Anna’s POV

"What the hell did you do to Jessica?" he shouted at me, cradling a groaning Jessica in his arms.

I was taken aback by his accusation. "I didn't do anything to her," I protested. "She just fell. I didn't touch her."

But Caden wasn’t listening, he was too busy fussing over Jessica. And why was he being so tender and caring with his mistress, while treating me like dirt?

He shot me a hard look and murmured to Jessica, brushing the hair from her face."Hey, hang in there, you're going to be okay,"

I watched, dumbfounded, as he scooped her up again, holding her against his chest as he barked at the small crowd that had gathered.

"Everyone, clear out! I need to get her to the hospital."

With that, he hurried off towards his car, carrying her bridal style, like the most precious thing in the world. As the crowd dispersed, I remained at the balcony overlooking the front yard, watching as he peeled out of the driveway and sped off.

Once the car was out of sight, I made my way back downstairs and got into my own ride, my legs feeling like jelly.

As I drove, I found my mind wandering back to my relationship with Jessica.

We had been best friends since college, meeting in our freshman year and instantly clicking. We had shared everything with each other, from our deepest secrets to our wildest dreams.

After college, I had married Caden, a billionaire CEO, and Jessica had been my maid of honor. But things had started to change when Jessica's deadbeat boyfriend had broken up with her and left her with his debts.

That was when Caden stepped in, offering her a job as his personal assistant with an attractive salary. I had even encouraged her to take the job, and helped clear out her debts as well.

I trusted Jessica so much, and she had been a frequent visitor to our home. She would often spend the night, and I never suspected that she was secretly sleeping with my husband.

And then, slowly but surely, I started to notice the subtle changes. Jessica's frequent absences, the way she and Caden would linger a little too long during conversations, the weird glances they would exchange.

But I had pushed those nagging doubts aside, convincing myself that I was simply being paranoid.

Jessica was my best friend, and Caden was my loving husband. There was no way they would betray me like that.

Yet, as the months passed, Jessica and I started drifting apart. She became more involved in Caden's world, accompanying him to business meetings and charity events. She even started offering him advice on how to run his company.

And then, she found her real family, the Pattersons, a wealthy and influential family. She stopped being Caden's personal assistant and started working in her family's company.

As I drove, I couldn't help but think about how blind I had been.

On one particular day, I found a silver bracelet in Caden's study.

"Do you know who this belongs to?" I had asked him, holding up the bracelet.

"Oh, that?" he said dismissively looking up from his papers. "I don’t know Anna. That must belong to one of the women who attended the board meeting the other day. They probably dropped it here."

He was my husband, after all, and I had no reason to doubt him. "Okay, well, I'll keep it in case someone comes looking for it," I replied, placing the bracelet back on his desk.

But now, as I drove, the memory of that encounter took on a new meaning. That bracelet… must have belonged to Jessica.

I felt nauseous suddenly as the realization hit. Had they done it in the study too? Damn it! They had been carrying on an affair right under my nose. All those "back-to-back meetings" and "business trips" - they were just convenient excuses for them to be together, to indulge in their illicit desires.

I felt betrayed and hurt, realizing that Caden had given up on having children with me and had instead turned to Jessica. I thought about all the times we had tried to get pregnant, all the times we had prayed for a child.

“Go to hell Caden Hall!” I yelled, hitting the steering wheel repeatedly.

In my anger and pain, I flung the small framed picture in the car of my wedding with Caden out the window. I watched as it shattered on the pavement, the sound giving me a satisfaction that lasted only for five seconds.

I wished for Jessica to lose the baby, at least it was gonna teach her a lesson. I knew it was a cruel thought, but I couldn't help it. I felt like my whole world had been turned upside down, and I didn't know how to process my emotions.

As I was lost in my thoughts, I suddenly lost control of the car and crashed into a tree, the impact jolting me forward. I let out a groan as my head started aching badly.

Slowly, I pulled out my buzzing phone from my pocket, wincing in pain as I moved. I looked at the screen, and my heart sank even further. I had just received a message from Caden, inviting me to dinner with him and Jessica.

"Jessica is stable, and the baby is healthy," the message read. "Let's have dinner tomorrow night to discuss everything. 5 pm at La Belle. See you then."

The bastard had some nerve! How could he invite me to dinner with his mistress, like everything was okay? Did he really think I would just sit down and have dinner with them, like we were all best friends?

Initially, I wanted to refuse, but then I realized that this was an opportunity. I could use this dinner to confront Jessica and put her in her place.

I took a deep breath, and touched the side of my head, frowning as my fingers became sticky with blood. Thank God it was just a nasty gash on my head and nothing happened to my baby. I typed out a response, my fingers shaking with anger.

"I'll be there," I wrote.

Anna’s POV

The following evening, the hostess led me through the elegant dining room of La Belle, one of the city's most exclusive restaurants. I scanned the tables, my eyes immediately landing on the familiar faces of Caden and Jessica.

With their heads hunched over each other, they were laughing and talking animatedly while sitting at a tiny cozy table at the corner.

Jessica's hand was resting lightly on top of Caden's, their fingers locked in a way that was too personal.

I felt my annoyance rising as I watched Jessica throw her head back, her laughter ringing out.

What could possibly be so goddamn funny?

As if sensing my presence, they suddenly looked up, their smiles vanishing the moment their eyes landed on me. Caden's brow creased as he noticed the small bandage on the side of my head from the car accident yesterday.

"Anna," he called out with surprise and...was that concern? "What happened? How did you get hurt?"

"Oh my God, are you alright?" Jessica asked in a tone that was faker than her hair extensions. "I hope you didn't... you know, try to kill yourself or something because of the news."

I scoffed, feeling the anger stirring up inside me. "Try to kill myself?" I repeated. "Please. You know I love my life far too much to give it up, even for a backstabbing friend and a cheating bastard of a husband."

Caden's eyes widened, and he raised a hand, as if to calm me. "Anna, please, let's not make a scene here. I know this is a delicate situation but please, just hear me out. As you know, as the CEO of Weston Beauty I have certain obligations that include ensuring the company has a suitable heir."

I turned my gaze to Jessica, my eyes narrowing. "I suppose she just happened to be the most convenient, right?."

Caden sighed, raking a hand through his dark hair in frustration. "I've been trying with you for years, but you just couldn't... you know." He gestured vaguely, and my blood boiled.

"So it's my fault, isn’t it?" I snapped. "Because I couldn't give you the child you so desperately wanted, you had to turn to my best friend?"

"It's not like that," he said, his voice suddenly lower than before. "I care about you, Anna, but the company needs an heir. Also, it's not just about the child. I-"

"Spare me the bullshit," I interrupted harshly. "We both know this is about a lot more than just the company. You're in love with her, aren't you?"

He went silent and leaned forward. "I know this is a lot to take in, but please, try to understand. I never wanted to hurt you, but-"

"Understand?" I scoffed, cutting him off. "How the hell am I supposed to understand any of this? You've been cheating on me with my best friend, and you've gotten her pregnant. That's not something I can just 'understand'."

Jessica placed a hand protectively over her belly and lifted her chin squarely. "I didn't force Caden to do anything. We fell in love, and that's not something either of us can control."

I felt the anger bubbling up inside me, threatening to boil over. "How do you feel being a home wrecker and blaming it on stupid love?."

Caden was quick enough to defend her. "Anna, that's enough. I won't have you speak to Jessica that way, especially not in public."

I chuckled without amusement, shaking my head. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I offend your beloved mistress?"

Caden exhaled and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Just stop. Listen, given the...circumstances, I'm going to need you to step down as Vice President of the company."

I was shocked that I was temporarily unable to speak. "You want me to do what?" I finally managed to spit out.

"I need you to resign your position, Anna," Caden repeated in a calm voice that irritated me. "Jessica and I will need to focus on the baby, and I can't have you undermining our authority or causing disruptions within the company."

I fixed him with a gaze, my head spinning like crazy. "You're joking, right? You've got to be fucking kidding me."

He shook his head. "I'm deadly serious. This isn't just about you and me anymore. It's about the future of the company."

I couldn’t believe my ears. It was his non chalant attitude that got on my nerves the most. "So now you're asking me to give up everything I've worked for, just to accommodate your little family?"

He had a grave look on his face. "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. You will resign your position, effective immediately. And you will make peace with Jessica. I won't have you putting our child at risk with your...actions."

"And if I refuse?" I challenged, raising a perfectly arched brow.

He gave an indifferent shrug. "Then you can kiss your shares in the company goodbye. I'll make sure you're completely cut out, Anna. You won't see a single penny."

I felt my face growing hot with rage, and my hands shaking with anger.

Grabbing my glass of wine, I hurled it at Caden’s face in one quick motion. The red wine splattered everywhere, staining his expensive shirt and dripping down his shocked face.