~Chapter Three~

ANNA’S POV

Hope had found me. I thought...

“Congratulations, Ms. Miller. You’re four weeks pregnant!”

The doctor’s words echoed in my head as I stepped out of his office. I clutched the ultrasound tightly in my hands, but instead of feeling joy, panic clawed at my chest.

Was this the time for a baby? Could this really change everything? Ethan said he didn’t want a baby... because of Tara. He used to want it—at least his mother did. Maybe this would fix everything between us...

As I rounded the corner, exiting the doctor’s office and towards the staircase, the attention of a familiar laughter caught my attention, and my heart dived down like the Titanic when I saw who it was—Olivia, Ethan’s mother, and clinging to her in a shocking surprise, Tara.

"Oh, look, it’s the ex-wife,” Olivia said, her voice cut through the air like a blade. Her cold eyes narrowed as she looked me up and down. I

clutched my handbag tightly as I stared down.

“Mother, it’s so wonderful to see you." I greeted nervously; my eyes wandered nervously.

"Oh, stop calling me that; what are you doing here?” She didn’t even bother to hide the disdain in her voice as she waved her hands dismissively.

I forced a smile. I had spent years trying to please this woman, and still she looked at me like I was less than nothing. Everything I did was never good in her sight, and yet she controlled my relationship with her son.

My gaze flickered nervously between her and Tara. The way they stood, so familiar and close, made me feel like an outsider in my own life. Tara’s hand held Olivia’s hand so tightly, and their smiles cut deeper than I expected.

How long had this been going on?

Did Olivia know about Ethan’s affair? Was she encouraging it all along? I felt like a fool.

“You seem surprised,” Olivia said, as she narrowed her eyes at me. “Did you think I wouldn’t know about Tara? She’s everything a man like Ethan deserves.”

“Isn’t it wonderful that Ethan is moving on?” Tara purred as she tilted her head in mocking concern. “

“I mean, he deserves someone who can give him what he wants.”

Olivia nodded; her eyes flickered over me dismissively.

“Yes, Anna. Maybe if you hadn’t been so... Barren, he wouldn’t have had to look elsewhere. But some women just can’t provide.”

Her words hit harder than usual; I bit my lip and fought the urge to scream the truth. She didn’t know yet; no one knew I was pregnant. Not even Ethan, and I would tell him. I would get my husband back.

With shaky hands, I clenched my purse so tightly my knuckles turned white and forced myself to actually breathe. I couldn’t let them see how much their words affected me.

“i…”

Tara cut me off; her voice was void of any sympathy. “Just give up, Anna. He’s happy; you should be grateful he hasn’t dragged your name through the mud.”

“Excuse me, I’ll see you later, mother.”

That was all I managed to say; my heart raced with humiliation. I couldn’t stay one second longer or I’d burst into tears.

I needed to see him, my husband, to tell him about our baby, our hope.

I had to get Ethan back...

************

As I reached Ethan’s office, my mind raced. I took deep breaths in the car, touched up my makeup, adjusted my hair, i had puffy eyes since I had been crying all night, but nothing a little concealer didn’t fix.

My heart pounded as I approached the secretary’s desk; she looked up; her face became awkward as soon as she saw me; she immediately became uncomfortable.

“I’m here to see my husband, Kayla. Is he in?” I said while I tried to steady my voice.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat before she rose up slowly.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. Mr. Miller said not to let anyone in today. ”

“But I’m not anyone." I insisted,

Her face pulled into worry, like she wasn’t comfortable doing this either.

“They’re his orders, ma'am. I apologise for the inconvenience.”

I shook my head negatively. “I’m his wife! I’m going in.”

She hesitated, then leaned in closer. “He said... he’s not married to anyone anymore. So it would be embarrassing to cause a scene.”

The floor seemed to fall out from under me. I fought back the wave of nausea and tried to hold myself together. So he was serious about this,

“I’m still going in,” I whispered and waited for her to stop me, but she didn’t. I entered the elevator and pushed the button.

As the doors closed slowly, I could see how Kayla’s pitiful eyes lingered on me. almost like she knew I was heading for my downfall, but no, I had hope now.

Our baby…..

The elevator dinged and opened. I walked out and pushed open the door to Ethan’s office.

My heart raced in my chest. I heard his voice before I saw him. His personal assistant was beside him, showing him something.

“These wedding invitations look perfect, Claire. Thank you.”

Wedding invitations? As I approached him, my eyes landed on the desk, where gold and white invitations with Ethan and Tara’s names in elegant calligraphy gleamed under the office light.

“What are you doing here?” Ethan’s voice sliced through the air, cold and irritated. “I told my stupid secretary not to let anyone in." Claire gave me a nervous glance, bowed slightly, and walked out.

I stared at the invitations, my voice barely above a whisper. “Wh-what are these?”

He didn’t even bother hiding them. “See how amazing they look? Ours was trash compared to this.”

“But…your mom picked our designs,” I said, my voice cracked.

He scoffed and leaned back comfortably in his chair.

“Yeah, well, she told me it was your idea, and I figured it could only be true.”

My throat tightened. “Have you signed the divorce papers? Anna?” he asked with a small smile. “I’m sure that’s why you’re here, right?”

I felt the walls closing in on me, then I reached into my bag and pulled out the doctor’s letter, my last shred of hope. I handed it to him; he was all smiles.

“You didn’t have to fold it this much, Dummy,” he scolded.

Immediately, confusion crossed his features for a second before his expression twisted into rage.

“What is this?” He shouted, and I flinched and quickly stepped back.

“What the hell is this, Anna?” He threw the letter at me, and it hit me square in the chest.

Tears filled my eyes as I stumbled back.

“Ethan, please—please, this baby can fix everything. we can—“

“Are you out of your mind?” He cut me off as he slammed his fists on the desk, springing up in anger.

“ I said I didn’t want a baby with you! If you weren’t such a fertile bitch, would I fuck you once and you’re coming back with this?”

“But—but your mother...she said." My voice trembled.

“She blames me for not giving you a child. This baby, it can bring you back to me, Ethan,” I cried, desperate to cling to this only hope I had.

“Just…” I paused when he angrily stormed towards me and grabbed me aggressively by the arm.

“Get the hell out of here with your nonsense. Don’t act like my mother even cares about you; she never did.” He started hurling me out, and I tried not to move regardless of how he dragged me to the door.

“Ethan, please look at me, please. This is your baby, our ba..ahh.”

He threw me out of his office, and I stumbled on my heels and crashed on the floor in a heap; pain coursed through my body. He tossed the letter at me; the crumpled paper landed beside me, shattered like the hope I had.

“Take this filth with you, and get rid of that stupid thing!” He spat before he slammed the door in my face.

I had lost him; I had lost everything.