1.Our Anniversary

Nina

I sit at the table, staring at the untouched glass of wine in front of me. The restaurant’s dim lighting should feel romantic. It doesn’t. Not when I’ve been sitting here alone for an hour.

I glance at my phone, unlocking the screen just to make sure. Nothing. No texts, no missed calls. No Jaxon.

Typical.

It’s our anniversary, for fuck’s sake. Three years. Three years of marriage to a man who barely looks at me. I check my phone again, even though I know there’s nothing there. Maybe some part of me is still holding out hope, which is fucking pathetic.

I sip the wine, trying to swallow the bitterness rising in my throat. I don’t even like wine, but here I am, drinking it like I’m in some kind of perfect marriage, pretending I have a perfect husband. Meanwhile, Jaxon’s probably stuck in some meeting, or worse—with her.

My thumb hovers over I*******m. I shouldn’t check it. I know I shouldn’t. But I do anyway. It’s a habit I’ve fallen into, one that makes me feel worse every time, but I can’t stop.

I scroll, and there she is. Scarlett Moore, the ex that never quite left. A fresh post. Of course. She’s sitting in his office, her legs crossed, lounging in Jaxon’s chair like she fucking owns the place. And the caption? Making deals. Big things coming.

Big things coming, huh? I scoff, setting my phone down hard enough to rattle the glassware. What kind of “big things” is she making with my husband?

My phone buzzes. For a split second, my heart jumps. Jaxon?

Nope. It’s Callie.

Callie: How’s dinner going? Has the asshole shown up yet?

I bite my lip, debating how to respond. Do I tell her the truth? That I’ve been sitting here like an idiot, waiting for a man who clearly doesn’t give a shit about me? No. I’ll lie, like always.

Me: No. He’s not coming.

Three dots appear, then disappear. Then again.

Callie: Jesus. What the fuck, Nina? I’m coming to get you.

I shake my head at the screen, sighing. Don’t. I’ll be fine. But even as I send the message, I know I’m anything but fine.

Another buzz. This time it’s Jaxon.

Jaxon: Stuck in a meeting. Don’t wait up.

That’s it. No sorry, no I’ll make it up to you, not even a shitty excuse about how important tonight should be. Just… don’t wait up.

I stare at the message, the words blurring together as the knot in my chest tightens. Three fucking years of this. Of being invisible, of waiting for something—anything—from him that makes me feel like I matter. And nothing.

I shove my phone into my purse, blinking away the tears stinging the corners of my eyes. I won’t cry. Not here. Not over him.

I push my chair back and stand up too fast. The room tilts, and I grip the edge of the table to steady myself. My legs feel weak, my head spinning. I need to move. I need to get out of here.

Just make it to the bathroom. Pull yourself together.

I walk quickly, heels clicking against the marble floors as I make my way through the restaurant. I feel eyes on me, but I ignore them, keeping my gaze forward. I can feel something off, though. There’s a dull ache building in my lower belly, sharp and sudden, like a knife twisting deep inside.

I push open the bathroom door, barely making it into a stall before the pain hits harder. My hand instinctively goes to my stomach, and I wince, doubling over.

What the hell?

I feel it then. Wetness between my legs. My heart drops as I glance down. Blood. A lot of it.

“Oh God,” I whisper, my voice shaking.

This can’t be happening. Not now.

I reach for my phone again, my hands trembling as I pull it from my purse. My stomach cramps harder, the pain shooting up my back as more blood trickles down my thighs.

I hit Jaxon’s number. It rings once, then goes straight to voicemail.

“Dammit,” I hiss, hanging up and calling again. Same thing. Straight to voicemail.

I lean back against the cold wall of the stall, sliding down until I’m sitting on the floor. It’s happening too fast, and I can’t stop it. I blink through the tears, realizing with a sudden, gut-wrenching clarity that I’m not just bleeding.

I’m losing it.

I was pregnant. Was.

The nausea, the exhaustion, the way I’ve been snapping at Callie for no reason—it all makes sense now. I missed my period. I was carrying Jaxon’s baby, and now… now I’m not.

A sob escapes my throat, and I try calling him again. Same damn thing. No answer.

“Fuck!” I slam my fist against the wall, pain shooting through my knuckles.

I pull up Callie’s messages, my vision blurry as I type.

Me: I’m bleeding. Bad. I think I’m losing it.

Her response is instant.

Callie: Losing what?

I take a shaky breath, trying to keep the phone steady in my hand.

Me: The baby. I think I’m miscarrying.

Her reply comes fast.

Callie: WHAT? You’re pregnant? Where are you?

Me: Restaurant. I don’t know what to do.

Callie: I’m calling an ambulance.

Me: No. Please. Just come get me.

I drop my phone, clutching my stomach as another wave of pain crashes through me. It’s unbearable now, like my body is tearing itself apart. I can’t think straight. Can’t even breathe properly.

The bathroom door swings open. I hear Callie’s voice, frantic and searching.

“Nina! Nina, where are you?”

“Here,” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.

She finds me, eyes wide with panic as she crouches next to me. “Holy shit, Nina. What the hell happened?”

“I don’t know,” I choke out. “I think I was pregnant, and now... I’m not.”

Her face pales, and she grabs my hand, squeezing it tight. “Okay. We need to get you to a hospital. Now.”

“No,” I whisper, shaking my head. “Not like this. I don’t want anyone to know. I can’t… I can’t handle that right now.”

Callie’s face hardens, but she doesn’t let go of my hand. “I don’t care, Nina. You’re bleeding. You need to go. This is serious.”

“Please, Callie,” I beg, tears spilling over. “Just take me home. Try and get Dr. Carter on the phone.”

“No.” Her voice is firm now, her grip tightening. “I’m calling an ambulance. You can hate me for it later, but I’m not watching you bleed out on this bathroom floor.”

I don’t have the strength to argue anymore. The pain, the loss, the overwhelming sense of failure—it’s too much.

“This is the last secret I’m keeping for you Nina. Fuck! Please don’t die. Fuck!” she says desperately.

I nod weakly, letting her take control as everything around me blurs into darkness.

When I wake up, I’m still in her car.

“Babe, please stay awake for me,” Callie shouts and that is when I realize that she is crying.

I lie in the backseat of Callie’s car, staring at the ceiling, trying to breathe through the pain. The blood hasn’t stopped, and every cramp feels like a punch to the gut. My phone’s on my lap, Jaxon’s name still on the screen from the last time I called. It went straight to voicemail, again. Of course, it did.

Callie glances at me in the rearview mirror. “Nina, you’re sure you don’t want to go to a real hospital?”

“No,” I manage, my voice tight. “Just take me to Julian. Please.”

She hesitates, clearly not thrilled about the idea of going to a pack doctor instead of a real ER, but she doesn’t argue. She knows better than to push me right now. I can barely hold it together.

“He won’t tell anyone, right?” I ask, my voice cracking as I stare out the window. “I don’t want my family to know. Not yet.”

“Julian won’t say a word,” Callie promises, her knuckles white as she grips the steering wheel. “I’ll make sure of it.”

We pull up to Julian’s private clinic on the outskirts of the Valens territory. Callie parks the car and rushes around to help me out. My legs are weak, shaky, and I lean on her as we walk inside.

Julian’s waiting. He’s an older guy, always calm, always professional, but the second he sees the state I’m in, his expression shifts.

“Jesus, Nina,” he says, guiding me toward the exam room. “What happened?”

“I’m pregnant,” I whisper, the words tasting foreign and wrong on my tongue. “Was, I guess.”

He glances at Callie, and she nods. “She’s been bleeding for a while,” Callie explains. “We think she’s miscarrying.”

Julian nods grimly. “Let’s get you checked out.”

I sit on the cold exam table, staring at the walls as Julian works, asking questions I barely hear, taking tests I can’t focus on. It’s all a blur. The only thing I can concentrate on is the pain. Both the physical ache in my stomach and the suffocating emptiness in my chest.

“How far along were you?” Julian asks gently, breaking the silence.

I shrug. “Didn’t know until today. Maybe six weeks?”

He nods and continues his exam in silence, not pushing me for more details. Callie stands by my side, her hand squeezing mine every so often, grounding me.

After what feels like hours, Julian sighs, pulling off his gloves. “I’m sorry, Nina. You were definitely pregnant. But... you’re losing the baby.”

I nod, because what else is there to say? The confirmation doesn’t make it hurt any less. I’d barely had time to process the fact that I was pregnant in the first place. Now it’s gone. Just like that.

Julian steps back, his voice quiet. “I’ll give you a moment.”

The door clicks shut behind him, and I let out a shaky breath, my eyes stinging with unshed tears.

“Do you want me to call him?” Callie asks softly. “Jaxon?”

I shake my head violently, but then stop. What’s the point? He’s the father. He should know, even if he doesn’t care. Maybe he’ll finally realize how broken this all is.

“Call him,” I whisper, barely recognizing my own voice.

Callie doesn’t hesitate. She pulls out her phone and walks to the corner of the room, dialing his number. I stare at the ceiling, trying to block out the pain, trying to not think about what just happened. But it’s impossible.

A few minutes later, she comes back, her expression grim. “He’s on his way.”

“Great,” I mutter, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “Can’t wait to see what bullshit excuse he has this time.”

Callie sighs and takes a seat next to me. “Nina, don’t do this to yourself.”

I want to respond, but my throat closes up. I feel a tear slide down my cheek, but I wipe it away angrily. I won’t break. Not here.

An hour passes, maybe more, before the door swings open. Jaxon steps in, still in his suit, looking every bit the powerful Alpha CEO he always does. But his face? Blank. Like this is just another business meeting for him.

“Nina,” he says, his voice flat, almost clinical. “What the hell happened?”

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. “What happened? You really have to ask?”

“I didn’t know you were...” His voice trails off, his eyes flicking to Callie and then back to me. “You were pregnant?”

“Yeah,” I snap, my voice thick with emotion. “Pregnant. And now, I’m not.”

He blinks, like it’s taking him a minute to process the words. “How... when did this even happen?”

“Three weeks ago, Jaxon,” I say, my voice cracking with anger. “Remember? Three weeks ago, when you fucked me because you couldn’t stand to be around me for longer than that?”

His expression hardens, but there’s no emotion behind his eyes. “I didn’t know, Nina. You should have told me.”

“Told you?” I laugh, the sound bitter and hollow. “Told you what, exactly? That I was carrying your child? You didn’t even give a shit about me, Jaxon. What made me think you’d care about the baby?”

“I’m here now, aren’t I?” he says, crossing his arms like he’s waiting for me to pat him on the back.

I stare at him, disgust crawling up my throat. “Here now. Yeah. After I lost the baby. After I bled all over the goddamn restaurant floor and begged you to pick up the phone. Now you show up.”

Jaxon runs a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “Look, Nina, I’m sorry. I didn’t know this was happening. If I had—”

“If you had, what? You’d have what? Showed up a little earlier? Said some comforting words?” I shake my head. “You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t just about today. This is about everything. Three years of being ignored. Three years of watching you go off to your fucking ‘meetings,’ while I sit here, hoping you’d give a damn.”

He doesn’t answer. He just stares at me, cold and distant, like he always is. Like I’m some annoying inconvenience.

I laugh again, but it’s bitter, ugly. “You can leave now, Jaxon. You’ve done your part. I lost the baby. You can go back to your precious company and your precious Scarlett.”

He shifts on his feet, like he’s about to say something, but then he just nods. Nods and walks out.

Just like that.

I watch him leave, the door closing softly behind him. The second he’s gone, the weight of everything hits me like a fucking tidal wave. The tears come fast, choking me, and I collapse into Callie’s arms, sobbing so hard I can barely breathe.

Callie strokes my hair, whispering soft words, but I can’t hear her. I can’t hear anything. The pain is too much, the emptiness too deep. I had a child. I had a life inside me. And now it’s gone.

Just like my marriage.