ounded in her chest. She stood in front of Vict

ng. She took a deep breath, clutching her purse tightly as if it would somehow give her

er way inside, climbing the

ing back of times she and Victor had spent together-

nt laughter from inside. She knocked, her knuckles tap

rprise to something colder when he saw her. Before she could speak, her eyes

ced with hostility. She stood from the couch, her hand resting p

pregnant too. Of course, she was. Racheal felt a pang of jealousy and despair, kno

velyn. "Racheal, you shouldn't have come," he said f

d her voice. "I just... I needed to t

r said, his words cutting like a k

other side of the room, watching the

ter, now looked at her like she was an intruder. Racheal f

n't just show up here and think you can mess things

o keep her composure. "I didn't come here to mess things up. I just..

what the doctor said, Racheal. This isn't my probl

e flood of emotions. She glanced at Evelyn, who smi

" Evelyn said, her voice dripping with contempt. "Victor is

u, Racheal?" Evelyn sneered, her voice dripping w

ything? Newsflash: Victor doesn't want you. He never did.

she clenched her fists, trying to stand her ground. "I'm not here to

closer. "Are you desperate? That you can't handle the fact that he m

, calculating eyes, finally spoke up. She rose f

digging tramp. I warned him about you from the beginning, but he was too blind to see it. Now yo

before she could respond, Evelyn's mother stepped

you no dignity? No self-respect? You're an embar

reak. She hadn't expected kindness, but this? It was brutal. "I'm not

ble! You're nothing but a leech, sucking the life out of everyone around

e tried to regain her balance, but Evelyn's mother pushed her

you?" Evelyn's mother snarled. "Get

she could react, she went crashing down onto the h

tching her bump as she tried to catch her breath. Tears streamed down h

is expression blank, as if she were nothing more than a nuisance-a problem he wis

cutting through Racheal's pain like a knife. "Crawling around like the t

, fear and panic surging through her. She didn't know if her baby was okay, but the pa

her. "No one wants you, Racheal. Not Victor, n

he were dirt beneath her shoe. "You should have known better than

Victor, silently begging for any sign of concern, but he just turned away, cold and

the sobs that threatened to escape. She was humiliated, hurt, and terrified, but

she said, her voice hoarse b

ut of the apartment, clutching her belly

ing her, taunting her. But Racheal didn't look back. She couldn't afford

ould either laugh at her or say, "I warned

eemed to come true. She could already imagine Chloe's smirk, the way she'd toss her

bag. "I told you so," she could almost hear Chloe's voice e

of love. It was the thought of facing her friend's mockery that stung the most

*

stepped inside. Chloe was sprawled out on the couch, surrounded

ression, Chloe's lips curled into a grin

new it! I told you so, didn't I?" She leaned back, still chuckling, enjoying her mom

e, but it crumbled under the

ed in her eyes, and before she could stop herself, she broke down, sobbing uncontroll

loe out of her playful mood. Her laught

oe murmured, guilt washing over her as she saw the tears streami

he whispered, her voice thick with remorse. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm just... I'm just worr

nd the soft murmur of her apologies eased some of the pain. Chloe ti

ghter, making sure Rachel knew that no matter what, she would always be there to catch her when she fell