Chapter 5

Juliette

Arghhh!! James... Harder..."

I tried to will out those thoughts as I stumbled my way to the parking lot a few minutes later.

He hadn't stopped.

He hadn't even shown any remorse.

Yes, he did show surprise after finding out about my presence by the threshold, but after that, they had gone so cold and blank, I could still feel the shiver running through my body.

How could he...

I mean, why...

Why would he...

I felt my hands tremble multiple times as I tried to start my car in the empty parking lot, but it just wasn't working.

I had seen the signs...

Those little things that made me question if what we really had was true, but I had defended him in my mind then.

It couldn't be.

He wouldn't do that.

I was just overthinking it.

Well, look at me now.

I chuckled slightly just as the car finally started, and I drove out of there.

Maybe I was imagining this too.

I chuckled more at the thought.

It was actually ridiculous.

Vanessa and James.

My stepsister and my husband.

I tried to see past the blurriness in front of me.

My eyes.

The streets.

My mind.

But all I could think of was, "Arghhh, harder, James."

That didn't sound like a dream.

I jumped, suddenly startled when cars around me suddenly started honking with urgency, and I had only about a second to realize I had run past a red light right before a white truck collided with me in the middle of the intersection.

I closed my eyes, accepting the fall and darkness that surrounded me immediately after.

Maybe this was all just a bad dream.

****

The soft surface of a cushiony bed was the first thing I felt under me when I came to only God knows how many hours later.

Oh my God!

I almost sobbed from relief.

It had all been a dream.

I doubted that when a surge of pain suddenly went through my whole body when I tried to move.

The fuck?

I opened my eyes for the first time to finally take in where I was.

The ceiling definitely didn't look like mine.

Neither the smell of antiseptic that seemed to take over my nostrils.

I tried to look around for something familiar.

My kids...

James...

Our family doctor came in instead, looking as professional as ever and he checked my vitals before turning properly to face me.

"You're in great shape... at least considering the impact your body went through during the accident, and the baby is fine too, so congratulations."

I did a double take. "Baby?"

"Yes..." He answered that slowly as if unsure. "Weren't you aware?"

Aware?

No, I wasn't. In fact, I was as oblivious as a stranger who would know absolutely nothing about me.

"I thought you might know considering how far along you are, but I guess not."

I managed to sit up with his help. "How far along am I?"

"Four weeks."

Fuck. No wonder I had been feeling queasy of late, but I had just guessed it was due to stress, especially with the way James had been behaving then.

I sighed deeply.

"Why? Don't you want it?"

I wasn't sure to be honest but I wasn't certain I was going to terminate either.

I just... I just didn't know what to think.

"Jules!" Summer exclaimed, concerned, when she barged into my room a minute after the doctor left.

It was almost as if she had been waiting for him to come out. She probably had.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded or tried to right before another ache rushed through my whole body.

Fuck!

"What happened?" She asked again, sitting by my side. "You were meant to be having your fourth anniversary celebration with James. How were you at the intersection by 5th Avenue?"

I tried to push back the thought of both James and Vanessa moaning.

"Where is James?" I asked instead.

"On his way"

"And Olivia, Ethan?"

"They're at school. It was really hard to keep this from them, especially since they kept asking for..."

We both paused in our conversation when the door opened to reveal a concerned and alarmed James.

He came to my side almost immediately, taking my hand in his and squeezing it lightly as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Babe. What happened?"

I wasn't sure at this point.

Had I really imagined that, or was I tripping right now?

I had seen him with Vanessa, then rushed out to my car, which I then drove to the intersection where the accident happened, or...

Did the accident happen while I was making my way to his office from the house?

I do remember making the decision to go meet him in the office when he didn't show up on time.

What... What was happening?

I looked at James again when he squeezed my hand slightly to bring me back to earth.

Summer, on the other hand, was quiet, and she excused herself, "Uhm... I'll be with the kids outside while you guys..."

"How are you feeling?"

I pursed my lips slightly and asked instead of answering, "Where were you?"

"Huh?"

"Where were you before coming here?"

"What do you mean? I was at work. I texted you that I'll be coming home late."

"You did?"

"Yes." He nodded his head, glancing at Summer, who stared between us.

"We should leave as soon as we can. The paparazzi are going crazy outside. So also the news outlets. They're pushing the narrative that you were drinking and driving."

Drinking and driving?

Right. The red light.

I sighed again, actually thinking about my actions and everything that went on that night.

"Is the driver okay?" The driver of the truck.

"Yes. Still unconscious but fine. He's in another room."

"Okay, that's good."

"What?" I asked a minute later when he continued to stare at me, quite lovingly.

"Nothing. Just happy you're okay."

"Really?"

"Yes." He scoffed after that answer like my question was ridiculous.

Yes, maybe it was, but why was my mind telling me that this whole thing was a facade?

This whole act, might I call it.

It felt more like a trance than reality.

I managed a smile when he squeezed my arm again.