Chapter 6
Zoe must have heard about my miscarriage from Jack, because she showed up at the hospital, all wide-eyed concern and carefully curated remorse.
“Emily, I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice trembling just enough to sound sincere. “That stormy night, the power went out at my place, and I was terrified. That’s why I called Jack. I had no idea he’d actually leave you on the road.”
She sighed, shaking her head like she, too, was a victim of circumstance. Then, with a smile that barely masked the satisfaction in her eyes, she added, “But you’re still young. There will be other children, you know?”
“Mm.”
I hummed lightly, too tired to entertain her thinly veiled gloating disguised as sympathy. I had no intention of playing whatever game she thought this was.
But then, to my utter disbelief, she suddenly burst into tears and slapped herself, twice.
“I know this is all my fault! I never should have called Jack that night. Because of me, you lost your baby. If you can’t forgive me, Emily, I understand. I really do.”
I blinked, still processing the spectacle, when Jack barged into the room, his expression dark as he pulled Zoe into his arms protectively.
“Emily,” he snapped, “Zoe came here with nothing but good intentions. Do you have to be so petty?”
Then, with a scoff, he added, “Besides, the miscarriage was an accident. You didn’t even know you were pregnant. How could Zoe have known?”
A soft laugh escaped me as I slowly sat up, propping myself against the pillows. Looking up at them from the bed was exhausting.
I met Jack’s gaze, my voice steady. “Jack, I never blamed Zoe for this. The only person I hold responsible is you.”
His jaw tightened, and I saw the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, his fingers twitching like he wanted to counter me but couldn’t find the words.
“Do you really think avoiding responsibility changes anything?” I continued. “No matter how much you try to justify it, the fact remains, you abandoned me in the middle of a storm. That’s why I ended up here. That’s why our child is gone.”
Jack went pale, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled for a response.
Zoe, clearly unable to stand the sight of him faltering, stepped forward, her chest puffed up like she had something profound to say.
“How can you blame Jack for this?” she shot back. “If you had told him about the pregnancy, he never would’ve left you on the road.”
I turned to her, frowning at her sheer ignorance.
“So, Miss Parker, are you saying that if I hadn’t been pregnant, it would’ve been perfectly fine for my husband to abandon me in the rain for another woman?” I asked, my voice calm but firm. “Or that a husband should always drop everything whenever another woman calls? Even if it means leaving his own wife stranded?”
Zoe flinched, her face reddening. She hesitated, her earlier bravado shrinking, but still tried to hold her ground.
“That’s because Jack doesn’t love you,” she blurted. “You knew that, and yet you still held on. So whose fault is that?”
I turned back to Jack, my gaze sharp. “Jack, look me in the eye and tell me, did you never say you loved me in the three years we were married?”
Jack held onto Zoe, but his head dropped, his lips pressed into a tight line.
He didn’t dare.
For three years, he never once mentioned Zoe. Instead, he showered me with sweet words, picked me up from work, brought me flowers, gave me gifts, and kissed me good morning and good night like we were the perfect couple.
Zoe’s expression shifted as realization dawned on her. Her eyes darted between me and Jack, tears welling up as the truth settled in.
“Jack,” she whispered, her voice breaking, “so you betrayed me long ago?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her naivety. If he hadn’t betrayed her, how did she think I ended up pregnant?
Zoe let out a choked sob before spinning on her heel and running out of the room. Jack hesitated for only a moment before throwing one last unreadable glance my way and chasing after her.
Somehow, I wasn’t the least bit surprised.
