Page 16
I was in the bathroom at six in the morning, head over the toilet, my stomach churning while the pregnancy test lay on the counter next to me. Two days of constant nausea and zero appetite had me in a spiral. I had been on birth control for as long as I could remember and hadn’t had a period in ages, and yet… here I was. Either I was sick, or my heavy wine intake was finally catching up with me.
“Mani, you good in there?” I heard Damier’s voice outside the door, low and concerned.
“Yes, just give me a minute,” I called back, my voice weaker than I intended.
I needed to get myself together before he realized something was up. But just as I reached for the box on the counter, the door opened, and he stepped in.
His gaze dropped to the box before I could grab it. “What’s this?”
I froze, unable to meet his eyes. “It’s a test… a pregnancy test,” I managed to whisper, feeling my face heat up. “I… I didn’t want you to find out. I was hoping it was just a stomach virus, or maybe I need to cut back on the wine.” The words tumbled out in a rush as I tried to keep myself from unraveling.
Damier looked at me, his expression unreadable, and I couldn’t hold back anymore. “I didn’t want this to mess up what we’re building, and I definitely didn’t want you to think I was trying to trap you,” I said, my voice breaking. “If it’s positive, I’ll get an abortion, and we can move forward without any of this?—”
He put his hand up, stopping me. “Dream,” he said firmly, “you don’t need to explain yourself like that. I know you’re not trapping me, and a pregnancy wouldn’t mess us up.” He sighed, his fingers brushing my cheek. “We agreed that we didn’t want kids, yeah, but let’s just see what it says before we jump to any conclusions.”
I nodded, feeling a wave of relief that he understood. I picked up the test, hands trembling, and took a deep breath before going through with it. Meanwhile, Damier stepped into the shower, giving me a moment to breathe.
When the results came up, my heart hammered as I read the test. Negative . I exhaled, almost collapsing from relief. It was just a scare.
After he got out, I showed him the result, and he looked as relieved as I felt. “Guess we’re safe for now,” he murmured with a smirk, pulling me into his arms. I made a mental note to follow up with my doctor to be sure, but for now, the tension had lifted.
With that behind us, we moved into our morning. Damier offered to drive me to work, and I gratefully accepted. On our way, he seemed unusually relaxed. “You know,” he said, glancing at me, “I kind of like this routine—taking you to work. Keeps me grounded in the real world.”
I smiled, taking his hand. “It feels normal, doesn’t it?”
We pulled up to my office, and he kissed me goodbye. “I’ll pick you up for dinner,” he said with a wink, making me feel like I was floating as I walked inside.
Later, as I settled into my office, my third client of the day appeared on my schedule: Jennifer. I knew who she really was—Carmen, Damier’s ex-wife—and the thought of our session had me on edge. I immediately texted Damier about her, and I could tell he wasn’t pleased from his response.
Let me know if it is really her. She is going to wish she stayed in New York like our agreement stated.
As Carmen walked into my office under the alias Jennifer Dolphin, the strange satisfaction I once felt in being her therapist began to dissolve. I’d pieced together the threads of her stories long before she’d likely realized. Today, I had a feeling our session would be different.
“Good morning, Jennifer.” I greeted her with a steady voice, gesturing for her to take a seat.
“Good morning, Dr. Jaxton,” she replied, her smile faintly amused, as if she was in on a private joke. She looked immaculate, every bit as poised as she had in previous sessions. But her unique features—the striking combination of one green eye and one light brown eye—felt like a taunt.
She sat across from me, crossing her legs elegantly, but something about her demeanor was different today, less guarded, more… calculated.
“You know, Dr. Jaxton, I thought it was finally time for me to let go and move on.” She offered me a small smile, tilting her head. “Especially since my ex is moving on yet again.”
I held her gaze, feeling my own confidence rising. This game of hers had gone on long enough.
“Carmen,” I said, letting her real name hang between us. Her smile faltered for a split second, but she quickly regained her composure.
“Oh, my. You called me Carmen,” she coolly replied.
“You can drop the act,” I said, leaning forward. “I know that Franklin—the rich, dangerous ex-husband you’ve been talking about—is actually Damier. And I know that Jennifer Dolphin doesn’t exist.”
A slight tension tightened her face, but she didn’t react the way I thought she might. Instead, she simply let out a soft laugh. “Well, I didn’t think you’d figure it out quite so quickly. But I suppose I underestimated you.”
“So, you came to me under false pretenses,” I continued, keeping my tone firm. “Pretending to be a patient, just so you could… what, Carmen? Keep tabs on Damier? See what he’s doing in his life?”
She crossed her arms, her face now void of any pretense of friendliness. “I was curious, yes,” she admitted. “Is that such a crime? To want to know what the man you were once married to is up to?”
“It is when you lie about who you are and manipulate your way into my office. You and Damier have a strict relationship right now. You’re not supposed to be here.” I kept my tone calm, refusing to give her any reaction that might satisfy her.
She let out a sigh, almost as if she were disappointed. “You’re making this more dramatic than it needs to be, Dr. Jaxton. I only wanted to get a sense of who my replacement was before I moved on with my life. Satisfy my curiosity, if you will.”
“Well, consider your curiosity satisfied,” I replied, my voice sharper than I intended. “But the truth is, this isn’t just curiosity. You’ve crossed a line.”
Carmen rolled her eyes, unfazed. “Oh, relax. I just wanted to see if you’re worthy of him since he picked you on a fake show.” She looked me up and down, her gaze lingering with something between disdain and indifference. “And, I must say, you seem… promising.”
The audacity in her voice made my patience snap. “I don’t need your approval, Carmen. And, for the record, you had no right to intrude into my professional life. This is my work, not some personal playground where you can check up on your ex-husband. I can sue you.”
She raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “Really? Because from where I stand, it seems you’re more invested in him than you’d like to admit. So, my little visit here shouldn’t ruffle your feathers, should it?”
I drew in a breath, keeping myself steady. “If you’ve moved on like you claim, then it’s time for you to actually move on. Stop inserting yourself into his life—or mine. It’s been years, he told me.”
She tilted her head, a glint of something dark flashing in her eyes. “Fine. But here’s some advice for what it’s worth. Don’t fumble him like I did. Damier is loyal to a fault. He’s the kind of man who doesn’t give himself to just anyone. You should be grateful to have him.”
“Advice from you?” I replied with a calm I didn’t entirely feel. “No, thank you.”
She rose from her chair, adjusting her coat with a satisfied smile that made my skin crawl. “Suit yourself. But if he ever proposes, my advice still stands, say yes. You’d be lucky to have him.”
Without another word, I nodded toward the door, signaling her exit. As she turned and left, I pulled out my phone and typed a quick message to Damier.
She’s gone. It was exactly who we thought.
I barely had time to put my phone down before it buzzed with his response.
I’m outside waiting on her. Trust me, I won’t make a scene.
I let out a sigh, watching the door close behind her. Whatever reckoning she thought she’d evade was about to catch up with her, and somehow, I felt a quiet satisfaction in knowing that.