Chapter 3

Next morning, Damien's up early. That never happens.

He takes my hand, all soft and sweet. "Hey, let's go get you a checkup today. You've lost weight. I'm worried about you and the baby."

Before yesterday, that would've melted me. Now it makes my stomach turn.

I let him lead me to the car. The second we get there, the passenger window rolls down and there she is. Sophia. Batting her lashes, whiny as ever.

"Babe, what took you so long?"

Then she turns to me, all sugary. "Oh, Claire! I haven't been feeling great either. You don't mind if I tag along, right?"

I shoot Damien a look.

He doesn't even flinch. Just leans in close and whispers, "Let her come. Don't make a scene. I'll make it up to you later."

And just like that, it clicks.

This whole checkup isn't about me. It's about Sophia getting a preview of my unborn child. Shopping before the delivery.

I almost laugh. "Sure. I don't mind."

Damien lets out a breath, lifts me into the back seat, buckles my seatbelt like the perfect husband. Sophia plants herself in the front. Shotgun. She throws me a little smirk over her shoulder and snuggles up to Damien, baby voice on full blast.

I don't say a word. Not in the car. Not walking into the hospital. Not when I sit down in the exam chair.

The doctor runs the wand over my belly and asks the routine question. "How many pregnancies have you had?"

I stare at the ceiling. "This is number eleven."

The doctor doesn't react.

But the women in the waiting room outside? They have plenty to say. I can hear every word through the thin walls.

"You see how that man looks at the other girl? THAT's the couple. The pregnant one's probably the side piece."

"Eleven?! She's gotta be popping them out for different rich guys. What a tramp."

Damien barely flinches. Doesn't say a word to defend me.

Sophia catches my eye and smirks.

Then she spots the baby on the ultrasound screen. Her whole face lights up. She leans forward, can't help herself. "So, doctor? What is it?"

The St. Clairs own this hospital. So whatever Damien wants to know, he gets.

He and Sophia follow the doctor into the back office. I'm left sitting alone on that exam chair. When they come back out, Sophia's face is dark. She stares at me like I'm something stuck on the bottom of her shoe.

Damien grabs my hand. Big apologetic eyes. Gentle voice.

"Claire, I'm sorry. The doctor says there are serious complications with the baby. It's not going to be viable. We need to terminate."

The doctor nods along right on cue. "It really is for the best. Carrying to term would only mean more suffering."

I look at the three of them.

Here's something Damien forgot. I was a med student once. Top of my class, actually. Until a one-night stand with him got me pregnant and I had to drop out.

I saw that ultrasound screen. That baby is perfectly healthy.

The only problem? It's not what Sophia ordered. She already has a girl. She wants something new, something different. So Damien needs this baby gone so I can start over and try again.

I look him dead in the eye.

"What if I say no?"