Chapter 5

"Rachel!" Sean snatched the envelope from her hand. "That's enough."

She laughed. "It's always like this. You ask me to come over, and then you blame me for talking too much when things go south."

I turned to Sean. "You invited her over?"

"I asked her to bring the physical copy of the report."

"You couldn't get a digital copy?"

"The paper copy is clearer."

Rachel grabbed her purse. "Fine, I'm leaving. Honestly, Sean, if you're willing to wear a green cheat-hat this easily, why do I even bother caring?"

Once the front door slammed closed, I tucked the ultrasound photo into my wallet and pulled out a pre-printed divorce agreement.

Sean flipped through two pages and shut it. "The lab results aren't even back yet."

"This has nothing to do with the results."

"It does to me."

"If the baby is yours, what then?"

He stared at me. "I'll apologize. I'll make it up to you. I'll do whatever you want."

"And if it's not?"

"Just tell me who the guy is, and we can put this behind us."

I actually laughed out loud.

Sean's eyebrows knit tightly. "I've already compromised this much, Chloe. What more do you want?"

"Sign the papers."

"No way."

He locked the agreement inside his desk drawer. "I am not talking about divorce until your body is fully recovered."

"Give me the key."

"Chloe, stop throwing a tantrum."

I grabbed a heavy glass mug from the counter and smashed it against the drawer.

Glass shattered everywhere, but the drawer remained locked.

Sean grabbed me and pulled me away from the shards. My fingernails dug into his arms, leaving angry red scratches.

He didn't let go. "You can hit me, you can scream at me. Just get some rest first."

That night, Sean stayed in his study until very late.

I got up to find some painkillers. Through the crack in the study door, I heard his voice on the phone with Rachel.

"Are you sure about this? If the kid really isn't yours, you're still going to stay with her?"

Sean was leaning back in his chair, staring at the divorce papers.

"Yes."

"Unbelievable. You won't feel disgusted every time you look at her?"

"The baby is gone, Rachel."

Rachel was quiet for a second. "And what about the other guy?"

"If she tells me the truth, I won't pursue it."

"Sean, what are you getting out of this?"

He lowered his head, his thumb rubbing over my signature on the page. "We've been together for six years."

"So?"

"I can't lose her."

Rachel scoffed. "You're not building a marriage. You're worshiping a goddess."

"Think whatever you want."

"She's using divorce to scare you right now. Once the DNA test comes back, she's going to hold this over your head for the rest of your life."

"She won't actually leave."

"You're that sure?"

"She loves me too much to let go."

Sean did know me well.

I loved our six years together. I loved the man I thought he was, and I loved the baby that had only existed for ten weeks.

But he forgot one thing: when you push someone to the point where "love" is the only thing keeping them there, that love quickly turns into resentment.

I went back to the bedroom, pulled out my suitcase, and started packing.

The sound of the zipper sliding shut brought Sean running from the study.

"What are you doing?"

"Moving out."

He looked at my suitcase, then glanced toward the hallway. "You heard what I said on the phone?"

"Yes."

"And you're still leaving?"

Sean grabbed the handle of my suitcase.

"No matter what the test says, I'm not letting you go."

I looked at the bloodshot veins in his eyes, and the scratches on his arm.

He really was terrified of me leaving.

He really did love me.

But the Chloe he loved was a woman who had allegedly carried another man's child, lied about it, acted stubborn, and had to rely on his saint-like mercy to save her marriage.

Even though that other man didn't exist.

"Sean, even now, you still think this is about whether you want me or not."

He gripped the handle tighter. "Just wait two days. Two days for the results."

"If the baby wasn't yours, you'd be keeping a liar you graciously forgave."

"I told you I wouldn't hold it against you!"

"And what if the baby is yours?"

His lips parted, but no sound came out for a second. "I'll beg for your forgiveness."

I let out a bitter laugh. "And I'm supposed to just go on living with a husband who asked for a paternity test on our dead baby before he even asked if I was okay?"

The color drained from Sean's face. "My mind was a mess."

"Are you thinking clearly now?"

He had no answer.

Because the results weren't back yet.

I pried his fingers off the suitcase handle, one by one.

"No matter what the test says, I have absolutely no reason to stay."

Sean chased me to the elevator. "Go stay at your parents' place for a couple of days. I'll come get you once the report is out."

I pressed the button to close the doors. "Don't come."

"Then when are you coming back?"

The elevator doors slowly slid shut.

"I'm not."