Between My Husband and Friend, Who Was My Real Ally

Bella's POV

After hearing my suspicions, my best friend Cassie Harper went silent for a few seconds on the phone, then burst out laughing.

“My girl, are your pregnancy hormones messing with you? Is pre-birth anxiety hitting early? How big is that imagination of yours?”

She kept laughing as she continued, “Nate treats you like you’re made of glass. He adores you. How could he possibly sell you? And on a livestream auction? Come on, that sounds like a movie plot!”

I hesitated. “But that photo…”

“It was just a back view! Tons of people look alike from behind. Don’t scare yourself. And even if something did happen, my brother and I live right here in the city. He just finished his military service. Ten guys couldn’t beat him. You’re safe,” she reassured.

She had a point. Nate was known for being a model husband—gentle, considerate, meticulous.

Nothing strange had happened lately, either, except for maybe the fact that he’d been taking and making more phone calls than usual, which was probably work-related.

Maybe I really was overthinking it.

After hanging up, it was already 10:10 p.m., past the supposed meeting time.

Then, some unknown instinct pushed me to open that livestream again.

Someone in the chat asked, [@Morgan Reed, so how was it? How’s the quality?]

A few minutes later, Morgan replied, [Damn! Don’t mention it! The owner of that little bitch messaged me saying it threw a fit tonight. Got all aggressive. Won’t go out. Delivery postponed to tomorrow! What rotten luck!”

[If that little bitch weren’t so fair and hairless, I’d have asked for a refund already!] he even added.

My mind went blank.

Being naturally hairless down there was one in a million, almost impossible to meet one. And that was my secret.

Because it was so rare, even Nate didn’t know until the first time we were intimate.

He’d even joked back then that I was a “heaven-sent treasure.”

No one else knew except him.

If even this detail matched, wasn’t that too much of a coincidence?

Could it be that the seller of that so-called lucky bitch was actually Nate?

Did he really take my most private feature and use it as a selling point?

I felt my entire body go cold. My legs gave out, and I slid to the floor.

Just then, a small cramp tugged at my belly. I quickly held it with both hands as a wave of grief and anger crashed over me.

If it really was him, why would he do this?

But before I could even think of a plan to protect myself, I heard knocking at the door.

I snapped back to reality, hurriedly wiped my tears, and went to open it.

Nate walked in carrying bags of barbecue, completely unaware of anything.

“Babe, you must be starving. Eat it while it’s hot.”

I took the bag. Normally, the smell of barbecue made my stomach growl. But tonight, it made me nauseous.

He sat beside me, watching me with gentle eyes. “Why aren’t you eating? Are you feeling sick?”

He leaned closer, reaching out to rest his hand on my belly like he always did.

But I flinched away hard.

“I’m… not feeling well. I don’t feel like eating anymore. I’ll just take a shower first.”

Before he could say anything, I practically fled into the bathroom and turned on the shower full blast.

Recalling Morgan’s words in my mind, the barbecue mustn't be safe.

But I had no proof.

By the time I finally stepped out of the bathroom, dragging things out as long as I could, Nate was lying against the headboard playing on his phone.

When he saw me, he set it aside and leaned in. His breath brushed behind my ear, and his hands began to wander.

“Bella, you’re already five months along. I asked the doctor and he said it’s fine. We’ll be gentle.”

He murmured the words as he kissed my neck.

“I heard pregnant women bring good luck. Maybe if we try tonight, I’ll win the lottery tomorrow.”

The moment he said “good luck,” every hair on my body stood on end, and I shoved him away instantly.