You Chose Her: Now Watch Me Leave

engine behind my husband's startup

nt belly, Michael was on Instagram posting a photo of his "frien

a joke. He claim

ill with leukemia, th

transplant; he begged me to cut myself open for the wo

that mattered: "If we were b

hesitate

o Singapore so he could donate his ki

anesthesia saving her, I was alone in

pecting my devotion, he fou

divorce decree and a medi

*He would have had your eyes. But

k my money, erased my existenc

pte

via

n't just hurt; it was sharp e

Prince, M

om of my OB-GYN, my hand resting instinctively o

marveling at fingers and toes. Instead, I was staring

he jawline I had kissed a thousand times. The broad shoulders

leaning into

terrifying, intimate familiarity. But it was the baby in

eyes. His nose. The

physical blow to match t

as though my lungs were be

every door, introduced him to every investor, and smoothed every path. I was four months older t

overed over his conta

Two rings.

in a meetin

the photo. Posted

meeting. He was

he carried the scent of rain and ex

that easy, charming smile that used to turn my knees to

to where I sat rigid on the sofa. "Sorry I

d down t

lips grazed my cheek

ection. He just placed his la

? How is o

sive, not loving. Like a banker checking the

voice sounded brittle, lik

His hand stop

pho

baby. You calle

part. There was no stutter, no bead of sweat

d to me with practiced ease. "That's Selena's kid. My college friend. You know her. Her

ated, the words

ike this. You know how parano

dropped a small vel

you. For being

d earrings. Cold. H

hing me over the rim of the glass. "She wants to meet you. She feels terrible th

devotion. He was wagering that the pathetic, l

the velvet

I said.

ing, the show

ords. I knew everything about him, ex

tudy. It smelled of

e was my greatest asset; he thought I w

ucked under a stack of quarterly reports, la

l, my heart hammeri

ber 1

has the money. I need the Hayes capital. Once

page, my vis

uary

big. But I need an heir to secure the trust fund. S

ves

a partner. I was an incu

violently I almost

hael and the dark-haired woman-Selena-from ye

ael looked satisfied. In th

ivi

d slammed it shut just as Michael walked

here?" His voice was

face him, forcing my features into a mask

nd, searching for cracks, th

garden that cost more tha

there, hold

way. When she saw Michael, her eyes lit

l!" she

baby on her hip. "And

felt heavy, swollen, and ex

na said, her voice dripping with fake s

, biting the in

tickled the baby under t

ss in his voice was a knife twisting in my ch

, Michael," a guest com

ing her hair. "Doesn

her gaze. She wanted me to know. She want

my abdomen. My baby kic

t Selena and the child. He looked lik

wallet standi

," I sai

in his eyes for a split second befor

to sit

table, but his eye

nt folder on the table.

ther. "The lawyers sent over that updated trust agreement for the

t was a post-nuptial modification. It gave him control o

it. He thought I would ju

rom across the garden, a smirk playing on

et the control.

n't a loud break. It was quiet, lik

ed up

per. I was signing the dea

hael," I said,

g for ou

ned m

the pen, I mad

money? He wan

d get n

hed my

d to the ground, Michael. And I'll st