut, until the ache began to ease. Finally, I allowed myself to breathe. When I opened my eyes again, the lights didn't sting as badly, and my vision - though still slightly blurry - was beginning to return to normal.

 Everything around me was white or light gray. The ceiling tiles, the sheets, even the walls. The monitor beside me blinked slowly, keeping time with the beeping I now recognized as a heart monitor. I looked down at myself - IV needle taped to my arm, hospital gown loosely draped over my body. My mouth felt dry, like I'd been sleeping for days.

 Where... What happened?

 I searched my brain, trying to piece the last few hours together. Then, the door creaked open, and a nurse in light blue scrubs stepped into the room. She looked down at her chart before glancing up at me.

 "Lauren? Lauren Black?" she asked gently, as if unsure whether I was even conscious.

 I stared at her for a second, disoriented. 

 "...Yes," I answered, my voice rasping. It didn't even sound like me. "Why am I here?" I added, barely above a whisper.

 The nurse walked closer, checking the monitor beside me. "You passed out due to an extremely high level of stress. According to the doctors, the stress triggered something in your brain - causing you to collapse. You're lucky someone found you when they did."

 Her words hung in the air for a moment. Then, like a dam breaking, everything rushed back into my mind.

 I was walking. That much I remembered. The sidewalk beneath my feet, the weight of the day pressing heavily on my shoulders. Then - dizziness. My steps faltered, and I leaned against something maybe? And just before the world faded out, someone caught me.

 A man.

 Yes, there was definitely someone there. I could still feel the strength of his arms lifting me, holding me like I weighed nothing. But his face... it was a blur. The sun had been so bright behind him, it washed out his features completely. I couldn't tell if he was young or old, familiar or a stranger.

 So... he brought me here?

 I scanned the room again, this time more carefully. No one was sitting in the visitor's chair. There were no personal items, no half-drunk coffee cups or jackets on the backrest. No sign that anyone had been here waiting for me.

 "I was brought here by someone, right?" I asked cautiously, turning to the nurse.

 She nodded. "Yes, you were."

 A sense of relief rushed through me. I hadn't imagined it. I wasn't going crazy. Lately, the world around me had felt like it was tilting sideways, like nothing made sense anymore. At least this one thing was real.

 "And where is he now?" I asked.

 The nurse looked at me with a curious tilt of her head. "He brought you in, waited while you were checked in, paid your hospital bill... and then left."

 "Wait - he paid for me?" I blinked, trying to process that.

 She nodded again. "Everything. And he didn't leave a name, at least not with us."

 I stared at her, stunned. "He didn't tell you who he was?"

 "I assumed you would tell us, ma'am," she said softly, her tone not unkind.

 Great, so this person brings me here, pays for my hospital bill, and runs off without even leaving a note of who he is?

 Despite what he did that is still very rude, at least he should have waited for me to wake up so I could pay him back, I thought to myself 

 I looked down at my hand and noticed the clear tube connected to the back of it, snaking up to the drip bag hanging beside the bed.

 "You said I passed out because of stress... so is this really necessary?" I asked, lifting my hand slightly and gesturing toward the IV.

 "Yes, ma'am. They're painkillers - for the headaches," the nurse replied calmly as she noted something on the clipboard she held.

 I stared at the drip again, watching the slow rhythm of each drop falling. It felt surreal, lying here hooked up to fluids like I was made of glass and barely holding together. But maybe I was.

 The nurse looked up again. "Since you don't know the good Samaritan who brought you in, is there anyone we can call for you? A loved one... a family member?"

 My eyes instinctively scanned the room. That's when I saw my purse sitting on the couch near the window.

 "Yes, I do. Can you please help me with my purse?" I asked, trying to sit up straighter.

 She nodded and crossed the room, gently picking it up and handing it to me. I held it in my lap and slowly unzipped it, my fingers fumbling as if the simple motion required great effort. I pulled out my phone, the screen lighting up instantly as I unlocked it and scrolled to my contact list.

 My finger hovered over one name - Ethan.

 I was about to press it when everything from earlier came rushing back like a slap to the face.

 The office.

 The silence.

 The betrayal.

 Not only had he dismissed me, pushed me away like I was nothing, but he had also cheated. He had chosen another woman. And not just that - he had gotten her pregnant.

 A sour taste rose in the back of my throat as my grip on the phone tightened. Did he not feel even a flicker of shame? Did he think I wouldn't find out? What exactly was I supposed to tell Elena? That her father had moved on with someone else and made her a sibling overnight?

 My jaw clenched as I stared at his name glowing on the screen.

 "Excuse me, ma'am," the nurse said gently, breaking through my thoughts. Her voice brought me back to the present.

 I blinked, realizing my hand was still hovering over the call button. A soft sigh escaped me. As much as I didn't want to call him, he still needed to know I was in the hospital.

 He still had the right to know, didn't he?

 I pressed the call button. The phone rang once... twice...

 No answer.

 I cleared my throat and tried again, forcing down the tight feeling in my chest.

 It rang longer this time. Still, the same outcome.

 No answer.

 I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of chasing him down, but I dialed a third time anyway. In my mind, I was practically begging him to pick up.

 Still nothing.

 Each unanswered call felt like another wound, deeper than the last. 

 Why wasn't he answering? I didn't have to guess. He was probably with her - Sofia Crane. Of course, he wouldn't answer. He was too busy playing house with the woman who shattered mine.