Chapter 6

• Elena's POV
• My eyes drifted to the velvet box sitting on my vanity. Noah's ring.
• The sapphire glittered dangerously under the lights. You have until midnight.
• I couldn't wear it. Not yet. But I couldn't leave it here either. If Liam found it...
• I snapped the box shut and slipped it into my clutch purse. It felt heavy, a solid anchor in a sea of lies. It was my exit strategy. My nuclear option.
• "Babe? Are you ready?"
• Liam's voice came from the hallway. I stiffened.
• "Just a second!" I called back, forcing a lightness into my tone that made me nauseous.
• I opened the door. Liam stood there in a tuxedo, looking every inch the charming superstar. When he saw me, his eyes lit up. Not with love, but with possession.
• "Wow," he breathed, reaching out to grab my waist. "You look incredible, El. The press is going to eat this up."
• The press. Always the press.
• He pulled me in for a kiss. I turned my head slightly so his lips landed on my cheek. I couldn't bear to taste him.
• "Careful," I teased, "you'll smudge my lipstick."
• Liam laughed, oblivious. "Let's go. I have a surprise for you downstairs."
• The backyard of our Hampton estate had been transformed. Fairy lights draped over the trees, a live jazz band played near the pool, and waiters circulated with champagne.
• It was extravagant. It was expensive. It was disgusting.
• "Surprise!"
• A chorus of voices erupted as we stepped onto the patio. Teammates, wives, sponsors, reporters. Flashes went off, blinding me.
• I smiled. My face hurt from how fake it was.
• "Oh, Liam!" I exclaimed, playing the part of the doting, surprised wife. "You shouldn't have!"
• "Anything for my queen," Liam announced loudly, making sure the reporters heard.
• I accepted a glass of champagne but didn't drink it. I held it like a prop.
• "Elena! You look gorgeous!"
• The voice grated on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.
• Sophia Cruz emerged from the crowd. She was wearing a white cocktail dress that looked suspiciously bridal. Her hand rested on Liam's arm with a familiarity that made my stomach churn.
• "Happy anniversary, sweetie," Sophia cooed, leaning in to air-kiss my cheek. "Liam has been planning this for weeks. He's such a romantic."
• I looked at her. I looked at her stomach, hidden under the draped fabric of her dress.
• "He certainly is full of surprises," I said, my voice icy.
• Sophia's smile faltered for a second, but she recovered quickly. "Well, enjoy the night. Marcus is here, by the way. He wants to say hi."
• She steered Liam away toward the bar, leaving me alone. I watched them go. They looked like a couple. I was just the accessory.
• I mingled, dodging questions about when we were going to start a family. Every time someone asked, "Any baby news?", I felt a twist of irony so sharp it felt like a knife.
• Yes, I wanted to scream. I'm pregnant. And so is his mistress.
• Halfway through the night, the music stopped. Liam tapped a spoon against his glass.
• "Everyone, if I could have your attention," he bellowed, his charisma on full display.
• The crowd hushed. Liam stood on the raised platform near the pool, with Sophia standing just a few feet away, beaming.
• "Tonight isn't just about celebrating my beautiful wife," Liam said, gesturing to me. The spotlight hit me, and I squinted. "It's about family. As you know, the Glaciers are a family."
• Applause.
• "But Elena and I... we've been thinking about expanding our own family," Liam continued, his voice dropping to a somber, practiced tone. "We have so much love to give. And recently, we lost a dear friend. A brother in arms. Mike."
• My blood ran cold. He was doing it. He was doing it now.
• "Mike left behind a legacy," Liam said, wiping a fake tear. "And Elena and I... we are looking into adoption. To give a home to those who need it most."
• The crowd "awwed" in unison. Cameras flashed wildly.
• I stood frozen. He hadn't even asked me. He was announcing it to the world to force my hand. He was using a dead man's name to cover up his bastard child.
• Sophia looked at me from the stage, a smug, triumphant smirk playing on her lips. Checkmate, her eyes seemed to say.
• I gripped my clutch so hard my knuckles turned white. I could feel the hard edges of the velvet box through the leather.
• I wasn't going to let them win.
• I walked toward the stage.
• The crowd parted for me. "Look, she's so touched," someone whispered.
• I climbed the steps. Liam reached out his hand, expecting me to take it and play the weeping, grateful wife.
• I took his hand. His palm was sweaty.
• "Liam," I said into the microphone, my voice steady and clear. "That is... such a surprise."
• I looked at Sophia. Her smirk faltered.
• "But," I continued, turning to the crowd, "adoption is a long process. And honestly..." I placed a hand on my stomach. "I think we should focus on the blessings we already have."
• The crowd went silent. Confusion rippled through the guests.
• Liam's smile froze. His grip on my hand tightened painfully. "Elena, what are you saying?" he hissed through his teeth, away from the mic.
• I pulled my hand away.
• "I'm saying," I said, loud enough for only him and Sophia to hear, "that secrets have a way of coming out, Liam. Don't make promises you can't keep."
• Before he could react, a loud crash echoed from the side of the stage.