Chapter 49
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CLARA had just touched down in LA, dragging her suitcase behind her in the echoing airport terminal, when her phone buzzed with a message. A few lines from another friend told her everything she needed to know: Adrian cheated. Mistress pregnant. Amelia broken.
Her heart dropped. Clara stopped in the middle of the walkway, staring at the message.
“Oh, Ame…” she whispered. Sadness washed over her; Amelia, the woman who always defended Adrian, whose mother painted him as the perfect man.
That very man had let her down in the worst way possible.
Without even waiting to get home, Clara unlocked her phone and dialed Amelia’s number. It rang and rang. Finally, on the fourth ring, a weak voice answered.
“Hello?” Amelia sounded drained, like life itself had been seeping out of her.
“Ame? It is me. Clara,” she said quickly. “Oh my God, I just got back, and I heard. So, Leonard wasn’t just blabbing all along. Girl, tell me people are exaggerating p>
A tired sigh came from the other end.
“Clara… it is true p>
Clara stopped walking altogether and leaned against a pillar, her suitcase forgotten.
“No, Ame. Don’t say that. Don’t tell me Adrian actually… oh Jesus Christ!” Her voice cracked with a mix of disbelief and anger. “That man? After everything? After the way you have stood for him, defended him, prayed for him? Ame, no p>
Amelia’s silence was heavier than words. Finally, she said, I trusted him, Clara. You know I did. I never saw it coming. And it wasn’t just cheating… the said girl… Vivian, she is pregnant p>
Clara gasped loudly, a few passersby turning to look p>
“Pregnant? Ame! Pregnant? Are you kidding me right now? This is not just betrayal, this is destruction! How could he be so careless? So disrespectful? Oh God, Ame, my heart is breaking for you p>
On the other end, Amelia let out a broken laugh.
“My heart broke already, Clara. Shattered. He didn’t even have the decency to cover his tracks well. That morning … I was praying, and his phone rang. I answered. The girl told him she is carrying his baby p>
Clara closed her eyes, pain flooding her chest as though it were her own betrayal.
“No, no, no… Ame, that is too cruel. To find out like that? While you are praying? God, he destroyed something sacred p>
“Exactly,” Amelia whispered. “I can’t even look at him the same way anymore. I can’t believe the man I have lived with for ten years, the father of my daughter, would humiliate me like this p>
Clara shook her head furiously, anger sparking hot.
“You gave that man your youth, your loyalty, your respect. You carried Hazel for him, built a home, endured. And he pays you back with a mistress? With a child outside? Oh, hell no. No! He doesn’t deserve you, Ame. He doesn’t deserve a queen like you p>
Amelia’s tears slipped through her voice.
“Hazel keeps asking after him, Clara. She is with my mom ow. I don’t know what to tell her. How do I tell a child
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that her father isn’t the man she thinks he is p>
Clara’s voice softened, trembling.
“You tell her the truth in pieces, Ame. You shield her until she is old enough to understand. Hazel doesn’t deserve to carry this burden now. But you? You need strength, Ame. You need to stand firm. Don’t let this man’s betrayal break you p>
Amelia sniffed.
“It is easier said than done. I still love him, Clara. As much as I hate myself for it, I still do p>
Clara pressed her palm against her chest, eyes glistening.
“Of course you do, Ame. Love doesn’t die overnight. And Adrian, he doesn’t stop being Hazel’s father just because he failed you. But loving him doesn’t mean you should keep quiet. No. If he wants to keep you, let him fight for it. Let him bleed for it. Let him earn what he has thrown away. Don’t make it easy p>
There was silence on Amelia’s side, then a whisper.
“Do you think I should leave p>
Clara hesitated, then spoke firmly.
“Ame, listen to me. Don’t rush. Don’t pack your bags just yet. Take your time. Breathe. Watch him. Let him show you what kind of man he truly is now. If he grovels, if he proves remorse, if he fights for you and Hazel, then maybe, maybe, you can consider. But if he stands tall, proud, entitled? If he thinks this is normal?” Clara’s voice sharpened. “Then Ame, leave. Don’t let him drag you into mud p>
Amelia exhaled shakily.
“You are right. But the pain is choking me, Clara. I feel like I’m drowning in shame. People will laugh at me. My perfect husband wasn’t so perfect after all p>
Clara’s tone grew fierce.
“Who cares about people? Ame, listen to me: you are not the shame here. He is. He chose betrayal. He chose disgrace. You are the victim, not the fool. Don’t you dare carry his shame. Hold your head high. You are Amelia Cole. And if Adrian can’t see your worth, then let the world remind him what he lost p>
Amelia broke down, sobbing softly. Clara stayed on the line her voice soothing.
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“Cry, Ame. Let it out. But after the tears, stand up. For Hazel. For yourself. For the woman I have always admired. This is not your end. This is just the storm before your dawn p>
The sobs turned into sniffles, then a long pause. Finally, Amelia whispered, “Thank you, Clara p>
Clara blinked hard, fighting her own tears.
“Don’t thank me, Ame. Just promise me one thing p>
“What p>
“Promise me you won’t lose yourself. Promise me you won’t let Adrian’s sin define your life p>
There was a pause, then Amelia’s voice, quiet but firm: “I promise p>
Clara nodded to herself, relief washing over her.
“Good. I will come see you tomorrow. You are not going through this alone p>
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They lingered in silence for a moment, two women holding each other through a phone line, bound by friendship and pain, until Amelia finally whispered, “Goodnight, Clara”
“Goodnight, Ame. Be strong p>
The call ended, but Clara stood rooted in the terminal, tears slipping down her cheeks. She dragged her suitcase forward, whispering again, “Oh, Ame p>
She had returned home from a long trip, to rest, but now it seems it was to fight alongside her friend. And this time, she wouldn’t let Amelia face the storm alone.
Vivian walked out of the bathroom, the short red nightie clinging to her like a careless promise as she slipped onto the edge of the bed. The room smelled faintly of soap and the leftover night air. Across from her, on the dresser seat, Adrian sat with his elbows on his knees, fingers steepled, lost in thought. The angle of his jaw was tight; he looked older than his years.
She watched him for a beat, then reached out, voice soft, needy.
“Babe, you haven’t really said much,” she murmured. “What is going on in your head?” She tried for lightness, letting a teasing smile pull at her lips. “Well, firstly, what about Claire? Am I… am I safe? Are we safe? Do I need to vacate the vicinity for a while p>
Adrian didn’t look up immediately. When he finally did, his eyes held a tired severity that made her swallow. He sighed, the sound thick with a responsibility beyond the two of them.
“I have handled it,” he said finally, as if repeating a prayer to convince himself. “It has been taken care of. Let it go p>
“Are you serious?” Vivian’s laugh trembled on the edge of hysteria. “Babe, the way she barged in here that night, she actually touched me, touched my belly. It got me scared” Her hands fluttered to her belly unconsciously, protective.
“I said I have handled it,” he repeated, firmer now. “Don’t let it bother you. Okay?” There was no triumph in his voice, only a tired promise. Vivian nodded, though relief fluttered through her like a moth.
She shifted, letting her knees draw up slightly, trying to close the small distance between them. “Alright. Well, tell me, what are you thinking about?” she asked, hopeful that his answer would be everything she wanted to hear: reassurance, commitment, maybe even a dash of romance to seal their fragile intimacy.
Adrian’s gaze travelled over her like a man measuring a map. He looked at the woman who bore his secret, at the curve of her jaw, the way the moonlight hit her collarbone. There was something solemn in the way he regarded her now, as if the consequence of a single moment had become the axis of his life.
He inhaled slowly and, when he spoke, his voice was careful, measured.
“I need to know exactly what you plan on doing with the pregnancy,” he said.
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Olivia Harris
Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.