Chapter 2

Kelsey Reyes POV:

He tightened his grip on my arm. I could feel his fingers digging into my skin.

"Over? What's over, Kelsey? You're being ridiculous! We' re married!"

My eyes flickered to Dayami. Her hand, still entwined with Elias' s earlier, now conspicuously sported a glittering diamond ring. A ring identical to the one in her social media post.

He fumbled in his pocket, pulling out a small, velvet box. He snapped it open. Inside, two tiny, unremarkable silver stud earrings glittered. They looked like something you' d find at a discount store.

He said, "I got them for you. They're in my pocket. I was going to give them to you."

It was a stark contrast to the massive diamond on Dayami's finger. A diamond Elias had undoubtedly purchased. With our company' s money. My money.

"You really think a cheap pair of earrings makes up for this?" I asked Elias, my voice low and dangerous.

"Don't worry about it, Elias," I said, pushing his hand away. "I already have plenty of little trinkets. I' m not interested in small change."

His face hardened. "Small change? Kelsey, what is wrong with you? You're acting like a spoiled brat!"

The air in the room grew heavy, thick with unspoken resentment. Dayami, ever the opportunist, started to sniffle dramatically.

"Elias, maybe I should just go," she whimpered, her voice saccharine sweet. "I don't want to cause any trouble between you two."

"No, Dayami, stay," Elias said, his eyes still on me. "She's just being difficult."

He slammed the velvet box onto the coffee table, next to the divorce papers. The cheap earrings bounced slightly.

"You really expect me to believe you didn't do anything wrong?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. "You bought her a diamond ring. You flaunted it on social media. And you think a pair of discount store earrings will make me forget all that?"

Elias' s jaw clenched. "That ring was... a gift! A thank you for her hard work! You' re just jealous, Kelsey!"

Dayami suddenly clasped her hands together. "Oh, no! Elias, she's right! It was too much. I'll give it back. I don't need it. I just want you two to be happy." Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

She looked at Elias, then back at me, a perfect picture of innocent distress.

Elias immediately went to her side, wrapping an arm around her. "Don't listen to her, Dayami. You deserve it. She' s just being petty." He glared at me. "You always do this, Kelsey. Make a big deal out of nothing."

I didn' t argue. I just picked up my pen and went back to the divorce papers. My silence, it seemed, was more potent than any argument.

Elias watched me, his face turning an angry shade of red. He grabbed Dayami's hand, pulling her toward the door.

"Fine! If you're going to be like this, we'll leave! Don't come crying to me when you realize what you've lost!" he shouted, then deliberately slammed the door, making the whole apartment shake.

I didn't flinch. I just made a mental note. One diamond ring. Company funds. I' d make sure it was meticulously documented in the asset division.

Later that evening, my phone rang. It was my mother. "Kelsey, your father and I are making dinner. Come over. We need to talk."

I knew what "talk" meant. They knew.

As I pulled up to my parents' house, Elias' s car was already in the driveway. My stomach tightened. He was here too. Of course he was.

He was waiting by the front door, looking pale and nervous. He tried to offer a weak smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Kelsey... I didn't know you were coming," he said, sounding genuinely surprised.

"Neither did I, until five minutes ago," I replied, walking past him without pause.

Dinner was a tense affair. My parents were polite, but their eyes held a chill whenever they looked at Elias. They offered short, clipped answers to his attempts at small talk.

I, usually the one trying to mediate, said nothing. I just focused on my food. The role of peacemaker no longer fit me.

After dinner, Elias insisted on driving me home. "We need to talk, Kelsey," he said, his voice softer now. "Alone."

I got into the passenger seat. The car smelled faintly of Dayami' s overly sweet perfume. And then I saw it. A small, sparkly sticker on the dashboard. A cartoon character, just like the one Dayami always used in her texts. Her "exclusive" sticker, she called it.

"Dayami left that there, didn't she?" I asked, my voice flat.

Elias gripped the steering wheel tighter. "It's nothing, Kelsey. Just... she was in the car earlier. I can take it off." He fumbled for it.

"Don't bother," I said. "It just confirms things, that's all."

He started the car. The silence was deafening. He tried to speak several times, but no words came out. He looked defeated.

My phone vibrated. A text from my lawyer. Urgent. I checked it. Important updates about the company's financial state. Elias had been bleeding it dry.

"We need to discuss something else, Elias," I said, my voice suddenly sharp. "About the company."

He flinched. "What about it? Everything's fine."

"No, it's not," I said. "And we both know it."

He didn't reply. He just drove in silence.

When we pulled up to our apartment building, I saw her. Dayami. Standing outside, hugging herself, looking tearful and distressed.

The moment she saw Elias' s car, her eyes lit up. She ran towards it, throwing herself against his door as he got out.

"Oh, Elias! I was so worried! Where have you been? I tried calling, but you didn't answer!" she wailed, clinging to him.

Elias stiffened, his eyes darting to me. His face was a mask of discomfort. "Dayami, not now," he hissed, trying to gently push her away.

"But, Elias! I miss you! I thought you were mad at me!" she pouted, her voice rising.

"Stop being childish, Dayami," Elias snapped, pushing her away more firmly. "Kelsey is right here."

Dayami' s eyes narrowed at me. "Oh, don't worry about her, Elias. She's leaving anyway, isn't she? Isn't that right, Kelsey?" She smirked.

I stepped out of the car, ignoring them both. I walked straight to the entrance. Let them play their little games. They weren't my problem anymore.

As I entered the lobby, I glanced at the large electronic screen on the wall. It usually displayed building notices. Tonight, it was showing a slideshow.

A slideshow of photos. Bright, colorful photos. Elias and Dayami. Laughing, holding hands, sharing ice cream, kissing. Intimate moments, captured and displayed for all to see.

My breath hitched. They were everywhere. All over the screen.

Elias ran in behind me, his face horrified. "Kelsey! That's not... that's not real! Dayami, what is this?!"

Dayami, now looking genuinely panicked, tried to stammer out an explanation. "I... I don't know! It must be a hack! Elias, I swear!"

Elias turned to me, his eyes wide, pleading. "Kelsey, please! Don't believe this! It's fake! It has to be fake!"

He reached for my hand. I pulled it away.

"Fake?" I asked, my voice soft, almost a whisper. "They look pretty real to me, Elias. Whoever took them is a very talented photographer."

"Kelsey, no! You can't believe this! Think about our baby!" he pleaded, desperation coloring his tone. "Our child needs us!"

"Our child?" I repeated, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "Elias, these pictures are just another drop in the ocean. And that child is... long gone."

His eyes widened in shock. "What are you talking about?"

My phone rang. The doctor. "Mrs. Reyes, we have you scheduled for tomorrow morning. Eight AM. Please ensure you have someone with you."

"Got it," I said, my voice steady. I hung up.

"Kelsey, what was that?" Elias demanded, his voice trembling. "What child is long gone? What doctor?"

I simply walked to the elevator, pressing the button. The doors opened. I stepped inside.

"You'll figure it out," I said, as the doors began to close.

Elias stared at me, his face a mixture of confusion and dawning horror. Dayami stood beside him, her face a pale imitation of sympathy.

I watched their frantic faces until the doors sealed them out.