Allie tried to be understanding, but over the next few weeks, as the weather grew colder, so did Carter's attitude toward Allie. He never smiled at her and barely said a word he didn't have to. The tension in their workspace was palpable. Carter would show up to work late or hungover.
Stacy continued to grow as well. It cemented Allie's suspicions about the source of the pregnancy. Jack was so sure that it was Carter's, though.
"Maybe she's just getting fat," Liz said.
"I think she's just wearing tighter clothes," Allie replied.
"The scandal has spread like wildfire," Liz told her over lunch one day. "It's all anyone is talking about. The newspapers are having a field day. Carter's going out to clubs is making it worse. Look," she said, holding out her phone to Allie.
Allie grimaced as she saw Carter slumped against a wall, clearly intoxicated.
She needed to go talk to him.
Deciding it would be unprofessional to confront him in the office, she went over the Holbrooks' penthouse that Saturday morning.
"Allie!" Kate exclaimed when she opened the door. "I'm glad you're here. Carter just mopes around the apartment all day."
"And drinks all night," Allie finished.
Kate nodded.
"How's he doing?" she asked as she hung up her coat in the hall closet.
"Terrible," she heard Carter say from the living room.
Allie walked into the room and saw him slouched on the couch.
"This is unacceptable," Allie said.
"My parents don’t believe me. My life is over."
"You didn't sleep with her. Once she pops the kid out, you will be vindicated. But don't ruin your life over her lies," Allie said sharply.
"It's not fair," Carter said.
"You are an adult man," Allie snapped. "You have a job, for now, until you piss it all away."
"I just wanted my father to—"
"To what? Love you? Tell you he's proud of you? Children need external validation—adults make their own. My parents sucked, and you know what? I cut them off. Best thing I ever did."
"Well, I'm sorry I'm not like your old boyfriends, crusty, dip-sucking real men," he snapped at her.
"Stop making it about that, Carter. I know Stacy is lying. You know it. Once she has the baby and it clearly isn't yours, so will everyone else."
"How does this help me now?"
"Carter, we'll fix this."
"No, we won't. You aren't taking this seriously. Stacy was your friend, so this is your fault. Maybe I never should have met you."
"That isn't fair."
"But it’s the truth. Isn't that what you were just telling me—to accept the reality of my situation? Well, the reality is that you brought Stacy into my life. If I had never been involved with you, none of this would have happened. Maybe my father was right."
"Right about what?" Allie said quietly.
Looking right at her, Carter said, "Right that you were no good for me."
