Chapter 3

"A divorce, Ethan. I want a divorce."

The words were out before I could stop them. My voice was surprisingly steady.

He looked shocked, then annoyed.

"Don' t be ridiculous, Sarah. A divorce? Think of the scandal. It would be terrible for the company' s image."

Public image. Always the public image.

"I don' t care about the company' s image, Ethan. You cheated on me. You' re having a baby with another woman."

"I told you, it' s complicated. Bree understands the situation."

He wouldn' t agree to a divorce. He wanted to keep up appearances. The happy couple.

While he built a new family with someone else.

A few days later, I found out he' d moved Bree into a luxury condo he owned downtown.

The one he' d told me he was keeping as an investment property.

Jess, my best friend, was furious.

"You can' t let him do this, Sarah."

"What can I do, Jess? He won' t leave."

But I had to see. I had to know.

One evening, I saw him leave the house, dressed up. He said he had a late meeting with suppliers.

I knew where he was going.

I followed his car.

It pulled into the underground garage of the condo building.

My hands were shaking as I parked across thestreet.

I needed to confront him, to see her.

I walked towards the entrance, my heart pounding.

As I reached the lobby door, he came out. Alone.

He saw me. His face darkened with anger.

"Sarah? What the hell are you doing here?"

"I know she' s here, Ethan. I want to talk to you both."

Just then, the elevator dinged and Bree stepped out.

Younger, blonde, a smug look on her face when she saw me. She clutched her small baby bump.

"Ethan, honey, who' s this?" Bree asked, her voice sickly sweet.

She feigned distress, her eyes wide. "Is she bothering you?"

"It' s nothing, Bree. Go back upstairs." Ethan said, his voice tight.

"But she looks upset. Maybe she' s dangerous." Bree' s eyes flicked to me, full of malice.

"Sarah, go home," Ethan ordered.

"No, Ethan. We need to talk about this."

Bree suddenly gasped. "Oh! Ethan, I think she' s going to hurt me! Or the baby!"

Ethan turned to Bree, all concern. "Are you okay?"

Then he looked back at me, his face like stone.

"You heard her. Get out of here."

"I' m not leaving until..."

Bree whimpered. "Ethan, I' m scared. Call someone."

Ethan pulled out his phone. "I have a couple of guys from the warehouse who handle security sometimes. They' re nearby."

He made a quick call.

Within minutes, a black SUV pulled up. Two large, burly men got out.

They looked like thugs.

"Make sure she leaves the property," Ethan told them, gesturing towards me. "And doesn' t bother Ms. Jensen."

The men advanced on me.

I backed away, towards my car.

"I' m going," I said, my voice trembling.

One of them grabbed my arm.

"Hey, let go of me!"

The other one shoved me hard.

I stumbled back, hitting the side of my car.

The door handle jammed into my abdomen.

A sharp, searing pain shot through me.

I cried out, clutching my stomach.

Ethan saw. For a split second, I thought I saw a flicker of something in his eyes. Concern?

Then it was gone.

"Don' t cause a scene, Sarah. Just go. And don' t come back here. Don' t disturb Bree again."

He turned and put his arm around Bree, guiding her back inside.

Bree glanced back at me over her shoulder.

Her look was pure triumph. Threatening.

The two men got back in their SUV and drove off.

I was left alone, doubled over in pain, the cold metal of my car pressing against me.

The baby. Oh god, the baby.