Chapter 2

Chapter 002

Tahlia's point of view

Tahlia was awakened by a gentle knock on the door. She felt a slight headache from the tears she had shed the previous evening as her eyes slowly opened.

A bouquet of roses and a brief note that said, "I apologize for yesterday," were placed on the bed. Cheers to your third anniversary!

Despite being aware of her allergy to flowers, Tahlia grinned as she held them up to her nose. Given that her name was Tahlia, it was somewhat humorous. Her heart warmed as she clutched the bouquet. As Jaxon entered the room, she thought, "He must have been in such a hurry that he forgot about my allergy."

"Good morning," he said in a friendly tone.

"Good morning." Thank you for the flowers," Tahlia said, attempting to conceal her uneasiness.

Grinning, Jaxon took a seat beside her. "You wanted to tell me something last night?"

Tahlia's face brightened as the agony from before vanished. She picked up the little zip bag containing the positive pregnancy test and set the flowers on the side table. "Yes, I do have some news to share. Jaxon, I'm—"

A knock on the door interrupted her before she could say anything more.

"Just a moment," Tahlia yelled. Their maid, Kylie, was standing in the doorway when she went over and opened it.

Kylie smiled and said, "Good morning, Mrs. Harrington."

Tahlia's mood immediately improved. She felt even more unique when she heard the name "Mrs. Harrington." She smiled back and said, "Good morning, Kylie."

Kylie raised an eyebrow and said, "You have a visitor."

Tahlia hesitated, perplexed. "A guest? I wasn't expecting anyone. And nobody really comes over because Jaxon prefers to keep our marriage a secret.

Kylie gave a nod. "Her name is Mia," she stated.

Tahlia felt her stomach turn at the sound of that name. She was well acquainted with Mia. Why is she here? Was Jaxon still the unmarried man she had broken up with years prior, in her opinion? As she forced a smile for Kylie, Tahlia pondered.

"Kylie, thank you. I'll be right there. However, Jaxon was already standing and heading for the door as she turned to tell him.

Jaxon looked back at Tahlia and said, "I'll go check on her."

"Like hell, you will!" Though she grinned at him, Tahlia was deep in thought. "With each other, we can succeed. Besides, I should welcome her as well. We've been acquainted for a while, haven't we? She locked her fingers together and put her hand in his.

As they made their way downstairs together, Jaxon gave her a sidelong glance, his face unreadable.

Mia turned when they heard their footsteps in the foyer. When she noticed that they were holding hands, her smile wavered. Tahlia's stomach dropped when she saw that Mia was wearing the enormous diamond ring that Jaxon had promised her a few days earlier.

Mia smiled, quickly masking her surprise. "Good morning, lovers." She quickly embraced Tahlia before turning to embrace Jaxon, who had his hands hanging loosely at his sides.

Tahlia forced a smile and pointed to the living room. "It’s been a while, Mia," she said. "Let's have a seat and talk."

Yes, it has been forever. "I feel like I have a lot of things to catch up on," Mia said, her tone light but sharp.

They sat down, and Tahlia looked at Jaxon. Before she could think about it, Jaxon said, "I wonder if he still feels the same way about her."

"Mia, welcome back. Could you please let me know what brings you here so early? There was something beneath the casual tone of Jaxon's question.

"Oh, yes," Mia said as she turned to grasp Tahlia's hands. "I just found out from my secretary who yesterday was your third anniversary. I came to apologize for interfering with your plans. Jaxon helped me, so I'm sure your special plans went awry.

Although Tahlia grinned, she looked into Mia's eyes to see if she was being sincere. She carefully said, "I understand that you needed help."

"I wasn't sure what to do at first. However, after Jaxon's assistance, I became too afraid to be by myself. I apologize, Tahlia. "Please don't be angry with him," Mia said in an apologetic tone. At least Tahlia wanted to believe her.

Though a tiny knot twisted in her stomach, Tahlia thought, "He must have felt guilty and asked Mia to come over to clear the air."

Tahlia said, "No problem," but her thoughts were racing.

When Jaxon's phone vibrated, he excused himself, leaving Tahlia and Mia by themselves.

Mia's smile grew as she squeezed Tahlia's hand. Her voice was full of appreciation as she said, "Thank you for understanding."

Mia withdrew her hand, drawing Tahlia's attention to something. As she fixed her eyes on Mia's wristband, the knot in her throat widened. Tahlia had hoped that Jaxon would give her the same bracelet for their anniversary. Jaxon would have ordered it months ago, but it was rare, pricey, and custom-made.

Mia was wearing the bracelet, even though Tahlia had been positive it would be her gift.

"Did you enjoy the flowers?" Tahlia's thoughts were interrupted by Mia's voice.

In an attempt to concentrate, Tahlia blinked. She tried to conceal her hurt by asking, "How did you know I got flowers?"

"Because I picked them," Mia said, reaching for a glass of juice with a cunning smile.

Tahlia felt a painful twist in her stomach. With a faltering voice, she inquired, "You picked the flowers Jaxon gave me?"

Mia's eyebrow went up. "No, you're not smart. Jaxon purchased them for me, but I requested that he give them to you instead.

Tahlia's gaze expanded. "Jaxon?!" Her voice broke in shock at what she was hearing. She got to her feet, prepared to face him, but she was stopped in her tracks by a loud crash.

"Ouch!" With the glass breaking in her hands, Mia let out a cry.

At the sound of the crash, Jaxon hurried back inside. "Are you okay?" he inquired, his worry evident in his tone, and Tahlia's heart ached as she saw him treat Mia as though he had never given her any attention.

With soft hands and worried eyes, Jaxon checked Mia for injuries. Mia let out another cry just as he appeared to be going to check on Tahlia.

"No! Jaxon, I've cut my leg!" Mia's voice rose as she sobbed. This week, I have a show! What am I going to do?

Without a second thought, Jaxon took her in his arms, bridal style, and left the room without giving Tahlia another look.