Anna Gray adjusted the stack of files in her arms as she walked through the bustling office corridors of Montgomery & Sons Bookstore. She had been unable to concentrate all morning, her excitement simmering just beyond the surface. Tonight was her second wedding anniversary, and she had everything perfectly prepared. A romantic dinner, a unique present, and, most significantly, the announcement of her pregnancy. After three months of keeping it a secret, she was finally ready to tell her husband, Soren Blackwood, the life-changing news.
She was brought back to reality by her coworkers' strident talk. One of the more haughty members of the legal team, Edward, was fumbling with an armful of protruding folders just up ahead. He struggled to stay balanced as his shiny shoes slid dangerously on the marble floor.
"Edward, wait!" Anna called, quickening her pace. Her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she rushed to help.
But before she could steady him, she tripped on the corner of a loose carpet. The world tilted, and with a loud crash, they both went tumbling to the ground. Documents exploded into the air, fluttering down like oversized confetti.
The office erupted in laughter.
Edward scrambled to his feet, his face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger. He whirled on Anna, his voice sharp. "Dammit, Anna! Why do you always have to meddle? Look at this mess! Do you ever think before acting?"
Anna's cheeks burned with humiliation, but before she could respond, a familiar, mocking voice sliced through the room.
"What were you thinking, Anna?" Judith, the self-appointed queen bee of the office, stepped forward with her signature smirk. Her eyes sparkled with malice. "Trying to help someone while waddling around like a pregnant whale? You only made things worse."
The laughter redoubled.
Anna clinched her hands and bit the bitter response on the tip of her tongue. She put a protective palm over her abdomen, sheltering the tiny life growing inside her. The nasty remarks stung "clumsy," "liability," "useless" but she refused to show them her tears.
Straightening her posture, she took a deliberate breath and knelt to gather the scattered documents. When she stood, her eyes met Edward's, cold and unyielding. "Next time, try asking for help instead of assuming you can manage everything on your own," she said, her voice calm but firm.
The crowd fell silent, their amusement momentarily dampened. Without another glance, Anna turned on her heel and strode away, her head held high. She ignored the murmurs and snide comments trailing behind her, her focus solely on making it to her office.
Once inside, she closed the door, leaning against it for a moment to compose herself. She refused to let them ruin her mood. Tonight was special, nothing could overshadow it.
Dropping into her chair, she picked up her phone and dialed Soren's number. The line rang once, twice. By the third ring, her heart raced with anticipation.
"Hello?" His voice was brisk, distant.
A smile spread across her face despite the tone. "Hey, Soren. Do you remember what today is?" she asked, her voice laced with hope.
A pause. Then: "Anna, I'm swamped. I've got a business meeting tomorrow morning and need to catch a flight this afternoon. I won't be around tonight."
Her heart sank, the excitement draining from her. "Oh… I see," she managed, forcing her voice to stay steady.
"Don't wait up," he said curtly, before hanging up.
The uninteresting beep of the disconnected call rang in her ears. Anna sat still, her chest squeezing from a familiar ache. This was not the first time he had missed an important date. In the two years they had been married, Soren's work had always taken first.
She tried to remember why she liked him. the drive, ambition, and confidence that had drawn her to him in the first place. But tonight, those excuses felt hollow.
By the end of the workday, Anna couldn't stomach the prospect of returning to their large but empty mansion. The servants would fuss over her, but their presence would only make her lonely. Seeking solace, she went to see her best friend, Leona Blake.
The drive to Leona's house was quiet, the streets bathed in the warm glow of streetlights. Anna replayed her conversation with Soren in her mind, trying to shake the sense of unease that had taken root.
When she arrived, the neighborhood was unusually still. Leona's house loomed ahead, its exterior dark save for a faint light in the living room. Parking her car, Anna approached the door, noticing it was slightly ajar.
"Leona?" she called softly, stepping inside.
The air was heavy with an unsettling silence. Anna's heels clicked against the floor as she ventured further in. She noticed the scattered trail of clothing, male and female leading toward the bedroom.
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Leona must be with someone. She was about to leave when a low groan stopped her in her tracks.
"Oh, you feel incredible," a man's voice murmured.
The voice sent a chill down her spine. It was too familiar.
Leona's voice followed, a teasing moan. "Better than her, yeah?"
"So much better," the man replied.
Anna's stomach twisted. Her hands trembled as she approached the half-open bedroom door, her pulse racing in her chest. A part of her implored her to turn around, but she couldn't. She needed to know.
Peering through the gap, the sight before her made her blood run cold.
On the bed, tangled in the sheets, were Soren Blackwood and Leona Blake.
They were completely engrossed in each other, their bodies inextricably linked.
"Soren!" Anna's voice tore from her throat, raw and broken.
The room froze.
Soren turned, his face pale as he met her gaze. "Anna…"
Leona, wrapped in the sheets, smirked. It wasn't an expression of surprise or guilt, it was triumphant.
Anna's world spun. The man she had loved, the woman she had trusted they had betrayed her most unimaginably.
Anna's knees threatened to crumble as she grabbed the doorframe for support. How long? The question roared in her thoughts, but no words came out. As the walls closed in, Soren met her stare with a steely, unforgiving expression. "You weren't supposed to find out like this," he added, his tone free of regret.
What would she do now, standing at the precipice of her shattered world?