I Carried My Husband’s Mistress’s Baby and Walked Away novel Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After that day, he never came to see me again.

I kept seeing Jenna posting on Instagram, the three of them taking the baby through family photo shoots in every style imaginable.

The day my postpartum recovery ended, the entire Prescott household threw a lavish one-month baby welcome party for that bastard.

Grandma Evelyn told me the final divorce decree would be ready tomorrow.

When I went back to pack, the warm home that used to belong to both of us had been remodeled to Jenna’s taste.

Even the framed photo by the living-room TV-him cradling my pregnant belly-had been replaced with a glossy family portrait of Julian, Jenna, and the baby.

Julian was smiling in that picture, genuinely happy.

It looked even better than the smile he wore the day he finally got me to say yes.

I went into the bedroom to take the clothes I’d owned before the marriage.

But no matter how hard I searched the closet, I couldn’t find the hand-embroidered silk gown my mom had sewn for me

before she died.

I was about to call and ask when I saw an Instagram photo of Jenna wearing it to the baby welcome party.

Rage surged so fast it made my vision blur.

I grabbed a rideshare and rushed to the ballroom, where she was hooked around Julian’s arm

people flattered her.

ond chatting as

When he spotted me, guilt flickered across Julian’s expression, then turned into a smug look like he’d been expecting this

all along

He let go of Jenna and started toward me. I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away, but it’s an important day for the

baby, so don’t-

I didn’t let him finish.

I marched straight up to Jenna and slapped her hard across the face.

*Remember what you are,” I said. “Don’t be like your mother-another side plece who loves stealing what belongs to

someone else.”

I pulled a pair of scissors out and cut straight into the gown on her body.

Fabric ripped with a sharp, ugly sound, and her scream stabbed through the room as I tore it wider.

“If you don’t have anything to wear, go naked.” I snapped. “My mom made this for me, and I’d rather destroy it than let a

side piece wear it.”

The ballroom erupted into chaos, and for once Grandma Evelyn, who always cared about the family’s image, stood still

and didn’t step in.

Julian pulled off his coat and draped it over Jenna’s shoulders, then glared at me, furious.

“How can you be this vicious?” he barked. “In front of all these people, how is she supposed to hold her head up? She only

borrowed it. Are you really going to be this petty?”

Watching him twist right and wrong. I laughed coldly.

I laughed coldly and cut every button off the matching dress shirt he was wearing-the one my mother had sewn by

hand for us as a set.

“You forgot the promise you made to my mom,” I said. That you’d take care of me for the rest of your life.”

That’s fine. I won’t forget. Just like this shirt, you and I are finished-done for good.”

“I hope you enjoy your perfect little family-may you be happy together for the rest of your lives.”

I walked out while everyone stared in shock.

That party didn’t end with any elegance.

Jenna fainted from all her sobbing, and Julian rushed her to the hospital.

Grandma Evelyn stayed behind with the baby and finished hosting the party on her own.

The next morning. I got the final divorce decree.

My phone was still full of Julian’s messages demanding I apologize.

I blocked him, deleted the thread, and took the decree straight to the cemetery to see my William.

Half a month ago, I’d already had the cemetery staff set up his headstone.

Seeing the words Beloved Son, William Nolan made grief crash through me all over again.

I opened my mouth, about to speak, when Julian’s voice came from behind me.

“I knew you’d come,” he said. “Whenever you feel wronged, you come to see him, but what you did yesterday was too

much, in front of everyone-

He didn’t get to finish before Jenna gasped. “Julian, she gave that child the same name as our baby!

“Claire,” she cried, “even if you hate that child, you’re still going to be his mother. Why would you use the same name to

curse him to die young?”

Julian’s brow tightened as he stepped closer and read the name on the stone.

Shanters

245

His gaze dropped, and he saw the line beneath it: the only person listed as having erected the headstone was Claire, and

his name wasn’t there at all.

Seeing our child carry my last name made him feel uneasy and unsettled.

But Jenna’s crying washed it away, and he turned on me.

“Losing him is a regret I’ll live with,” he said, voice sharp. “But who gave you the right to decide this on your own? Are you

trying to jinx your nephew?”

“And yesterday-humiliating Jenna in front of everyone-I haven’t even dealt with you for that yet.”

“Do you really think I love you so much I’ll let you do anything you want?”

“You have ten minutes,” he snapped. “Get the cemetery to smash this headstone, and when I pick a name, I’ll put up a

new one.”

I stared at the man who’d once sobbed like his heart was breaking after our son died.

“And if I say no?” I asked.

He froze, shock flashing across his face.

A long moment passed before disappointment settled heavy in his eyes.

He lifted a hand, and three bodyguards climbed out of the car.

“Claire, Julian said, “he was my son, but Jenna’s baby is my son too.”

“If you insist on this, then I’ll have them dig up his grave.”

“If he’s watching from the other side, he’ll know I’m doing it to protect his little brother, and he wont blame me

I already knew how ugly he could be, but hearing him talk about digging up our child’s grave-for a mistress, for a name

–still made my chest ache.

He wore the expression of a man who’d already won, certain I’d cave to keep my son’s rest intact.

I smiled.

Calmly, I pulled out the final divorce decree and tossed it in front of him.

“Sorry, Mr. Prescott,” I said. “I don’t think you have the right to tell me what to name my child.

“Because an hour ago, we stopped being husband and wife.”