Orlena's POV

I couldn't stand the situation anymore and I just turned to continue what I was doing, even though my hands didn't feel steady and my chest still felt tight.

There was a bigger issue in my life now, something I could not ignore no matter how much I wanted to, and I needed to find a solution to it before everything got out of control.

"Orlena."

Brent's voice stopped me dead in my tracks.

I froze for a second, my back still facing him, my fingers tightening slightly where they hung by my side.

What is it you want to say? You have never said my name out loud like this since we met, Brent...

I slowly turned to face him, and the moment I did, I saw the bright smile on his face. I had never seen before in all the years I had spent with him.

But it wasn't for me.

It was directed at Joan.

My chest tightened but I kept my face straight, forcing myself to listen.

"Joan will be staying here for the next few months," he said.

That was it.

No explanation, no discussion, nothing else added to it. His tone made it clear it was already decided.

I nodded slightly, even though my throat felt dry. Of course, I wasn't in a position to ask anything or refuse. I never was.

He had already made up his mind, and all he needed was for me to hear it.

I turned again, taking a step away, but just then my alarm rang, the sharp sound cutting through the quiet and making me flinch a little.

I pulled out my phone and glanced at the screen.

Time to pick up Eli.

My fingers tightened slightly around the phone as I took a deep breath, lifting my hand to wipe at my cheek when I felt the dampness there. I didn't even know when the tears slipped out.

Get yourself together.

I turned and started heading toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Brent asked.

I paused, looking back at him.

"To pick up Eli from school," I said.

He didn't hesitate. "I'll go. With Joan. You should rest."

My eyes widened slightly before I could stop it.

What? He had never done that before.

Even when he had the time, he never went alone. He always went with me, and when he was busy, I was the one who went.

Eli was used to me, he always waited for me, always ran to me the moment he saw me, holding my hand like he didn't want to let go.

He didn't like strangers, and even with Brent, he still preferred when I was there.

And now...

Now he was going with Joan?

Just like that?

My fingers curled slightly as the thought settled in. Was this how it was going to be now?

Was he already replacing me before the time even came? Filling my place with the woman he actually wanted?

I pressed my lips together, trying to keep my expression normal, but my head had already started to throb again, and a sudden wave of nausea rose from my stomach without warning.

Not now please...

I swallowed hard, trying to push it down, but it only got worse.

"I..." I tried to say something, but my voice came out wrong.

Another wave hit me, stronger this time.

I didn't wait.

I turned quickly and rushed upstairs, my steps uneven as I held onto the railing for a second before forcing myself forward.

I could hear Cassandra's voice behind me, saying something I didn't catch, but I didn't stop.

I barely made it to my room before I pushed the door open and hurried straight to the bathroom.

My bag slipped from my hand on the way, hitting the floor with a dull sound as everything spilled out, but I didn't stop to look.

I bent over the sink, gripping the edge tightly as my body jerked forward.

The nausea came fast and hard, leaving me weak as I tried to catch my breath between it.

"God..." I muttered under my breath, my voice shaking.

It took a moment before it passed, and when it finally did, I stayed there, breathing slowly, my chest rising and falling as I tried to steady myself.

I lifted my head and looked at my reflection.

I looked terrible.

My face was pale, my lips dry, and my eyes looked tired, like I hadn't slept in days.

I turned on the tap and splashed water on my face, letting it run down as I tried to calm myself.

This is getting worse.

I wiped my face slowly and stepped out of the bathroom, my movements slower now, my body still feeling weak.

But the moment I walked into the room, Brent was there.

My breath caught.

He stood near the bed, his attention focused downward, and it took me only a second to realize what he was looking at.

My bag.

Everything I had dropped earlier was still scattered across the floor.

My heart skipped.

No...

I took a step forward, but my feet slowed when I saw it in his hand.

The paper.

The test result.

My chest tightened so suddenly it felt like something was pressing down on it.

For a moment, I couldn't move.

"Are you not well?" he asked, his voice calm as he looked at the paper.

Color drained from my face as I stood there, unable to move, unable to think, my eyes fixed on the paper in his hand.

Orlena's POV

He would snap at any moment now, I could feel it coming, and my hand tightened at my side as I stood there, watching him.

"Why is this here?"

He finally looked up at me, his brows pulled together as he held the paper in his hand.

"How is this here? You realize how important this is?" he said, his voice low but sharp.

I blinked at him, confused, my heart still racing from everything that had just happened.

What?

What was he talking about?

That was not the question I expected.

He should have been asking why that paper said I was seven weeks pregnant.

Why was he asking about something else?

Before I could say anything, he took a few long strides toward me, stopping right in front of me as he stretched the paper in my direction.

"Look at it," he said.

My fingers moved slowly as I took it from him, my eyes dropping to the paper, and the moment I saw it clearly, my breath caught.

The contract.

Our marriage contract.

I stared at it for a second, my mind going blank.

How did this get here?

I was sure I hadn't touched it after it was signed. I had kept it in a safe place, somewhere no one could find it, somewhere I didn't even look at anymore because I didn't want to keep reminding myself what this marriage really was.

My fingers tightened slightly around the paper as I lifted my head, my gaze moving around the room slowly.

Everything looked... messy.

My bag was still on the floor, things scattered everywhere, my drawer slightly open, my clothes not the way I left them.

I froze for a second as it finally settled in.

Someone had been here.

My chest tightened immediately.

"No... no, I didn't keep this here," I said quickly, shaking my head as I looked back at him. "I swear, I didn't. My room... it wasn't like this. Someone came in here."

My voice came out faster than I expected, my thoughts rushing over each other as I tried to explain.

"I left everything arranged, I didn't..." I stopped, looking around again, my fingers curling slightly around the paper.

"Someone went through my things."

He didn't say anything immediately.

He just watched me.

That calm look on his face again.

Before I could say anything else, the door pushed open without a knock.

Cassandra walked in like she owned the place, her eyes moving around the room briefly before landing on us.

"Oh, what's going on here,?" she said casually.

My head turned to her immediately.

"You did this?" I asked before I could stop myself.

She shrugged, not even trying to deny it. "I was looking for Brent's black card. You didn't answer me earlier, remember?"

My fingers tightened.

"So you decided to go through my room?" I asked, my voice lower now.

She rolled her eyes like I was the one being unreasonable. "Relax. It's not like you have anything worth hiding."

My chest tightened at that, but I didn't respond.

She stepped further into the room, her gaze shifting to Brent as a small smile formed on her lips.

"Oh... and I saw that too," she added, nodding slightly toward the paper in my hand.

I felt my stomach twist.

"Honestly, Brent," she continued, folding her arms, "if you needed a wife, we could have found someone better. You didn't have to settle for someone like her."

Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit, but I kept my face straight.

"But anyway," she went on, her tone turning lighter, almost amused, "it will all be over in six months."

My mother in law's voice came from behind her as she stepped into the room as well.

"I still don't understand what you were thinking," she said, her eyes moving over me briefly before she looked at Brent. "Paying her such a huge amount just for looking after Eli? For what exactly?"

Her tone carried clear disapproval, and she didn't even try to hide it.

"A nanny with less pay would have done the job just fine," she added.

I swallowed hard, my throat feeling tight as I slowly turned my head to look at Brent.

He stood there, expressionless, his face giving nothing away.

That smile from earlier was gone, completely gone, like it was never there in the first place.

"This was my decision," he said finally, his voice calm. "There's no need to make a scene out of it."

He paused for a second before adding, "It will be ending in six months anyway."

The words still cut deep hearing it from him.

My fingers tightened at my side as I stood there.

For a second, the thought crossed my mind again.

Should I tell him?

Should I just say it now and get it over with?

I looked at him, my lips parting slightly, but then I stopped myself.

No. It will be better to leave quietly...I don't know how I'm going to handle my father's treatment but I have to go.

I just need to work a few months to pay for his medication, he's no longer in a life threatening situation after all.

He was the only reason I agreed to this, so I should see it to the end for his sake.

I lowered my gaze slightly, keeping quiet.

It was better this way.

For now, I should keep the pregnancy to myself...he was already prepared for the end of this marriage.

"Where is Joan?" Brent asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Cassandra turned to him immediately. "She's in the car, waiting for you."

He frowned slightly. "My car is locked. My keys are here."

"Oh," she said casually. "She took the key to the red car."

I looked up at that, my brows pulling together.

"The red car?" I repeated before I could stop myself. "That was my car."

Cassandra let out a small laugh. "When you came into this marriage, did you come with any property?"

"Enough," Brent said firmly.

The room went quiet immediately.

He glanced at both of them, his expression unreadable. "There's no need to keep this going."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked toward the door, motioning for them to leave.

Cassandra sighed but followed, and my mother in law gave me one last look before turning away as well.

The room felt quieter the moment they left.

Too quiet.

Brent paused at the door for a second, then looked back at me.

"Get some rest," he said.

Then he walked out, closing the door behind him.

I stood there for a moment, still holding the paper in my hand, my thoughts running over each other.

If the divorce paper is what's here, where is the test result? My mind flew back to the car, I had left it somewhere in the car.

I gasped recalling Cassandra just said Joan was going to the car.