Janet’s POV
I walked into the hostel Rowan had booked for us already, my chest heavy with exhaustion. My head pounded, and my legs felt weak.
I dropped my travel bag on the floor, the sound echoing in the quiet room.
It was past midnight. The anniversary. The trip. All of it. Ruined.
And the baby.
Without thinking, I reached into my bag and pulled out the pregnancy test paper.
Yes, I had planned to tell Rowan the good news on our wedding anniversary. But now, as I thought about how he always defended Flora, how he couldn’t—or wouldn’t—see her manipulations, I felt my certainty slip away. For the first time, I questioned everything.
Is this child coming at the right time?
My hands tightened around the test.
“This has to end,” I whispered to myself. I stood, pacing the small room. Every step felt heavier. My body told me to sit, to rest, but my mind wouldn’t stop racing. I needed to tell Rowan. I needed to lay it all out.
Walking into the bathroom, I splashed cold water on my face, the icy sting bringing me back to reality. I stared at my reflection. My eyes were tired, my skin pale. I looked… broken.
I dressed quickly, packed my things, and zipped up my bag. It’s time to leave. Time to stop this mess.
Just as I was about to pull the zipper, the door swung open. Rowan walked in, the smell of alcohol hitting me before he even spoke.
“Where the hell are you going?” His voice was sharp, his tone unfamiliar.
I didn’t look at him. “Where I go isn’t your business anymore. Why don’t you return to your darling Flora? ” I said, tugging the zipper closed, my hands trembling slightly.
Rowan stepped forward, blocking the door. “Stop being difficult, Janet. Why are you being so heartless? She was upset throughout the dinner thinking she’d hurt you.”
So he was more worried about Flora being upset than how his wife felt? I froze, my jaw tightening. “Excuse me?” I echoed, my voice rising. “Didn’t you see how unreasonable she was to me at the dinner table? Are we talking about the same person?”
Rowan’s frown deepened, but his voice stayed steady. “Flora lost her husband, Janet. She’s been through hell. It’s quite normal for her to be emotional. She just needs people around her right now. Why can’t you understand that?”
“Understand?” I spat the word back at him, my heart pounding. Tell me what’s more heartbreaking than hearing your own husband defend another woman! “Is that why you spend hours with her? Nights, even? Is that why you’re so willing to drop everything for her? Because you ‘understand’ her? Or is it because she was your first love?”
Rowan’s face darkened, his lips pressed into a thin line. “You’re my wife. She’s just a friend. I really don’t get why you’re attacking her like this. Please, just be generous.”
Oh, so now I’m his wife— when he needs me to play the role of the ‘generous’ partner. How convenient.
The pregnancy test report still sat in my pocket.
