Chapter 3The Stolen Lifeline

Aggressive and unforgiving.

I looked away from him, my chest so tight I could barely breathe.

Assuming my silence meant I had capitulated, Nate offered a final instruction.

"Lily is going to come out of her room in a minute. Try to look a little friendlier. Don't scare her."

I didn't acknowledge him. I just walked into the bedroom and shut the door.

From the hallway, I could hear Elena crying softly.

"Nate, does Clara hate me?"

"I know we shouldn't be intruding, but raising Lily all by myself... I'm just so scared I won't be able to handle it alone."

Nate's voice dropped into a comforting, tender register.

"She's just stressed from the pregnancy. Don't take it to heart."

I leaned against the back of the bedroom door, my fingernails digging into my palms.

I didn't leave the room for dinner. I collapsed onto the bed and fell into a heavy, feverish sleep.

When I woke up, I was burning up.

I walked out to the kitchen to find some Tylenol. Elena had just finished showering and was blow-drying her hair.

She was wearing my brand-new silk nightgown.

The one I had bought specifically for my honeymoon with Nate.

Nate seemed to notice my gaze darken. He walked over, lowering his voice to explain.

"That was the only clean nightgown left in the house, so I let Elena borrow it. Don't overthink it."

I looked away, an overwhelming wave of bone-deep exhaustion crashing over me.

It wasn't until I opened the medicine cabinet that he finally realized something was wrong with me.

He reached out, pressing the back of his hand to my forehead, his brow furrowing.

"You're burning up."

He poured me a glass of warm water, made me take a fever reducer, then went to the kitchen to make soup. He brought out a cold compress and gently placed it on my forehead.

"Shh, you'll feel better once your temperature comes down."

He took care of me so naturally.

He comforted me so seamlessly.

As if none of the conflicts from earlier today even existed.

As if our relationship didn't have a single crack in it.

But a weak voice from the hallway brutally shattered that illusion.

"Daddy, what are you doing?"

Daddy.

What an incredibly ironic title.

Nate's hand, holding the cold compress, froze in mid-air.

I followed his line of sight.

Elena's daughter was standing in the doorway of the nursery, clutching a plush bunny.

I traced her silhouette back into the room, and my eyes suddenly stung with heat.

Nate panicked.

His tone was anxious, but he deliberately kept his voice low so Elena wouldn't overhear.

"Clara, it's just a word. Lily grew up without a father. She feels close to me and craves a father figure, that's why she calls me that. Don't read into it."

Tears betrayed me, spilling over and landing on the back of my hand.

I stared at him, my voice completely shot.

"Why is she sleeping in the nursery?"

"Nate, we have a perfectly good guest room. Why did you let her sleep in the nursery I spent months decorating by hand?"

Nate didn't answer immediately.

He let go of me, rushing over to scoop up a pouting, whining Lily, softly coaxing her.

Then, he turned to offer gentle reassurances to a teary-eyed Elena.

I sat alone on the sofa, feeling like an unwanted intruder in my own home.

Like the evil villain bullying a perfect, happy family of three.

After he finished comforting them and closed the nursery door, blocking out the noise, Nate finally spoke to me.

"Lily loved the fairytale decorations in there, so I let her have it."

"Clara, it's just a room. She's only going to be here for a few weeks. Why are you overreacting to everything?"

The exhaustion in his voice had morphed into outright blame.

I let out a hollow laugh.

Why am I overreacting?

Because I poured every ounce of my love and anticipation into decorating that room.

Because everything in that room was meant for my babies.

This house wasn't even my home anymore, and he was asking me why.

I reached into my bag and pulled out the post-op paperwork from the termination, placing it quietly on the coffee table.

"Nate—"

Before I could finish, Lily pushed the nursery door open and walked out.