Chapter Three

FLORA’S POV

     "Well, well, if it isn’t the Kensington housewife," Melissa sneered, leaning against the wall like she owned the place. Her designer outfit screamed sophistication, and that smug expression plastered on her face made me want to disappear into the floor—or better yet, shove her into a broom closet. "What are you doing here, Flora? Delivering Jayden's lunch like a good little servant?"

I clenched my fists, mentally counting to ten. Reacting to Melissa was like giving a toddler a sugar high—she thrived on it. "I’m here to see my husband," I said, my voice calm and composed, though inside, I felt like a shaken soda can ready to explode.

Melissa’s eyes gleamed with malice as she straightened from the wall. "Husband?" she scoffed, her tone dripping with contempt. "Oh, honey, is that what you call him after you trapped him in that pathetic excuse of a marriage? Everyone knows you’re nothing more than a glorified nanny in his life."

My cheeks burned with embarrassment, but I held my ground, refusing to let her see me crumble. "I’m not here to argue with you, Melissa. I have something important to discuss with Jayden."

"Oh, I’m sure you do," Melissa drawled, her voice thick with sarcasm. "But let’s be real, Flora—what could you possibly have to say that matters? You couldn’t even cook a decent meal for his family, and now you think you can come in here and demand his attention?"

Before I could retort, she stepped even closer, invading my personal space with the precision of a predator closing in on its prey. "You know what your problem is, Flora?" she hissed, her words like poison-coated daggers. "You’re just too weak. That’s why Jayden can’t stand the sight of you. You’re nothing but a burden—fat, useless, and always in the way."

Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them back. I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me break down. Not here. Not now. "You don’t know anything about my marriage," I said quietly, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

"Don’t I?" she smirked, her eyes glinting with twisted delight. "I know Jayden and I were perfect together before you ruined everything. And now, after all these years, he is finally realizing what a mistake he made."

Her words cut deep, like shards of glass piercing my heart. But somewhere, in the midst of that pain, I found a sliver of courage. "If that’s what you believe, then why are you so threatened by me?"

For a split second, her smirk faltered, but she quickly recovered, masking her insecurity with arrogance. "Threatened? Please. I’m just enjoying watching you squirm. But since you’re so desperate for Jayden’s attention, why don’t I give you a little show?"

Before I could react, she grabbed my arm and began dragging me toward the elevator. "What are you doing?" I demanded, trying to pull free from her iron grip.

"What else? Removing you from these premises. You don’t belong here. Go home and do the house chores waiting for you."

Anger flared up inside me like a wildfire. I wrenched my arm free and spun her around to face me, my eyes blazing with fury. "Enough, Melissa!" I shouted. She froze for a moment, caught off guard by my outburst, but quickly regained her composure. "I won’t let you treat me like this, no matter who you think you are. Jayden is my husband, and our affairs are none of your business." I stepped closer, pointing a warning finger at her. "If anyone has the right to ask me to leave, it’s him, not you. Do you understand?"

Melissa’s face suddenly twisted into a look of horror, and she stumbled backward, clutching her cheek as if I had slapped her. She let out a dramatic gasp, loud enough to draw the attention of everyone within earshot.

"You... you hit me!" she cried, her voice trembling with fake outrage.

My eyes widened in shock. "What? I didn’t—"

Before I could finish, Jayden appeared, storming out of his office with a younger woman trailing behind him, her arms full of files. His face was a thundercloud of fury as he took in the scene before him. "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded, his gaze darting between Melissa and me.

"Jayden!" Melissa whimpered, tears streaming down her perfectly made-up face. "I was just talking to Flora, trying to be civil, and she... she just hit me out of nowhere!"

My heart sank as I watched Jayden’s expression harden. "That’s not true, Jayden. I didn’t touch her—"

"Shut up, Flora!" Jayden snapped, his voice slicing through the air like a whip. "I don’t want to hear your excuses. How could you do something like this? Melissa is a guest in my company, and you just attacked her?"

I felt the tears I had been desperately holding back finally spill over, cascading down my cheeks like a broken dam. "Jay, I swear, I didn’t—"

"Enough!" He held up his hand, silencing me with the force of his words. Then, turning to Melissa, his tone softened, dripping with concern. "I’m so sorry about her behavior, Miss Pembroke. I apologize on her behalf." He glanced at the girl beside him, a young assistant who looked like she would rather be anywhere but here. "Cherry, take Miss Pembroke to the infirmary. She doesn’t look too good."

"Yes, sir," Cherry replied, her voice barely above a whisper as she guided a sobbing Melissa away like she was escorting royalty.

Jayden turned back to me; his eyes cold as ice. "You. Come with me." He grabbed my arm with a grip that was more forceful than necessary, practically dragging me down the hallway and into his office. The door slammed shut behind us, the sound echoing like a gavel in a courtroom.

"What the hell are you doing here, Flora?" he demanded, his voice seething with frustration.

My lips trembled, words choking in my throat. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him about the pregnancy. The excitement that had driven me here had evaporated, leaving behind a pit of regret. Why hadn’t I just waited until he got home? Maybe then I could have found the right moment—if there ever was one.

"You keep doing this," Jayden continued, his voice cutting through my thoughts. "You keep embarrassing me. Now, look at you, here, slapping Melissa and causing a scene."

"I didn’t touch her!" I protested; my voice shaky but determined.

"Then why did she look so pale? You’re still mad about last night, aren’t you? But confronting her here—especially after our conversation this morning? Really, Flora? You know we’re trying to land a deal with her father’s company, right?"

"I don’t know anything about your deals, Jayden," I replied, exasperated.

"Of course, you don’t," he snapped, rolling his eyes like I was the densest person in the world. "That deal fell off because of our marriage, and now I’m trying to fix it. But here you are, ruining things for me again. Can you not just stop being selfish for once? Maybe things would actually go right."

His words hit like a punch to the gut. I clenched my fists, trying to keep my composure. "I’m not the selfish one here, Jayden. It’s not my fault we’re married. Stop blaming me for everything. We both know this marriage wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t—"

A brief knock interrupted me. I sniffed, quickly looking down at my feet as Jayden’s assistant pushed the door open, her expression a mix of awkwardness and urgency.

"Sorry to interrupt you, sir, but Miss Melissa Pembroke just fainted."

"What?" Jayden’s voice was laced with concern, his face immediately etched with worry. It was like a dagger to my heart, watching him panic over her while I stood there, invisible.

Without another word to me, Jayden rushed out of the office, following his assistant down the hallway. I stood frozen in place, feeling more alone than ever. The small brown envelope in my hand suddenly felt like it weighed a ton—a bitter reminder of the life growing inside me, a life that Jayden would probably never truly care about.

I watched as the door of his office closed behind them with a finality that echoed in my chest. It felt like a door had shut on my hopes, too.

With a deep breath, I turned and left the office. My mind already made up.