Chapter 34
Anger and hormones
Carter’s POV
My head was hot.
Veronica was pregnant. Pregnant!
I didn’t want to believe it was for Orthon. I knew her well enough to know that she wasn’t the kind of person who would just jump from one man to another. I coding shake off the nagging feeling that it was mine.
was a
But then, there ninett percent chance that it wasn’t. In all three years of marriage, I only touched her once and it was a drunken mistake
too.
There was no way she could have gotten pregnant just like that right? Yet, a part of me still hoped I could hold on to that. I needed her back desperately and if there was even a slight possibility that the child was mine, then I was going to claim it.
The fact that I didn’t even know how to reach her or where she stayed was very frustrating. How could she be in this city and I wouldn’t have a clue on where she was?
I even had men stalk Orthon to find out where she was but that didn’t work either. He was so secretive that it was annoying.
The only place we saw him go to was that of his mentor and business partner, Meshach Peyton.
And Meshach was high of privacy so it was almost impossible that he would have agreed to house Veronica if he knew the details of our past.
But then again, he and Orthon were like family, and I couldn’t entirely rule it out. If Veronica was with him, she was likely well–guarded. That made things even more complicated.
I sat in my office, staring blankly at the files in front of me. My phone buzzed, and I instinctively reached for it, hoping it was some news about Veronica. But it was just Meghan.
I hesitated before answering. “What is it, Meghan?”
Her voice was sugary sweet, but it grated on my nerves. “Darling, I just spoke with Mother, and she’s so excited. We’ve decided to set the wedding for next month. Isn’t that wonderful?”
My jaw tightened. This had to be some sort of joke.
“Next month? Don’t you think that’s a little rushed?”
“Oh, Carter,” she cooed. “We’re already expecting a baby. We should alse do everyother thing. It’s not rushed; it’s perfect timing. Mother agrees.”
“Have you lost your mind? What do you mean by my mother agrees?” I hissed. “You went discussing our wedding with my mother without even letting me know?”
“There is no need to yell, I did what was best for both of us!” She
snapped. “I am already pregnant with your child! It is only right I become your wife!”
“I said we would do the wedding after you give birth, dammit!” I yelled.
I expected her to yell back but she burst into tears instead. I groaned inwardly. What was this drama about now?
“You don’t care about me! You used to be a lot nicer when we were dating but ever since she left you, you have been nothing but bitter! Taking out your anger on me like I was the one who ruined your
marriage!” She sobbed.
I groaned inwardly. How was I supposed to get out of this now?
“Meghan. listen to me…”
“No! No! I’m done listening!” She sobbed. “Maybe I should end this all so you can move on with your life. So I wouldn’t have to be a burden to you!”
“That is not what I meant…” the line went dead and I cursed inwardly. Knowing Meghan. I was ninety percent sure that she was actually going to do something drastic. If not for anything. just to get my attention and make me feel guilty.
I grabbed my keys and decided to go over to her apartment. I knew asking my mother to talk to her was useless. They were both conniving to tie me
down with her.
I thought I could trick her with an engagement and hold off the wedding until after childbirth so I could take my baby and leave but from the look
of things, that wasn’t going to happen.
Driving through the city. I couldn’t help but feel like a prisoner in my own life. Meghan had become a master manipulator, using every possible card to trap me. The pregnancy, my mother, the emotional blackmail, it was all part of her game, and I was the unwilling pawn.
When I arrived at her apartment, I found the door ajar. My heart sank. Meghan’s theatrics usually stopped short of actual danger, but I couldn’t rule out the possibility that she might do something reckless. I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
“Meghan?” I called out, scanning the living room.
There she was, curled up on the couch, her face buried in her hands. Sobbing. An empty bottle of wine sat on the coffee table, though she was
always careful not to drink too much because of the baby. Her makeup was smudged, and she looked like someone who wanted me to feel sorry for her.
“Meghan.” I said, exhaling deeply. “What are you doing? You had me worried.”
She looked up, her tear–streaked face trembling. “Worried? Do you even care about me. Carter? Or is it just this baby that makes me worth anything to you?”
I ran a hand through my hair, already exhausted from the conversation. “Of course I care about you. That’s why I’m here. But you can’t keep doing this every time we disagree. It’s manipulative, Meghan.”
Her lips quivered. “Manipulative? Is that what you think of me? I’m carrying your child, and you treat me like some sort of villain!”
“I never said that,” I replied, keeping my tone as calm as I could. “But this drama, calling me, hanging up, making me rush over here, it’s too much. We need to figure this out like adults.”
She stood abruptly, her eyes blazing with anger now. “Adults? You mean like how you’re still hung up on your ex–wife? Like how you won’t commit to the mother of your child because you’re too busy chasing ghosts?”
“Don’t bring Veronica into this,” I warned, my voice low and firm. “She has nothing to do with us.”
“Nothing to do with us?” she repeated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “She’s the reason you’re like this, Carter. The reason you can’t see what’s right in front of you!”
“Enough, Meghan!” I snapped, my patience wearing thin. “This conversation isn’t going anywhere. I’ll take care of the baby, but this constant push for a wedding, it’s not happening right now. Not like this.”
Her face fell, and for a moment, I thought she might explode again. But instead, she sank back onto the couch, looking defeated. “You’re going to regret this. Carter.” she said quietly, her voice devoid of the usual venom. “I won’t wait forever.”
I didn’t respond. There was no point in arguing with her when she was like this. Instead, I turned and walked out, needing to clear my head.
Maybe if I just had a quick drink, all this would go away.
I navigated into the next street only to be blocked by a Tesla. A frown sketched on my face.
Who was this now? I hit the horn but the bastard wouldn’t move. I angrily got down from the car, ready to give him a piece of my mind.
The Tesla door slid open at the same time and the person that came out had me stunned. It most definitely wasn’t a man.
I held my breath as she walked to me, her perfume immediately taking over the pace.
“Hello, you must be Carter Grayson…” she extended her hand. “Betty Peyton.”
