“His baby mama came to see me today. That’s the woman Sarah was talking about.” I was pacing now, phone clenched in my shaking hand. “She told me everything. How Sean’s—” I caught myself. “How Sam’s been trying to figure out how to let me down gently. How Leo needs stability and Sam’s complete attention—”
“Chloe, listen to me—”
“She said Sean’s moving out this weekend.” The words tumbled out faster, more frantic. “Moving in with them. He’s choosing his family, Harper, and I—”
“Stop.” Harper’s voice was firm, almost sharp. “Chloe, stop and listen to me for one second. You just said Sean again.”
Had I? I couldn’t even remember. Everything was bleeding together — Sean’s betrayal, that bitch of an ex-best friendKaitlyn, Sam, Jenna’s pitying smile. And that gorgeous little boy with the crooked smile.
“Chloe, listen to me very carefully.” Harper’s tone was firm now, almost commanding. “I don’t know what Jenna told you, but I do know Sam. The idea that he would choose to end things with you—”
“You weren’t there.” I was still pacing the bedroom, phone clenched in my hand.
“Why would Sam send her to tell you he’s leaving instead of telling you himself?”
“I don’t know! Maybe because he’s a coward. Maybe because he didn’t want to see my face when he—”
“That’s not Sam,” Harper said firmly. “That’s Sean. Sean was the coward who cheated on you. Sam is not him.”
“How do you know?” My voice broke. “How do you know he’s not just better at hiding it? Sean hid it for months, Harper. Months. And I had no idea.”
“Chloe, you need to take a breath and think about this clearly—”
“I can’t think clearly! That’s the problem!” I was crying now, hot tears streaming down my face. “Every time I try to think, all I can see is Sean’s messages to Kaitlyn. All I can hear is Jenna telling me I’m not good enough for Sam’s son.”
“Chloe, listen to me. When you found out about Sean, what did you do?”
I knew where she was going with this. “I ran. I left.”
“Exactly. And I’m not saying that was wrong - you needed to get away from that situation. But this isn’t that situation, Chloe. Sam isn’t Sean.”
“You don’t know that—”
“I do know that,” Harper said firmly. “Because four years ago, Sam was the one who told Jack that he was destroying ourmarriage. Sam knows how badly this kind of thing can go. He wouldn’t deliberately—”
“Then why did he do it?” My voice cracked. “Why would he keep this from me if he knew how damaging it could be?”
“I don’t know. But I do know that you need to sit down and talk to Sam before you make any decisions. Hear what he has to say.”
“Sam has been distant,” I said, my voice shaking. “He’s been lying about where he is, hiding things from me.”
“He’s an idiot,” Harper said. “I’m not saying he handled this right. But there’s a difference between panicking and making mistakes, and deliberately planning to leave you. You need to talk to-.”
“Talk!” I cut her off. “His baby mama is telling me he’s moving in with them. She came to my clinic to tell me herself because Sam was too chicken. What is there to talk about?”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. “She came to you.” Harper’s voice was very careful now. “Why would she do that? Why would she come to your clinic to tell you Sam is leaving you? Without Sam present?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came out. I hadn’t thought about it that way.
“Just… sit down and talk to Sam,” Harper said gently. “Please. Before you do anything else. Talk to him.”
“I can’t.”
“Chloe, where are you right now? Are you home?”
I looked at the duffel bag on the bed, already packed. My eyes found the clock on the nightstand. 12:05 PM. Sam would be leaving the bar any minute now. He’d be home by 12:25.
If I told Harper the truth — that I was leaving — she’d call Jack. They’d both race over here, try to stop me. And then Sam would come home and break my heart while they all watched.
