Chapter 6
938words
My eyes drifted to the velvet box sitting on my vanity. Noah's ring.
The sapphire glittered dangerously under the lights. You have until midnight.
I couldn't wear it. Not yet. But I couldn't leave it here either. If Liam found it...
I snapped the box shut and slipped it into my clutch purse. It felt heavy, a solid anchor in a sea of lies. It was my exit strategy. My nuclear option.
"Babe? Are you ready?"
Liam's voice came from the hallway. I stiffened.
"Just a second!" I called back, forcing a lightness into my tone that made me nauseous.
I opened the door. Liam stood there in a tuxedo, looking every inch the charming superstar. When he saw me, his eyes lit up. Not with love, but with possession.
"Wow," he breathed, reaching out to grab my waist. "You look incredible, El. The press is going to eat this up."
The press. Always the press.
He pulled me in for a kiss. I turned my head slightly so his lips landed on my cheek. I couldn't bear to taste him.
"Careful," I teased, "you'll smudge my lipstick."
Liam laughed, oblivious. "Let's go. I have a surprise for you downstairs."
The backyard of our Hampton estate had been transformed. Fairy lights draped over the trees, a live jazz band played near the pool, and waiters circulated with champagne.
It was extravagant. It was expensive. It was disgusting.
"Surprise!"
A chorus of voices erupted as we stepped onto the patio. Teammates, wives, sponsors, reporters. Flashes went off, blinding me.
I smiled. My face hurt from how fake it was.
"Oh, Liam!" I exclaimed, playing the part of the doting, surprised wife. "You shouldn't have!"
"Anything for my queen," Liam announced loudly, making sure the reporters heard.
I accepted a glass of champagne but didn't drink it. I held it like a prop.
"Elena! You look gorgeous!"
The voice grated on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard.
Sophia Cruz emerged from the crowd. She was wearing a white cocktail dress that looked suspiciously bridal. Her hand rested on Liam's arm with a familiarity that made my stomach churn.
"Happy anniversary, sweetie," Sophia cooed, leaning in to air-kiss my cheek. "Liam has been planning this for weeks. He's such a romantic."
I looked at her. I looked at her stomach, hidden under the draped fabric of her dress.
"He certainly is full of surprises," I said, my voice icy.
Sophia's smile faltered for a second, but she recovered quickly. "Well, enjoy the night. Marcus is here, by the way. He wants to say hi."
She steered Liam away toward the bar, leaving me alone. I watched them go. They looked like a couple. I was just the accessory.
I mingled, dodging questions about when we were going to start a family. Every time someone asked, "Any baby news?", I felt a twist of irony so sharp it felt like a knife.
Yes, I wanted to scream. I'm pregnant. And so is his mistress.
Halfway through the night, the music stopped. Liam tapped a spoon against his glass.
"Everyone, if I could have your attention," he bellowed, his charisma on full display.
The crowd hushed. Liam stood on the raised platform near the pool, with Sophia standing just a few feet away, beaming.
"Tonight isn't just about celebrating my beautiful wife," Liam said, gesturing to me. The spotlight hit me, and I squinted. "It's about family. As you know, the Glaciers are a family."
Applause.
"But Elena and I... we've been thinking about expanding our own family," Liam continued, his voice dropping to a somber, practiced tone. "We have so much love to give. And recently, we lost a dear friend. A brother in arms. Mike."
My blood ran cold. He was doing it. He was doing it now.
"Mike left behind a legacy," Liam said, wiping a fake tear. "And Elena and I... we are looking into adoption. To give a home to those who need it most."
The crowd "awwed" in unison. Cameras flashed wildly.
I stood frozen. He hadn't even asked me. He was announcing it to the world to force my hand. He was using a dead man's name to cover up his bastard child.
Sophia looked at me from the stage, a smug, triumphant smirk playing on her lips. Checkmate, her eyes seemed to say.
I gripped my clutch so hard my knuckles turned white. I could feel the hard edges of the velvet box through the leather.
I wasn't going to let them win.
I walked toward the stage.
The crowd parted for me. "Look, she's so touched," someone whispered.
I climbed the steps. Liam reached out his hand, expecting me to take it and play the weeping, grateful wife.
I took his hand. His palm was sweaty.
"Liam," I said into the microphone, my voice steady and clear. "That is... such a surprise."
I looked at Sophia. Her smirk faltered.
"But," I continued, turning to the crowd, "adoption is a long process. And honestly..." I placed a hand on my stomach. "I think we should focus on the blessings we already have."
The crowd went silent. Confusion rippled through the guests.
Liam's smile froze. His grip on my hand tightened painfully. "Elena, what are you saying?" he hissed through his teeth, away from the mic.
I pulled my hand away.
"I'm saying," I said, loud enough for only him and Sophia to hear, "that secrets have a way of coming out, Liam. Don't make promises you can't keep."
Before he could react, a loud crash echoed from the side of the stage.
