My fingers curl into fists. My chest heaves.
The crackling flames devour the delicate silk of Nancy's dress, their glow casting flickering shadows against the walls. The tension in the room is thick, suffocating.
Nancy stands behind the heavy velvet curtain, trembling, exposed. A coward hiding from the storm she brought upon herself.
Cassian is still sitting, but his body is rigid, his hands gripping the armrests of the couch. His lips part slightly, as if he wants to speak, but the words never come.
Silence.
A silence so sharp, it slices through the air.
I take a slow step forward, my heartbeat a deafening drum in my ears.
Then, I speak.
"Tell me, Cassian, should I turn around and pretend I didn't just see what I saw?"
My voice is eerily calm, but I feel the storm boiling beneath my skin.
His eyes darken. "Celeste…"
I raise a hand. A warning.
"Choose your words carefully."
He exhales, his gaze locked onto mine. "It's not what you think."
I let out a short, bitter laugh. "Not what I think? Oh, so you're just casually entertaining a naked woman in our home? Should I be reassured?"
Nancy, from behind the curtain, whimpers, a pathetic sound.
"Cassian," she whispers, "please… I didn't mean…"
"Shut up." My voice lashes out, sharper than a blade.
Nancy flinches.
Cassian leans forward, his expression hardening. "Celeste, I didn't invite her here. I didn't…"
"But you didn't throw her out either, did you?" I snap. My nails bite into my palms. "Tell me, Cassian, just how long has this been going on?"
His jaw clenches. "There is nothing going on."
My laugh is cold, empty. "Right. I must be blind, then. I must have imagined the part where she was on your lap, where she stripped herself bare in our home."
I step closer, the firelight casting sharp shadows over my face. "And yet, here you sat, enjoying it all." My voice lowers. "Tell me, Cassian… were you waiting for me to walk in, or did I ruin the fun?"
His nostrils flare. "You don't know what you're saying."
I tilt my head, mocking. "Then make me understand."
Cassian stands suddenly, his towering frame nearly overwhelming but I don't back down.
"I swear to you, I did not ask for this," he says, voice firm. "I told her to leave."
Nancy lets out a breathy sob. "I…I just wanted…"
I whirl around to her, my fury red-hot.
"You just wanted what, Nancy? To seduce my husband? To prove a point? To humiliate me?"
She shrinks against the curtain, her hands gripping the fabric.
"Cassian…" My voice drops, low and venomous. "Tell me…do you love her? She once told me she's in love with you."
His brows furrow, his entire body tensing. "What?"
"Do you love her?" I repeat, taking another step closer, my heart thudding.
"No." His answer is immediate, sharp.
I stare at him, searching for deception.
Nancy chokes on a sob.
I don't look at her. My eyes stay on him.
"Then why is she here?" I ask softly. Deadly.
He doesn't answer.
His silence speaks louder than any confession.
The fire crackles. The scent of burnt silk lingers in the air.
"I'm carrying his child."
Nancy's words hit like a hammer.
Silence.
My entire body turns cold. The blood in my veins stops moving.
My mind refuses to process it. Refuses to make sense of the absurdity of what she just said.
I barely recognize my own voice when I whisper, "You are what?"
Nancy meets my gaze. Unflinching. "I'm pregnant. Cassian's child."
A sharp ringing fills my ears.
Cassian takes a step forward, voice laced with irritation. "That's a lie."
Nancy shakes her head. "I wouldn't lie about this."
My vision blurs. I feel like I'm floating outside my body. Like I'm watching this unfold from a distance.
"How far along?" The question leaves my lips before I can stop it.
Nancy hesitates for only a second. Then, softly…
"Three months."
Three. Months.
The exact length of time we've been married again. Truly married.
My heart stops.
Slowly, my gaze drags back to Cassian. His face is frozen. His jaw tight, his fists clenched.
I see the calculation in his eyes. The same realization hit him too.
But I can't do this. Not now. Not here.
I turn. Walk away.
"Celeste!" Cassian's voice is sharp, urgent. He lunges toward me, but I don't stop.
"Celeste, wait…"
I don't.
I walk out the door. Fast.
I reach my car, my hands trembling as I grip the wheel.
My breath is ragged. My chest is too tight.
I slam my foot on the gas. Speed off.
Cassian's voice echoes behind me, but it fades as I push the car faster.
I don't know where I'm going. I just need to escape.
My vision is hazy. The streetlights blur.
Then…
Out of nowhere…
A truck.
Metal screeches.
Glass shatters.
A violent impact.
Then, darkness.