Chapter 3
Nadia's POV
The slap left my ears ringing, sharp pain shooting through my skull.
"What?" I stared at Reid, my voice hollow. "No... that can't be—"
A year ago. He was still looking at wedding venues with me. Talking about our honeymoon in Hawaii. And the whole time, he was already married to someone else. A full goddamn year. He'd been lying to my face for an entire year.
Rage blinded me. I lunged at him, but Owen shoved me hard before my fist could connect. I hit the floor.
"That's ENOUGH, Nadia." He crouched down and shoved his phone in my face. "They ARE married. See for yourself."
Isla's social media filled the screen. A wedding in the snow. A massive diamond. Pregnancy photos. Reid kissing Isla's forehead in a delivery room.
Each photo was another slap.
"Remember last Christmas?" Mia let out a long breath. "Owen said he had some urgent case. Reid said business trip. I said I was visiting my aunt." She paused. "We were all in Colorado. Aspen. With Isla. Celebrating her pregnancy."
My vision blurred with tears.
Last Christmas. I'd been alone in my empty apartment, texting each of them holiday wishes. And they'd been on some mountain, raising glasses around another woman.
"Then what the hell was I?!" My voice cracked. "If this was already happening, why didn't you just TELL me?! Why keep—"
"To teach you a lesson," Reid said flatly. "Six months ago, backstage, you stepped on Isla's dress. She twisted her ankle, almost ended her whole career. So we made you pay for it."
"That was an ACCIDENT!" I screamed. "I apologized right there! She SAID it was fine! And—" My throat tightened. "She barely got a scrape! I got shoved down a staircase by reporters—my hand was almost DESTROYED!"
Silence. They just stared at me like I was some rabid dog.
Back then, my hand had been in a cast. The pain kept me up every night. They'd told me they were busy with the lawsuit, told me to rest. Turned out they'd all been with pregnant Isla instead.
I dragged myself off the floor, hands shaking as I ripped off the engagement ring and hurled it at Reid's face.
"I'm DONE with all of you!"
Before anyone could react, I bolted out the door.
A week later, someone kicked open my studio door.
I was packing, getting ready to leave this city for good. Reid stormed in, face flushed with anger. "You told my parents the wedding's OFF?! Do you have ANY idea what kind of hell they're raising at my place right now?!"
I didn't look up. "What, you want me to personally introduce them to your wife and kid?"
"Nadia." He took a breath, softening his tone. "Look, just—hear me out. Isla's parents saved my life. That car accident—I'd be dead without them. But they both died saving me. After that, Isla just... she spiraled. Severe depression. I was just trying to take care of her—"
"Oh, so you 'took care of her' right into your bed?"
Reid flinched.
"I was drunk that night," he said quietly. "Just once. I know I screwed up. But she got pregnant, and the baby—the baby's innocent—"
"So you hid everything from me. Married her behind my back. Had a whole baby."
"It wasn't even a REAL wedding!" he shot back. "Just some ceremony to keep her stable! Doctors said any stress could push her over the edge. I didn't have a choice—"
My phone buzzed twice. Two messages lit up the screen:
Mia: Sorry about yesterday. We were just trying to calm Isla down. She's really fragile right now. You get it, right?
Owen: Nadia, quit being dramatic. Reid loves YOU. Can we all just move on?
I stared at the texts. Even now, they were still pulling this crap.
"Listen." Reid kept going. "I never legally registered the marriage. YOU'RE the one I'm marrying. This Saturday—the wedding's still happening. Isla just needs someone around, that's all. We can make both work. It doesn't have to be either-or."
Before I could tell him to get lost, he turned toward the break room. "Let me grab you some coffee. Just calm down and we'll talk this through, okay?"
I opened my mouth to tell him to go to hell—
The door flew open.
Mia burst in, face sheet-white. "Reid—the baby's GONE!"
Before I could even process it, Owen charged in and backhanded me across the face.
The crack echoed through the room.
I slammed into the desk corner, tasting copper. My ears rang.
"Where is he?!" Owen grabbed my collar, jerking me forward. "WHERE'S THE KID?!"
"I don't—I don't know what you're—"
"Don't give me that!" He slammed me against the wall. "Isla's baby just disappeared! Who ELSE would pull something like this?!"
"I haven't even BEEN there! After the party I just—"
"LIAR!" Mia shrieked. "You went back last night! You did this to get back at Isla!"
"I SWEAR I didn't!"
Reid came running out of the break room. His hand clamped around my throat.
"Where's my son?!"
"I... don't... know..."
"TELL ME!"
"I really—I don't—"
His grip tightened. I clawed at his hand, drawing blood, but he wouldn't let go. Black spots danced across my vision. My throat made broken, wheezing sounds. Right when I thought I'd pass out, he released me.
I crumpled to the floor, coughing and gasping.
Reid grabbed the garment steamer from the corner.
"One last chance." He crouched down, aiming the nozzle at my face. "Where. Is. My. Baby."
"I don't—AHHHH!"
Scalding steam blasted my cheek. The pain went straight to the bone—I couldn't hold back the scream.
"TALK!"
"Please—Reid—I swear I don't know!"
Another blast. My face. My neck. My arms. Blisters bubbled up everywhere the steam touched. Owen and Mia just stood there watching. Not moving. Not saying a word. Just cold, dead stares.
Right when I thought I couldn't take anymore, Reid's phone rang.
He answered. Listened. His face changed. "What? You FOUND him?!"
He straightened up fast, shoving me aside without thinking. My head cracked against the metal clothing rack. Everything went black for a second, then exploded into white-hot pain. Something warm ran down my neck.
Blood.
"Nanny took him to the park," Mia said, relief washing over her face. "Forgot to tell Isla. Jesus, what a scare."
"Let's GO—Isla's losing it at home!" Owen was already heading for the door. All three of them rushed out without a backward glance.
"Wait—someone call—call an ambulance—"
No one stopped.
Just me. Alone in the studio. Leaning against the rack, feeling blood pool behind my head. My vision started going hazy.
I dragged myself to the desk, fingers trembling as I grabbed my phone and dialed 911.
The paramedics got there fast. As they loaded me onto the stretcher, I used what little strength I had left to send one email. Then everything went black.
Hours later, the door opened again.
Reid walked in with the baby in his arms. Isla, Owen, and Mia followed behind.
"Nadia, look, we're really sorry, we just—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
They all froze in the doorway, staring at the dark red stain on the floor.
