Chapter 2

Vanessa’s POV

Back in the bedroom, I immediately packed a bag with only the essentials. Clothes, a few personal items, nothing that mattered as much as the decision I was making. Quinn had already thrown me out in every way that mattered. Now, it was my turn to walk away for good.

Quinn and Mia were still seated in the living room, and they just watched as I stepped out onto the street, carrying my bag. 

I took my phone out of my pocket, hesitating for a second before dialing the number of the one person I knew could help. My finger hovered over the screen, but before I could hit the call button, a sleek black car pulled up beside me. The engine roared to a stop, and the passenger window rolled down.

It was Jason Knight, Quinn’s adoptive father. He was a bit older, with a few strands of white in his dark hair, and his presence had a way of commanding attention.

I looked at him, unsure of what to say. His gaze was sharp, and I could see that he was confused to see me with a bag outside in the cold.

“Where are you going?” His voice was low, almost casual.

I swallowed hard. “I’m leaving.” 

He raised an eyebrow. “Leaving? What do you mean by that?”

I could only nod, swallowing the lump in my throat, refusing to cry.

Jason’s eyes softened, but only for a moment. “What happened, Vanessa?”

I sighed, running my fingers through my brown curls. “Everything. Quinn… he wants a divorce. He’s with Mia now.” 

His expression didn’t change, but the way he looked at me made me feel like I’d just dropped something heavy in his lap. “I’m sorry,” he said, though it didn’t quite feel like sympathy. 

“It’s okay,” I tried to act tough. “I should’ve seen it coming,” I muttered, more to myself than him. “I guess I was blind. I was always there for him, always trying to make him proud. And he just… he doesn’t care anymore.”

Jason studied me for a moment, his gaze lingering on my face as if deciding something. “So where are you going to go?”

I shrugged, my mind a mess of uncertainty. “I don’t know. Back to my family, I guess. I need time to figure everything out.”

Jason’s lips twitched, but he didn’t say anything more. He just reached over, unlocking the passenger door.

“Get in. I’ll take you to my place,” he said.

I didn’t want to go with him, not right now. He was still Quinn’s adoptive father after all . “I just need to go, Jason. I’ll be fine,” I muttered, trying to avoid his eyes.

He didn’t buy it. “Get in the car,” he insisted in a firm voice. “You can be anywhere but out here alone in the cold.

I stared at him for a moment, his calm expression only reminding me of how cold and detached he always was, even to me. I really didn’t want to be around him either. The last thing I needed was more complication.

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, backing away from the car.

Jason suddenly frowned, his gaze never leaving me. His jaw tightened, and I could see the edge in his grey eyes. “Stop being stubborn and let me help you.”

As he spoke, something in my mind triggered. Suddenly, I was thrown back into that night. The night I couldn’t forget or remember the details, even if I wanted to. 

I saw Jason’s face again—his grey eyes, his strong hands, his body against mine. I remembered the haze of alcohol, how I’d been so drunk, unable to see straight or think clearly. We’d had sex, and I’d been too far gone to realize who it was at the time. I had no recollection of him, just a foggy, disconnected memory of that night.

But now, as I looked at him, the realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

It was Jason. My one night stand had been with my Quinn’s adoptive father!

My breath caught in my throat as the memory crashed over me, and his face was so clear now. He was the one I’d slept with when I’d been too drunk to know who it was. And the realization made my stomach turn.

I gasped, feeling the cold air rush into my lungs. “Oh no,” I whispered, shaking my head. 

Jason didn’t seem to understand my reaction. His eyes narrowed, watching me carefully. But I could barely focus on him. 

“I have to go,” I stammered, backing away from the car, my heart racing.

But before I could turn, dizziness hit me. My vision blurred, and I felt myself falling. Jason’s arms were there in an instant, catching me before I could hit the ground. 

——————

I woke up to the soft hum of a machine. My head ached, and I blinked slowly, trying to piece everything together. I could hear Jason’s voice in the background.

“She’s awake.”

I looked around and my eyes landed on a doctor standing nearby, speaking to Jason.

“She fainted, but she’s stable now,” the doctor said. “We’ll keep an eye on her.”

Jason stood beside me, his expression as cold as ever. He looked at me with his usual detachment, but there was something else in his eyes—something that felt like calculation. 

“You fainted,” Jason said, his tone clipped, emotionless. “You’re not fine, Vanessa.”

I barely heard him, still reeling from what had just happened. From what I remembered. 

I tried to sit up again, panic rising in my chest. “I need to leave. I can’t be here,” I whispered, trying to push past him.

But Jason was right there, his hand on my shoulder, pressing me back down. “You’re not leaving,” he said, his voice cold, almost like a command. 

He didn’t let go.

I tried to shake him off, but I couldn’t. “I—Why?” I managed to ask, my voice shaky. 

The door opened then, and the doctor entered again, speaking to Jason in hushed tones. I was still too disoriented to fully comprehend what was happening, but I caught the words that made my heart stop.

“She’s pregnant,” the doctor said. “It’s early, but the tests are clear.”

“Hear that?” Jason asked as his grip tightened on my wrist. “You’re carrying my child, Vanessa,” he said, his voice colder than ever. “You can’t just leave.”