Chapter 2

2.

After dinner, Grant leaned against my shoulder, smelling like wine.

"Honey, let's go home," he whispered.

Archer followed us out, shouting, "Grant, you're not coming to the after-party? Everyone is waiting!"

Grant didn't even turn around. He stayed tucked against me.

"No," he refused. "Leila needs to take her vitamins, and I need to be there for her."

Archer groaned but didn't push further.

Right then, my phone buzzed with a text.

"Leila Lowery, want to bet? Will Grant stay home with you, or will he come out to party with me tonight?"

I stared at the screen. Grant noticed me stop and tilted his head.

"What's wrong, baby?"

I locked the screen and lied. "Nothing. Just some spam from a desperate woman."

Grant frowned and reached for my phone.

At that exact moment, his own phone started ringing.

It was a special ringtone―the one he used for Karina.

I held my phone out to him. "Still want to see?"

Grant stared at me, his eyes flickering with guilt.

"Honey... I'm drunk. Don't tease me."

He nuzzled into the crook of my neck like a puppy.

I pushed his head away. "Answer it. It's been ringing for a while."

Grant stood up straight. He looked like he wanted to explain himself.

But I didn't give him the chance. I walked toward our driver waiting by the gate.

Grant looked surprised, but as soon as he heard the sweet voice on the other end, his expression changed.

Through the car window, I could see his face light up with joy. His drunken haze vanished instantly.

I looked away, trying to swallow the bitterness in my throat.

I knew he wasn't coming home with me tonight.

Sure enough, after he hung up, another text from Karina popped up.

"You lost, Leila. Right now, Grant cares about me and the baby more than anything."

A single tear rolled down my face. I wiped it away just as Grant opened the car door.

He leaned in to look at me. "Leila, what's wrong?"

Hearing his fake concern made my heart ache.

I took a deep breath and hid my pain. "I'm tired. Are you coming home?"

Grant smiled and rubbed the top of my head. "I want to, honey. But something urgent came up at the office. I'll be home as soon as I can, okay?"

He leaned in to kiss me.

I put a finger on his lips and pointed at Archer, who was filming something nearby.

"Someone's watching. Don't be so clingy. Just go."

I pushed him out, locked the door, and told the driver to go.

Two minutes later, Karina called me.

"Leila, doesn't it feel gross to kiss him? He's kissed every inch of my body, including..."

She didn't finish the sentence. She just laughed maliciously.

I hung up, my hands shaking. I told the driver to pull over.

I leaned against a railing and threw up until my stomach was empty.