Chapter 3

• “I’m sorry, ma’am. Because of the car accident, you lost the baby.”
• That was the first thing I heard when I woke up.
• That was when I found out that I had even been pregnant.
• And even without my knowledge, that bitch got my baby killed.
• “I’m sorry, Emily.”
• Paul shuffled up to my bed and grabbed my hand, his eyes red-rimmed.
• “I really didn’t know you were pregnant," he whispered. "And I shouldn’t have let Sophie go see you.”
• He clutched my hand, forcing me to listen to his excuses.
• “I already tried to break up with Sophie. She just wouldn’t accept it.”
• “And I don’t even like her," he added. "She insisted on keeping me on her dime. So please, forgive me, okay?”
• I stared at him and almost laughed.
• I’d been with him for three years.
• And only now did I see that he was a spineless piece of shit.
• “So you slept with that woman last night because she paid you and twisted your arm?” I shot him a mocking look.
• He rushed to explain.
• “I don’t even know her. I was just drunk.”
• “You know that, Emily." His voice mellowed. "You're the only one I love.”
• Looking at that fake-ass face, all I felt was disgust.
• I yanked my hand back.
• “Paul, you make me sick.”
• His face went ghost-pale.
• “Get out. I don’t want to see you.”
• I called my only friend, Lindsey.
• She rushed in with messy hair, panic written all over her face.
• “Emily, how are you?”
• Lindsey bit her lip. “I heard you lost the baby?”
• “How do you know?” I was a little shocked.
• I hadn’t told anyone. When I called her, I only said I’d been in a car crash.
• “Paul told me.”
• She paused before continuing, “He asked me to talk some sense into you.”
• Lindsey looked a bit awkward.
• “Don’t bring him up again.” I sighed. “Paul and I are done.”
• “Cheating is one thing," I said. "But his side piece running me over with her car and killing my baby is another.”
• My hands clenched in anger. “I will never forgive them.”
• Lindsey went quiet for a bit, her voice low.
• “Maybe that woman didn’t mean it," she murmured.
• “You’re taking her side?”
• I stared at her in disbelief.
• I was the one lying in this hospital bed. I was the one who lost a baby.
• And she wasn't with me when it happened. Yet she was defending the person who hurt me.
• Lindsey choked on her words, eyes darting away.
• “What is it, Lindsey?” I demanded.
• I was confused.
• She usually told me everything, but today she was holding back.
• “It’s nothing. Nothing…”
• Seeing how guilty she looked, I was sure she knew something I didn't.
• Maybe she knew who that woman was.
• So when I was discharged, I didn’t drive my own car.
• I said my stomach hurt and had Lindsey drive me home.
• While she focused on the road, I searched the back seat.
• Her car had clearly been cleaned ahead of time—spotless. It even smelled like nice perfume.
• “What are you looking for, Emily?”
• She caught my movements in the rearview mirror.
• “Nothing,” I said, playing it off.
• She just went, “Oh,” and kept driving. I sank back into the seat.
• Nothing.
• Maybe I really was overthinking it. Maybe I was doing Lindsey dirty.
• I let out a breath and looked out the window.
• The sun was bright outside. The light latched onto something inside the car and caught my eye, flashing.
• I looked down and fished it out.
• It was a cufflink.
• The exact same kind I gave Paul, even down to the tiny letter “P” engraved on the back.
• I started shaking. I couldn’t stop.
• It was Lindsey.
• The woman from last night. The one Paul was cheating with.
• It really was her.
• I stared at her face, unable to match it with the woman who ran me over.
• We grew up together. We even promised ages ago that we’d be each other’s bridesmaids.
• But she lied to me.
• She slept with my boyfriend and made me lose my baby.
• Then she had the nerve to tell me it wasn’t on purpose.
• The fury of being betrayed by my best friend made my vision go dark.
• But I held it in.
• I knew that if I didn’t catch them in bed, they’d never admit it.
• So I had Lindsey stay the night at my place.
• And I texted Paul next.
• “I’m out of the hospital. Lindsey is taking care of me at my place.”
• Then I looked up at Lindsey.
• She was in the kitchen cooking for me.
• I clenched my fists and let out a long breath.
• I prayed this wasn’t what I thought it was.