Chapter 3My Metric Dropped He Dropped Dead

Ignoring the metallic voice in my head, I walked back to the kitchen and picked up the new phone.

I ran my thumb over the fluffy pink case. It was incredibly soft. Almost immediately, an angry red rash flared across the back of my hand.

Rabbit fur. I was intensely allergic to rabbit fur.

In the past, Benson checked the tags on everything he bought, terrified of triggering my allergies. Furthermore, he hated phone cases. He liked the sleek feel of naked glass and titanium. It didn't take a genius to figure out whose aesthetic this pink fluff belonged to.

I peeled the disgusting thing off the phone and dropped it into the trash can.

I logged into my accounts and found her page.

It had just been updated.

[Matching phone cases with my man. Hehe.]

The picture showed a woman’s hand holding a pink rabbit-fur case. The exact same one.

I walked into Benson's home office and pulled up the feeds from our private subterranean garage.

It took less than a minute to find them.

On the grainy black-and-white monitor, Benson was gently guiding the girl toward his Aston Martin. He placed a protective hand over her slightly rounded stomach.

The audio feed picked up his voice, heavy with adoration.

"You're only three months along, Dana. You need to be on bed rest. Who told you it was a good idea to run over here?"

Dana swung his arm playfully, pouting. "But the baby and I missed you! Plus, I snagged the delivery guy outside and pretended to be him. Your fake wife didn't suspect a thing. Aren't I brilliant?"

Benson laughed, a rich, genuine sound I hadn't heard in months, and ruffled her hair.

"You're brilliant, baby. But never do that again. She can't find out about us, do you understand?"

Dana stomped her foot, looking up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes.

"Why not?! She's just some user on a mission! Why don't you just divorce her? Aren't you exhausted from acting all the time?" She narrowed her eyes. "Unless... you actually have feelings for her?"

Benson went rigid. He didn't answer.

Dana ripped her arm out of his grasp, sobbing theatrically. "What about me? What about our baby? I thought I was your true love! Was that a lie?"

Benson panicked, wrapping his arms securely around her waist.

"Don't get worked up, it's bad for the baby! Of course I love you. You are my entire world."

"Then promise you'll stay with me for the next few days. You are not allowed to go back to her!"

Benson cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing away her tears. His voice was devastatingly soft.

"I promise."

I stared dead-eyed at the monitor. The marrow in my bones felt like it had turned to lead.

[Warning. Affection Metric has dropped to 50%.]

My stomach violently rebelled. I barely made it to the powder room before throwing up my morning coffee.

When I finally lifted my head to look in the mirror, my eyes were bloodshot and hollow. I looked pathetic. I looked like a joke.

I took a breath, splashed freezing water on my face, and picked up my new phone. I dialed a number and scheduled a surgical abortion for two o'clock that afternoon.

Just as they were wheeling me toward the operating room, my phone buzzed. A text from Benson.

[The merger is a total disaster. I'm going to have to stay at the hotel for the next few days to sort this out. I'll see you at the anniversary gala, sweetheart.]

I opened my camera roll, selected the screenshot I had taken of the garage security footage—the one of him caressing Dana's stomach—and sent it to him.

[Is the disaster the merger? Or your mistress?]

I handed my phone to the nurse, closed my eyes, and let the anesthesia pull me under.