After My Husband Betrayed Me, I Married My Father's Best Friend

I'll never forget that day—the day I found out I was pregnant, and my husband pushed me down the stairs to protect my best friend.

— —- —- —-

The pregnancy test shook in my hand.

Positive.

For a second, I just stared at it.

Then I laughed.

Three years of trying.

Three years of doctors, supplements, appointments, and disappointment.

And now...

I was pregnant.

"Ethan is going to lose his mind."

I grabbed my phone immediately.

My thumb hovered over his contact.

Then I stopped.

No.

I wanted to tell him in person.

Maybe over dinner.

Maybe I'd hand him the ultrasound photo and watch him figure it out himself.

The thought made me smile.

A few hours later, I walked into St. Matthew's Hospital for a follow-up appointment.

The doctor wanted to double-check everything because of my previous fertility issues.

A nurse called my name.

After several tests and another blood draw, the doctor finally smiled.

"Everything looks good, Mrs. Parker. Eight weeks. Healthy so far."

I pressed a hand against my stomach.

The doctor handed me a folder.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

I left the office with a stupid grin on my face.

Then I heard Ethan's voice.

My smile froze.

He was supposed to be in Chicago.

A business trip.

He wasn't supposed to be anywhere near New York today.

I turned the corner.

And saw him.

For one beautiful second, I thought maybe he had come to surprise me.

Maybe he had canceled his flight.

Maybe fate was giving us this perfect moment.

Then I saw the woman standing beside him.

Chloe Bennett.

My best friend.

My heart skipped.

Not in a good way.

Chloe was leaning against Ethan's arm.

Not casually.

Comfortably.

Like she belonged there.

I stopped walking.

My brain struggled to process what I was seeing.

Ethan looked up.

His eyes widened.

"Sophia?"

The smile disappeared from his face.

Chloe immediately stepped away from him.

Too late.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

Neither of them answered.

The silence felt wrong.

Then a doctor walked out of an examination room.

He smiled at Ethan.

"Mr. Parker, congratulations. Everything looks great."

I frowned.

The doctor continued.

"The baby's development is right on schedule."

Baby.

The word hit me like a truck.

The doctor handed a folder to Chloe.

"Twenty weeks and perfectly healthy."

Twenty weeks.

I looked at Chloe's stomach.

Suddenly everything made sense.

The oversized sweater.

The recent weight gain.

The constant excuses.

The canceled lunches.

The late-night texts.

My voice came out shaky.

"What baby?"

Nobody spoke.

I stepped closer.

"What baby?"

Chloe's eyes filled with tears.

That only made me angrier.

"What baby, Chloe?"

Ethan rubbed his forehead.

"Sophia..."

My stomach dropped.

The way he said my name.

Like he already knew.

Like this wasn't a misunderstanding.

Like this was real.

"Oh my God."

I laughed.

A short, broken sound.

Chloe started crying.

"I'm sorry."

I stared at her.

Then at Ethan.

Then back at her.

"Tell me you're not pregnant."

Silence.

My heartbeat pounded inside my ears.

"Tell me."

Chloe lowered her head.

"I didn't mean for this to happen."

I felt something crack inside me.

But suddenly every strange moment from our marriage came rushing back.

The late meetings.

The canceled vacations.

The nights Ethan came home smelling like perfume that wasn't mine.

I had ignored all of it.

Because I trusted him.

Because I loved him.

Because Chloe was my best friend.

I looked at Ethan.

"How long?"

He didn't answer.

That was answer enough.

My chest tightened.

"How long?"

Chloe whispered it.

"Two years."

The hallway spun.

Two years.

My husband.

My best friend.

I actually felt stupid.

Pathetic.

Everyone knew except me.

I laughed again.

A little hysterically.

"That's funny."

Nobody spoke.

"You've been sleeping with my husband for two years?"

"Sophia—"

"And now you're pregnant?"

Chloe cried harder.

I couldn't care less.

I turned toward Ethan.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

People around us started staring.

I didn't care.

"You cheated on me with my best friend?"

"Lower your voice."

I blinked.

"What?"

"Lower your voice."

I stared at him.

He wasn't apologizing.

He wasn't ashamed.

He was worried about causing a scene.

Unbelievable.

My hands trembled.

Then I pulled my own medical folder from my purse.

"Guess what?"

Neither of them moved.

I shoved the paperwork toward Ethan.

"I'm pregnant too."

His expression changed instantly.

For the first time all day, he looked shocked.

"What?"

"I'm eight weeks pregnant."

The doctor nearby looked uncomfortable.

Chloe's face turned pale.

Good.

For one second, I thought Ethan might finally realize what he'd done.

Maybe he'd feel guilty.

Maybe he'd apologize.

Maybe he'd choose his wife.

Instead he sighed.

Then said,

"You shouldn't be stressing yourself out."

I just stared at him.

That was his response?

That?

My entire body shook.

"I shouldn't be stressing myself out?"

"Sophia, calm down."

"Calm down?"

Chloe suddenly grabbed Ethan's arm.

"Ethan, maybe we should leave."

The way she said his name made me sick.

Like she belonged to him.

Like I was the outsider.

I stepped toward her.

"You don't get to walk away."

Chloe immediately backed up.

"Ethan..."

"I'm talking to you."

She stumbled backward dramatically.

Then suddenly dropped to the floor.

A fake gasp escaped her mouth.

"Ethan!"

I froze.

For half a second.

Then Ethan moved.

He shoved me.

Hard.

I wasn't expecting it.

My shoes slipped against the polished floor.

The world tilted.

I crashed backward.

Pain exploded through my abdomen as my body slammed into the metal railing behind me.

A sharp cry escaped my lips.

Everything went silent.

Completely silent.

I looked down.

At first I didn't understand what I was seeing.

Then I saw the blood.

A single drop.

Then another.

Then more.

Running down my legs.

My breathing stopped.

"No..."

My hand flew to my stomach.

"No."

The pain grew worse.

Much worse.

A nurse screamed.

"Oh my God!"

Someone called for a doctor.

People started running.

Ethan's face lost all color.

Sophia.

His voice sounded distant.

Far away.

Like it belonged to someone else.

I dropped to my knees.

Tears spilled down my face.

Not because of Ethan.

Not because of Chloe.

Because of my baby.

Please.

Please don't take my baby.

The hallway blurred.

Voices echoed around me.

Then through the crowd, I saw someone running toward me.

Tall. Broad shoulders. Dark suit. Familiar face.

Damien Blackwood. My father's best friend.

And just before darkness swallowed me whole, I heard him roar:

"Move!"