Roxanne's POV

The house has been silent for more than five minutes. Yet, I am still on the floor, still clutching my stomach.

A lot of thoughts go through my head. What if I die in this bedroom alone, staring at the mess on the floor? What would my husband do when he returns? Will Camilla tell him it isn't his fault he failed to check if I was alright?

I push myself closer to the door with my palms, and that is when I see it.

The smear of blood behind me.

"Oh God!" I whisper, fear mixing with the pain. I shiver from the uncertainty that has wrapped itself around me, but something keeps me pushing. I don't know what it is, but I don't stop using my palm as a propeller until I am outside the door.

My room is at the end of the hallway, and it looks like a lot of getting there while crawling. But I cannot give up now, not when I am so close.

Pain makes me fold into a ball in the middle of the hallway, kicking me until I am gasping for breath. Tears sting the corners of my eyes, pouring down my face.

When the worst of the pain passes, I resume my journey, intent on getting into my bedroom. After what feels like forever, I finally get the door open, reaching for my phone on the nightstand.

"Lennox." My voice breaks as I press the phone against my ear after dialling the only number on my emergency contact list.

"Roxanne?" I can hear the worry slip into his tone immediately. He should be asleep by now, but his voice sounds so alert. "Roxanne, are you fine? What is happening? Where is Reese? What did the fucker do?"

"I'm hurt," I cry, unable to stop myself. "There's ...there's blood everywhere."

Lennox doesn't even ask where Reese is before saying, "I'll be there as fast as I can. Stay on the call with me."

Pushing the phone back on the nightstand without ending the call, I lay my head on the rug and succumb to the pain, allowing it to whisk me away in its arms.

The next time I open my eyes, it is to the sound of something beeping in the background and the sickening smell of antiseptic in the air. There is someone beside me, their elbows digging into the bed.

"Urghh!" I wince as I try to sit up. Everything is spinning around me.

"Easy," a strangely familiar voice whispers. I feel a pair of strong, warm hands pushing me back into the bed. "You only just woke up. You don't have to get on your feet immediately."

"It's too bright," I whisper, closing my eyes. "Can you turn off the lights?"

"Of course." He gets up, just as I hear the door. "You can open your eyes now."

When I do, I find Lennox and a doctor in a lab coat standing by my bedside. There is another person in the room, the one who spoke to me when I opened my eyes. But he is in a far corner now, blending perfectly into the shadow.

"Mrs. Beaumont," the doctor starts. "How do you feel now?"

"Parched," I croak.

He laughs. "Of course." Then moves to the dispenser in the room, grabbing me a cup. I drink from it greedily, taking every single drop in.

That feels much better.

"Now, let's start with the pain." The doctor's voice is back. "Is that gone?"

I nod. I can't feel it again.

"What time is it?"

"6 am," the man in the shadows responds. "You were out for five hours."

"And Reese?"

Lennox looks at me like he's about to lose his shit. "I can't believe you're asking of him when he was the one who put you in here."

"He wasn't," I shake my head insistently. Lennox is my best friend, and he has never been a fan of Reese from the very first day, but they have managed to co-exist as long as they don't bump into each other.

And that is not difficult to achieve since Reese barely lets me go anywhere.

"So who did this?"

I open my lips to speak, but press them shut.

"What about all the blood?" I say instead, looking up at the doctor.

"You were so lucky they got there when they did. The baby is safe."

Baby. That word is like a match, and the only emotion I can feel is pain. Pain from how long my husband has reminded me of my barrenness, pain from when I see movies with babies and the only thing I can think of is how I don't have any.

"What?" I sit up so fast that I feel the blood rushing into my head. A bout of dizziness hits immediately, but I am too overwhelmed by the sudden revelation to give a moment's thought to it.

"I'm not pregnant," I tell the doctor. "My husband and I have been trying for years now,"

He smiles at me. "Well, you're pregnant because we had to do a lot to save your baby. I guess congratulations are in order, Mrs. Beaumont. Do you want me to break the news to him?"

For a moment, I feel weightless, like I am being lifted into the air. And then, the heaviness drops all around me when I replay the doctor's words.

"Don't tell him," I whisper. "I'll do it myself."

For the first time in years, it feels like I am personally making a decision where my body is concerned. The freedom to keep my baby away from him.

Or not.

"You need to spend the night here so we can properly monitor you, but you should be discharged tomorrow morning."

Lennox waits for the doctor to leave before speaking. "Don't tell me you're planning on going back there after this."

"I'm married," I murmur, getting back into bed. "I have to go back to my husband and my home."

"I cannot believe you're saying this!" Lennox gives me one last look before storming out. He will come around. He always does. I know he cares so much for me.

My eyes fall on the shadow still leaning on the wall in one corner of the room. He angles his head. "I'm thankful you didn't listen to me that night." His voice sounds like rainfall under the dark skies.

"What night?"

"Doctors are of the opinion that alcohol reduces the chances of fertility." He repeats my words from the party as he saunters closer. "A very subjective statement, but I'm glad you held on to it."

His face comes into focus.

I can see his piercing blue eyes.

"Hello, Mrs. Beaumont," his lips barely move. "I'm Isaiah."

Roxanne's POV

After a lot of coaxing, Lennox lends me his phone to call Reese, but he hovers around, watching me like a mother hawk about to swoop in and save her child.

The call goes to voicemail the first time after ringing ceaselessly. But on the second try, I hear a slight cackle before a breath.

"Reese?"

"Oh!"

Camilla.

"It's you. Are you done being a crybaby because your food got tossed out? You can come back home if you want to. I mean, I'll talk to Reese so he doesn't get mad at you. But you really didn't have to be that dramatic and run off."

I make it a point to ignore her. "Where is Reese? I want to speak to him."

"Asleep," she says curtly. "And he has had a long night. He doesn't want to be disturbed. Call or come later. Whatever you decide."

The line clicks dead, and I look up at Lennox.

"What do you want to do?" he asks.

"Can you take me back home?"

A huge part of me thinks he is going to start another fight, but he just nods, slipping his hands behind my knees as he lifts me into his arms.

"I can walk, Lennox," I protest as he moves out of the room, Isaiah taking the rear.

"I know," my best friend responds. "But I want to do this. You've just been through something traumatic. It's the least I can do."

I nod and wrap my hands around his neck, feeling the balls of his feet rock me gently until my eyes flutter closed. I stay asleep throughout the ride, nestled in the back seat.

Until a pair of hands pushes me out of my dream world.

"Hey, Mrs. Beaumont," he whispers just as my eyes open slowly. "You're at your husband's place."

I notice the way he says husband's place and not my place, but I ignore it, pushing myself up into a sitting position. Do pregnancies make people feel sleepy around the clock?

"Lennox went in first," he explains when I start looking around the car. "He wants to be sure if Reese is in the mood for guests."

"Reese?"

"Isn't that his name?"

"I didn't tell you."

Isaiah's fingers push a stray curl getting in the way, tucking it behind my ear. He lingers for the most fleeting second that I might have imagined it.

"He owns a company. It isn't hard to make the connection."

"You call me Mrs. Beaumont."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have that much respect for him."

Isaiah helps me out of the car and places a hand firmly on the small of my back as he leads me inside. In the living room, Reese and Camilla are sitting on the longest couch. She has her feet propped up against his thighs, staring at Lennox, who seems bewildered at the situation.

But when I walk in, she drops her feet.

Or more like Reese gets on his feet and leaves her no option but to pull back.

"What is this?" His voice is thunderous, rocking the whole building. "Where the hell have you been?"

Reese's eyes narrow in on Isaiah's hand still on my waist, and it looks like he is about to go up in flames. Turning around slowly, I face Lennox. "You have to leave. Please."

"Roxy...."

"I'll be fine, Lennox," I whisper. "Reese is my husband. He can't hurt me. At least, not intentionally."

"And if it's not intentional?"

"Please."

Lennox sighs and stalks out, leaving Isaiah, who is now staring at Reese. His upper lip raise in a smirk before he regards me one last time, walking the same way Lennox went. My gaze follows their retreating figures until I can't see them anymore.

Isaiah.

There is something about his presence that leaves him anchored to the spot even when he's no longer there. I can still feel his hand on my back, burning through cotton.

"Reese...."

"You spent the whole night out, Roxanne, and you returned to my house with two men. What do you want me to make of that?"

I think that is so hypocritical of him, seeing as his best friend practically lives with us. But I don't let that materialize past my thoughts as I step closer to him.

"Babe," I whisper. "I spent the night in the hospital. When you... I understand that Camilla had to go to the hospital too, so I called Lennox over."

"You weren't really hurt, were you?" He accuses, narrowing his gaze at me.

"I was," I breathe. "I almost lost the baby."

My husband stops, and his eyes widen a fraction. "The baby?"

I nod, my face breaking into a smile. "Yes, Reese. I'm pregnant."

I couldn't tell that Camilla was off the couch and beside Reese until she says something in a snicker. "You think that would work?"

I blink. "Work? I am...We have been trying for a child for years now."

She looks at Reese. "Don't tell me you believe her. She's only trying to get attention after the other night, and it's understandable since you are both married."

And then, she turns her attention back to me. I cannot help but notice that my husband has taken in every word.

"Roxanne, I really understand you. I do. But you don't have to lie to get away from what you did the last time. I almost died because of your jealousy."

"Reese, are you going to let her talk to me this way?"

"She's right, you know?" he mutters, sighing.

"What are you saying?"

"You have always tried to see the worst in our friendship, it makes me wonder if it's not just you projecting your own acts. I mean, you have a best friend of the opposite sex, and not once have I heard Reese complain about it."

"Yet, you accuse us of cheating, even if you never say the words." And then, tears start streaming down her eyes. "Roxanne, you need to know that I can't do that to you."

"Reese...."

He keeps quiet, his hand on her back, trying to get her calm.

"You know what?" Lennox was right. I shouldn't have come here. "I am leaving."

I move towards the door, not seeing through the blur of tears gathering in my eyes.

Reese's voice follows me. "Roxanne, the moment you step out of this house will be the end of our marriage."

My hands finds the doorknob. It feels just like our marriage, hard and cold. I feel the defiance inside of me. It is very small, but present nonetheless. I am going to protect myself from him. I am going to protect my baby from him.

I leave his words behind me, charging out back into the night.

And I don't look back.

Roxanne's POV

The street is empty when I step out, wrapping my arms around myself.

Lennox and Isaiah are nowhere in sight, and I don't blame them. I asked ten to leave, after all. Now,I fe stupid for not listening to Lennox, for thinking I could talk sense into Reese with Camilla there, poisoning every word before it leaves my mouth.

I stand on the sidewalk, the night air chilly against my skin, all thanks to the thin fabric of my clothes. I have to return to Lennox's place. There is no way I am going to sleep in that house, or I'll lose what little sanity I have left.

It is 11 at night, but I don't mind. Luckily, a cab turns the corner, and I flag it down, getting in and rattling off Lennox's address to the driver. He nods, and I sink into the backseat, watching the house disappear behind us.

The tears return then, silent and hot, trickling down my cheeks. I press my palm against my stomach, feeling nothing but the flatness there. But I know. The Doctor said so. There is a baby growing there. I and Reese's child, only that he doesn't believe me.

Lennox's penthouse lobby is bright when I arrive, and I let myself in with the code. I take the elevator up, each floor adding weight to my chest until I am struggling to breathe by the time the doors slide open.

Lennox answers on the second knock, his eyes widening when he sees me standing there.

"Roxanne." His voice is soft and careful.

He doesn't say "I told you so," even though it's there in his eyes. He just steps aside, letting me in. "Come in."

I move past him like a ghost, floating forward even though I don't know where I am going. Lennox's hand touches my elbow gently, bringing me back to reality.

"Guest room is this way," he murmurs. "Everything you need is already in there. Fresh towels, and toiletries. I'll get you some clothes."

I nod because words feel impossible at this point. He opens the door to a room bathed in grays and whites, the bed already made with crisp sheets. It looks like a safe space, and I almost break right there.

"Take your time," Lennox says. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need me. "

I step into the bathroom, and the shower runs hot. I stand under the spray, letting it hit against my shoulders and back, washing away the remnants of tonight. Of the blood that flowed out of me, the accusations and the way Reese looked at me like a liar.

When I finally step out, there is a neatly folded set of clothes on the bed-one of Lennox's old cotton shirts and sweatpants. I slip them on, the fabrics hanging loose on my frame. They smell like laundry detergent and Lennox. A reminder that I was safe, seen and appreciated here.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror. My eyes are red, and my face puffy. I look like someone I don't recognize.

A knock sounds at the door.

"Roxanne," Lennox calls. "I made tea. Can I come in?'

"Yes."

He enters carrying a steaming mug, setting it down on the nightstand. He doesn't ask if I want to talk. He doesn't push. He just sits on the edge of the bed, giving me space but staying close enough that I know he is here.

I pick up the mug, feeling the warmth from it, but it does nothing to the coldness and ache in my chest.

"He didn't believe me," I whisper, my voice breaking. "About the baby."

Lennox's jaw tightens, but he still doesn't say a word. Just listen.

"I thought..." I stop, swallowing hard. This was hard, oh goodness. "I thought he would be happy. We've been trying for so long, and finally, I'm pregnant, and he thinks I'm lying because that witch says so."

The mug trembles in my hands, and Lennox reaches over, steadying it.

"He chose her," I continue, the words forcing themselves out. "He chose Camilla over his wife of three whole years. Over our baby."

"He chose her," I continue, the words tumbling out now. "He chose Camilla over me. Over our baby."

And just like that, memories of our wedding day come rushing back like a flood. Reese is standing at the altar in his suit, his eyes fixed on me as I walk down the aisle. The way he looks at me then, like I am the only person in the world, like he cannot believe his luck.

His smile is broad and genuine, reaching all the way to his eyes.

"You're beautiful," he whispers when I reach him, taking my hands in his. They are firm and reassuring.

"I can't wait to spend eternity with you," he says during his vows. "You're my everything, Roxanne."

I believe him. Every word.

The memory disappeared as it came, and I am back in Lennox's guest room, the tea totally forgotten. A sob escapes my throat, loud and ugly. I press my hand to my mouth, trying to hold it down, but it is too late.

Everything comes tumbling out. Three years of being the perfect wife, just for a strange woman to infiltrate and make me invisible in my own home.

Lennox moves without hesitation, pulling me into his arms. I collapse against him, my hands grabbing his shirt as I ugly cry. He doesn't tell me to stop. He just holds me.

"You can stay as long as you want," he only murmurs into my hair. "As long as you need. You're safe here, Roxanne."

I don't know how long I cried, but I find myself being tucked in. Lennox drags the blanket over me, and I pull it up my chin. My hand finds my stomach again, resting there protectively.

My eyes are heavy with exhaustion and I let them close.

My phone buzzes close to me, the sound muffled. I should check it. It could be Reese. It could be...

But sleep is already dragging me under with it, and I am too tired to fight it.

The phone just keeps buzzing, and then stops.