Chapter 3

When Dominic comes back, I'm on the floor packing my bags.

He crosses the room, drops to one knee in front of me, and reaches for the cut on my face.

I turn away, and his hand freezes in midair.

His voice softens.

"Does it hurt? Let me put something on it."

"No, I'm fine."

"Annelise." He sighs.

"Do you have to be this stubborn? Verity didn't know I was married. She thought you were some woman trying to steal her boyfriend.”

“She's just too in love with me to think straight. She'll never do it again. I'll make it up to you.”

"Just stop going after her. Okay?"

I look at him.

"What if I don't? She's the one who slept with a married man. If this gets out, I'd really like to see how she explains that."

The room goes dead quiet.

Dominic stares at me, and the last bit of warmth in his eyes disappears.

"Go ahead. You can try."

A chill runs through me. I know that look.

Years ago, some guy harassed me on the street. Dominic stood between us with the same look on his face.

I get up and head for the door. I just want out.

Then Dominic grabs my wrist.

"Annelise. Your score... it's down to 20?"

He's staring at the number over my head, his eyes red.

"Already? You lost another 20 points?"

I look at him.

"You gave my shoes to the woman you're sleeping with. You let her slap me. Then you came back here and threatened me. You literally told me, 'Go ahead. You can try.'”

“So tell me, Dominic. Should my score be going up? Or down?"

His expression hardens. Before he can answer, his phone rings.

He picks up, his face changing instantly, then rushes out the door.

At the same time, messages start flooding the girls' group chat.

Verity:

[Girls, what the hell do I do? I'm pregnant! I don't even know who the hell the father is.]

[I just texted every guy I've been with. None of them replied except Dominic.]

[But I'm sure it's not his.]

[He was blackout drunk that night. We didn't even go all the way.]

The girls immediately start giving her ideas.

Just tell him it's his. Don't crack. Keep the story going — you can sort out the rest later.

I don't say a word. I just save every screenshot.

A few hours later, Dominic comes home.

He stands in the living room for a long time.

Then he finally says, "Annelise. Verity is pregnant. The baby is mine."

I just look at him.

He lowers his voice.

"We should get divorced."

Then he comes over and hugs me.

"It's only temporary. She's carrying my baby, and she's threatening to kill herself.”

“Annelise, once the baby is born, I'll leave her. Then I'll come back. We'll get married again."

I don't fight him. I just put my hand on my stomach. The baby is so small, still so new inside me.

"Dominic. Do you remember my miscarriage last year? You stayed with me all night. Do you remember what you told me?"

He goes still, and for a moment neither of us speaks.

"You said if we ever had another baby... you'd protect me and our child with your life."

I slowly push him away. "What if I tell you something? I'm pregnant too."

He frowns, about to say something, when his phone rings again.

It's Verity. Her voice comes through the speaker, sobbing hard.

"Dominic, help me! Someone pushed me! I'm bleeding! I think I'm losing the baby! They said your wife sent them! Dominic, you lied to me! Why did you make me the other woman?"

My mind goes blank.

Dominic's eyes go red. He rushes over and grabs me by the throat.

"Annelise, how could you? She loves me! What did she ever do to you? Why are you trying to hurt her baby?"

"I didn't—" I try to explain, but he shoves me away.

My lower back slams into the edge of the table, and pain shoots through my stomach.

I can't even get back on my feet.

Dominic looks at me. Cold.

"You'd better pray her baby is okay. If anything happens to that child, I swear I'll make you pay."

The pain in my abdomen gets worse with every second.

My legs give out and I hit the floor. I grab his pants.

"Dominic... please... take me to the hospital. I'm pregnant. I'm telling you the truth.”

“That baby is yours."