Chapter 3

I had a wealthy family. I'd just never gotten around to telling Miles.

I'd wanted this car for the longest time, and I used to pester Miles about buying it. He always said he'd get it for me one day, once he had the money.

But every last dollar he earned went straight back to his parents.

I knew there was no point waiting on him, so I went and bought the car myself while he was away.

I'd planned to drive over and surprise him, and to give his parents something to be proud of, too.

Now there was no point.

Miles flagged down a taxi, tucked Olympia in beside him, and left.

I started the car and followed at an easy pace.

Just moments earlier, I had booked the abortion at the city hospital.

It happened to be along the same route.

A few hours later, worn out, I pulled up at some random restaurant to get out and eat.

But before long, a familiar voice drifted in from the private room next door.

“Ollie, coming all this way must have worn you out! Tonight's just for you, a proper welcome. Dinner's on us!”

“That you'd even look twice at our Miles, well, that's his good fortune!”

That was my mother-in-law's voice.

My father-in-law chimed in right after.

“That's right. I hear Ollie's father is in business, so you must come from a very comfortable home! We're just a two-income household. It really is a comedown for you, Ollie.”

Olympia's voice was as sunny as ever.

“Oh, we don't care about money at all. It's exactly because my parents have plenty that they encouraged me to be brave and chase love. As long as Miles and I have each other, nothing else matters.”

A sour ache crept up through my teeth, and I found myself thinking back to those early days after Miles and I married.

My mother-in-law had looked down on my country roots and dug in her heels, refusing to give any bride price at all. In the end I said I'd take only eighty-eight hundred, and she still wept and carried on as if I'd robbed the family.

After the wedding, the moment she learned I was going back to see my own parents, she'd call Miles specifically to make him check whether I was sneaking money home to help them out.

But what they didn't know was that although my parents had come from the countryside, they'd gone out early to start their own company.

Not only did I never need to help my family out, my parents felt I'd married down and suffered for it, so every few days they'd send some money over.

My phone rang, jarring in the quiet, and it turned out to be my mother.

I answered, and her gentle voice came through.

“Nessa, are you at Miles's parents' place yet? Not too tired out? Are they treating you badly?”

My nose stung, and I fought to keep my voice steady.

“No, Mom.”

“Good girl. You're pregnant now, don't go making things hard on yourself. If there's anything you want, you tell your dad and me.”

My father leaned in too.

“Nessa, the reason we didn't let you tell them what we're worth was that we were afraid they'd have their eyes on our assets.”

“But you and Miles have been together all these years now, you got married just like you wanted, and soon you'll have a baby of your own. Looks like the two of you passed our test.”

“So we've decided to take your in-laws out to dinner in the next day or two, and let them in on our situation while we're at it. That way things will go a lot easier for you two from here on.”

The tears came before I could stop them, and I turned it down softly.

“There's no need, Mom, Dad. Don't let them find out.”

My father tried to comfort me. “As long as you understand where we were coming from, that's enough. It's your birthday today, so don't go being hard on yourself, have Miles order you a cake!”

Only then did I remember. Today was my birthday.