Chapter 0012
BAILEE
My ex–husband’s mistress was pregnant
Lorna was pregnant.
My body was moving on autopilot as I slowly poured the cup of water over Brinley’s hair. Her checks had lightened to a soft pink, and I was optimistic that the medicine would kick in soon
Internally, I was fuming, but my body felt numb.
Out of everything he did, cheating on me, emotionally abusing me, neglecting our daughter, and lying about me in court this
felt like the worst.
How could he have the nerve to have another child when he had just thrown away his first one
He wasn’t fit to be a father. He couldn’t even take care of himself. He had expected me to clean up after him, cook for him, and serve him like his personal maid.
But maybe that dynamic was exactly why Lorna and Caleb could work together. She was his assistant. She already waited on him hand and foot. Announcing her pregnancy the night of our divorce, and in front of Brinley no less, was shameless and disgusting.
Brinley lifted her head from my chest, reaching for one of the bath toys, and I sighed in relief that she was feeling better and wouldn’t need to go to the emergency room. Either the bath had brought her temperature down, or the medicine had started working, but her eyes looked brighter, and she looked better.
“Bailee,” Caleb said from the doorway, and 1 turned, surprised that I hadn’t noticed him opening it.
Brinley beamed up at him, and my heart broke all over again. “Daddy!”
“What, Caleb?” I hissed, turning back to Brinley and slowly pouring another cup of water over her back, distracting her.
“Before you leave, I need to check your bags.” He said, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed.
I scoffed. “Excuse me?”
“I know you’re upset that I exposed the truth in court today, but I can’t have you taking your anger out by stealing anything valuable of mine.” Caleb glanced at Brinley, and I moved to the side, my knees aching from the hard tile as I tried to hide her from him.
“The truth? The truth My voice rang loud, almost echoing in the bathroom as I shouted. “Caleb, you forged a DNA test, altered photos, and lied under oath. Nothing you said today was the truth!
“And yet, the judge sided with me. If you don’t want to be here, then get the fuck out of my houser Caleb yelled before turning to return to his precious Lorna.
“How dare you have another kid!” I shouted as he walked away, my anger bubbling over. Caleb froze, his whole body tensing before he turned and stormed into the bathroom.
“The fuck did you just say?” He growled atopping two feet away and leaning over me. “You need to learn your place, Bailee What I do is none of your business anymore! You made that choice when you filed for divorce!
“No! You made that choice when you decided to sleep with your assistant!” I yelled back with tears of anger filling my eyes. How do you justify having another child when you couldn’t even take care of or take responsibility for the one you already have?”
“Don’t compare our child to your bastard!” Lorna said as she rounded the corner and blocked the bathroom door, her hand on henstill noticeably flat stomach.
+25 BONUS
My body moved before I realized what I was doing, and i lunged at Lorna, only for Caleb to hook his
hold me back.
around my waist to
“Call my daughter a bastard again and see what happens!” I shouted as I shoved Caleb’s arm off me and stepped back.
Brinley’s cry made the red haze in my vision clear, and I was ashamed that I had let her hear and see that. A child should
never have to be exposed to yelling or violence, no matter how stressful the situation is.
Im sorry, baby! I’m so sorry.” I whispered, turning to her as I dropped to my knees to hug her wet body to my chest again as she reached for me. “Everything is okay. We are going to stay somewhere else tonight. Let’s get you dried off.”
“Good” Lorna snapped. “Caleb, come cuddle with me. I’m feeling nauseous. I want to lay down and watch a movie.”
His face softened, and I felt sick, too. Not because I wanted him to look at me like that, but because he never had, and I had been too blind with the need to make this work to have ever noticed.
I dried Brinley off slowly, focusing all my attention on her. Caleb stayed for a moment longer before leaving the room, and I let out a shaky breath. I couldn’t keep doing this.
Her hair was wet but even if her fever was down, I couldn’t walk outside in the cold without risking her worsening.
Carrying Brinley to her room, I pulled my phone from my pocket before dialing the bar.
I needed help. I just had to hope that whoever answered the phone wouldn’t give away that it was me calling for help since Alex had been sitting at the bar.
It would just be the cherry on top of my already shitty day for Alex to get the satisfaction of learning that I was calling my brother’s bar for help after his dig earlier about me using Ben to clean up my messes.
“Haven’s Oasis Bar and Grill, this is Nicole. How can I help you?”
