What did she mean?“I have to tell him,” I said, anger flaring. “I want to tell him. You can’t tell me what to do.”
“No, you will not,” she snapped. “You will do no such thing if you know what’s good for you and the baby.”She leaned in close, her eyes boring into mine like a predator’s.“You have caused so much pain to our family. My son was shot because of you. My grandchildren were harmed because of you.” Her voice dripped with venom. “You think Iwant you anywhere near my family? I will make your life miserable if you are even in the same city as them.”
Randall walked in. “What are you doing?” he asked sharply.
“I’m telling her what’s best,” Eleanor said. “I want her to stay away from Caleb. She has caused us enough pain in this lifetime.”
“Enough, Eleanor,” Randall said firmly, raising his hand. “She saved this family. She made your son the man he is today. She saved the children. Leave her alone!”
Eleanor stalked out without another word. She didn’t mention the pregnancy.
I didn’t want to tell Randall either—not until I told Caleb myself.
“How are you feeling, dear?” Randall asked gently, sitting on the edge of my bed.
“I’m fine. Just worried about Caleb. Have you seen him?”
He smiled. “He’s fine. I just checked on him. They’ve sedated him, so it’ll take a couple of hours for him to wake up properly.” He kissed my forehead. “You need to rest, too. I’ll come back later.”
Drowsy from medication,I woke to find Eleanor sitting silently in the corner of my room.“You listen to me, you little tramp,” she hissed. “I don’t think you understand how serious I am. So I’ll make it perfectly clear. I want you out of my son’s life. I want that baby gone. I’ll give you as much money as you want. But you will do as I say.”
Something inside me snapped.“I don’t want your money,” I said through clenched teeth. “And I am not going anywhere. Why are you doing this?”
“You don’t belong with Caleb,” she said coldly. “Even he doesn’t want you. He’s with Caroline now. They’ve been going out for a month already.”
“You’re lying,” I said, my stomach twisting violently. “He loves me. He doesn’t love Caroline.”
“If you say so,” she replied. She handed me an envelope, smiling cruelly. “You can be the judge of that.”
I opened it.
Photos slid out—dated. More than a dozen of them. Caleb and Caroline holding hands. Laughing. Smiling. In bed together.
Cold seeped into my bones as I stared at the evidence I didn’t want to believe. At Simon’s house, Caleb had made me believe he still loved me. He had followed me to the cabin. How could he lie to me like this? How could he love me and still be with her?
He has stopped loving you.
The truth hit hard and felt final.
I stared out the window, my hand drifting instinctively to my belly as Eleanor left the room.
The next morning,sunlight streamed through the hospital window and woke me. I stroked my stomach slowly, tears burning my eyes. I blinked them away and picked up my phone. Alex had messaged to say my car was back at my building and that he was looking after my gun.
I dialled a number.
“Hi, it’s me,” I said.
The voice on the other end confirmed my identity.
“It’s time,” I said. “Start the process.”
I buzzed for the nurse and asked for paper and a pen, then requested to see the doctor immediately.
This was it. There was no turning back.
My hand shook as I wrote, tears splashing onto the page.
Caleb,
