Chapter 5

"I don't want that baby!"

"That's between you and her. It has nothing to do with me."

"How can you say it has nothing to do with you?"

His grip loosened slightly, his voice dropping into a desperate whine.

"Gwen, we're supposed to get married. We agreed we’d get married this year..."

"You said that. I never agreed."

"You did! Your mom even offered to help us with the down payment for a house!"

"That was before."

"Now, the answer is no."

"Derek."

"Listen to me carefully. From this moment on, I am nobody to you, and you are nobody to me. We are finished. Do you understand?"

He shook his head, refusing to accept it.

I grabbed my phone from the counter and turned toward the door.

"Where are you going?" He blocked my path.

"Out of my way."

"I won't let you leave."

"Derek, if you don't move, I'm calling the cops."

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Derek didn't move. I pushed past him and opened the door.

Standing in the hallway were his mother, Brenda, and his sister, Zoe.

Brenda wore a dark red winter coat and carried an insulated thermos bag. When she saw me, she forced a tight smile.

"Gwen, honey, I brought you some warm soup."

Zoe stood behind her, scowling. She looked me up and down, her eyes landing on the packed suitcases behind me.

"What is all this, Gwen?"

Brenda stepped inside, placing the thermos on the table. She looked at Derek’s wet, miserable face, then turned back to me.

"Gwen, whatever happened, let's talk it out nicely. Look at this mess—it's embarrassing."

"Brenda, there's nothing to discuss. Derek and I are over."

"Over?"

Zoe let out a harsh scoff.

"Over a stupid bag? Seriously, Gwen? Are you out of your mind?"

"My brother poured his heart into this relationship, and you're throwing a tantrum over a single photo?"

"Zoe, stop," Derek muttered under his breath.

"No, Derek, don't defend her!"

Zoe's voice grew shrill.

"I'm going to say it plain and simple. Gwen, look me in the eye and tell me Derek hasn't been good to you. He gave you his paycheck, let you buy whatever you wanted—was that not enough?"

"Now you're dumping him over some random picture? You're just looking for an excuse to treat him like dirt!"

"Zoe, shut up!" Derek yelled, his voice strained.

"Am I lying?"

Zoe rounded on him.

"Derek, stop being scared of her! If she wants to leave, let her go! A woman like this isn't worth keeping!"

Brenda tugged at Zoe's sleeve. "Keep your voice down."

"Mom, am I wrong?"

Zoe jerked her arm away.

"Look at this place! It looks like a crime scene. If Derek really did something wrong, let her show real proof! What does one photo even prove?"

I reached into my pocket, pulled out my phone, and opened my chat with Ivy.

I shoved the screen directly in Zoe's face.

Zoe glanced down, and her smirk instantly vanished.

Her thumb scrolled down mechanically until she hit the ultrasound scan.

Her lips parted, but no words came out.

Brenda leaned in, frowning. "What is it?"

Zoe silently handed the phone to her mother.

Brenda stared at the screen for several seconds. Her hands began to shake violently.

"Who... who is this?" she whispered.

"Your son's girlfriend," I said flatly.

"Nonsense!"

Brenda slammed the phone down onto the counter, glaring at me.

"Gwen, you can't just fabricate sick lies about Derek just to end the relationship!"

"Mom."

Derek finally spoke. His voice was barely a rasp.

"It's true."