Chapter 2

2.

Tears streamed down my temples. I turned my head away, fighting the lump in my throat, trying not to sob.

"Sarah!"

Mark rushed to my side, his face beaming, and grabbed my hand. When he saw my red-rimmed eyes, his expression softened.

"Was it really painful? It's all my fault, I should have arranged to be in here with you..."

I pulled my hand away from his. "Where's the baby?"

"He's with the nurse for a check-up. Don't worry, I've already seen him, taken pictures, and memorized the info on his wristband."

"Are you still in pain? Honey, you worked so hard."

Mark's eyes were filled with nothing but me.

He ran around handling all the paperwork, and he'd already hired the city's best private postpartum care team and a night nurse to be on standby at our house.

Early the next morning, before I was even fully awake, I heard a nurse come in.

"By the way, once you've decided on the baby's name, you can go down to the main lobby to register for his birth certificate and Social Security number."

"If you haven't decided yet, you can do it at City Hall after you're discharged."

Mark nodded with a smile, listening as the nurse gave him more instructions on how to care for me.

Through my sleepy haze, I saw him taking notes on his phone, looking focused and patient.

In just one night, he had become the model husband in everyone's eyes.

But for me, my heart had turned to stone.

"Honey, you're awake?"

"We'll be here for two days for observation, then we can go home. The private care team is already waiting for us."

Mark wiped down the bedside table with a disinfectant wipe and placed a tray of postpartum nutritional meals in front of me.

"By the way, the nurse just asked about the baby's name. Should we go with 'Mason,' like we planned?"

I shifted against the pillows and took a sip of soup.

"No."

"I want him to have my last name. Mason Clark."

The bowl slipped from Mark's hands, crashing to the floor.

Soup and food splattered everywhere. He looked at me, his voice choked with emotion. "Why?"

"Is this because of that condom wrapper on the way to the hospital?"

"I already explained that! Jake left it in the car by accident. I showed you the texts. If you don't believe me, I'll call him right now and have him come here to explain it to your face."

He sounded so righteous, without a hint of guilt.

His tone was full of frustration at my supposed paranoia.

I watched his performance and thought: You even planned ahead to have Jake create a fake chat history. You really put some thought into this.

But what you don't know is that Jake never borrowed your car last week.

Because that same day, I saw you and Chloe getting out of your car, one after the other, on the company's parking garage security footage.

I didn't say any of this.

It wasn't the right time.

Seeing my silence, Mark took out his phone as if to dial.

Just then, a cell phone rang in the hallway.

Chloe walked in, holding a bouquet of flowers and a gift.

"Mark, Sarah."

She paused at the door, her eyebrows raised in surprise as she took in the mess on the floor.

"What happened here?"

"Mark, are you okay? You didn't get burned, did you?"

Chloe, ever the loyal assistant, immediately put her things down and rushed to Mark's side to check if he was hurt.

The gesture was so practiced, so natural, so intimate.

My eyes fell on her hands, and my gaze turned ice-cold.

Mark took a nervous step back and pulled Chloe forward.

"Chloe, you're just in time. Sarah's been upset about that thing in the car. Can you help me explain to her about Jake borrowing the car that day?"

Chloe was smart. She caught on instantly.

"Oh, that!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

"I happened to be there when Jake returned the car. He was even joking with Mark about making a mess in the back seat, saying he was worried you'd see it and get the wrong idea."

"Mark was so mad at him! See? He gets worked up over the smallest things."

"Sarah, you're the one who mentored me, who brought me into the business. How could I ever do something like that?"

Chloe forced a smile and took my hand.

"Sarah, I'm your eyes and ears at the company. I'm the one you trust most."

I looked at her calmly, saying nothing.

Maybe she was, once. But not anymore.