Chapter 3

"Autumn didn't mean to push me."

Savannah's performance was laughably unconvincing, yet Alex believed every word.

Or maybe... he had simply never believed me.

Holding Savannah in his arms, he turned to me with anger blazing in his eyes.

"Autumn, why can't you tolerate Savvy? Do you have any idea she's dealing with depression? Why would you deliberately upset her?"

To give Savannah the explanation she deserved, he demanded that I retrieve her necklace. Ignoring the fact that I was pregnant, he shoved me into the swimming pool in front of everyone.

Voices erupted from the shore. Their comments tangled together as they drifted into my ears.

"I told you Alex never got over Savannah. If Autumn hadn't chased after him back then, there's no way he would've agreed to be with her."

"I know the real story. Alex only ever treated Autumn as a substitute. Now that the real thing is back, who cares about a stand-in?"

"Everyone knows Alex once swore he'd never marry anyone but Savannah."

Pool water flooded my eyes, and the cold cut straight to the bone.

Suddenly, I remembered the day Alex confessed to me. After scraping his knees raw, he'd gone through all that trouble just to get me a one-of-a-kind good luck charm.

He'd entered a marathon and given me the medal he'd won. He told me it was proof of his sincerity and that he would take care of me for the rest of my life and love me forever.

I knew all about his history with Savannah. I'd believed that if I loved him with everything I had, one day I would matter more to him than she did.

The truth was, some people win simply by existing.

Looking back now, it was painfully ironic.

By the time someone pulled me from the pool, I'd swallowed enough water to leave me coughing.

A jacket settled over my shoulders as the man stood against the light.

"You're going to catch a cold."

Even in the dim lighting, I recognized him immediately. It was Robbie Carpenter, my childhood friend. We promised to get into Northridge University together and become outstanding doctors.

Then we lost contact. I'd heard he had gone on to become an accomplished doctor. As for me, the accident three years ago had permanently taken away my ability to perform surgery.

Alex had already left.

For once, I found myself feeling awkward.

I was afraid Robbie would ask why I'd disappeared and why I'd given up the dream I'd spent years chasing.

I was even more afraid of my answer.

However, Robbie simply took me to the hospital. He stared at me for a long time.

"Autumn, you..."

Before he could finish, Alex interrupted him, "All she had to do was retrieve a necklace, and she still managed to make herself sick. Pathetic."

He took the medication from Robbie's hand and shoved it into his pocket.

Then he looked at Robbie with undisguised hostility. "My wife isn't your concern, Dr. Carpenter."

...

On the drive home, Alex seemed unusually irritable.

Savannah was asleep in the passenger seat. The blanket that belonged to me had been carefully draped over her.

Neither of us spoke, or perhaps there was simply nothing left to say.

When we got home, I finally learned the truth. Alex had given Mochi, my cat, away because Savannah was allergic to cats.

Every trace of Mochi had been erased from the house. I searched everywhere but couldn't find my cat.

Instead, I found the divorce papers Alex had torn to pieces and thrown into the trash. I'd left them on the table the day before, but the first thing he brought up wasn't the papers. It was my cat, or rather, our cat.

His tone was casual, as if it were completely insignificant. "Savvy's allergic to cats. I already gave Mochi away. Don't worry. She'll have an owner who's far more responsible than you."

I was stunned for a moment as my heart sank.

"What did you just say?"

I'd found Mochi as a stray three years ago. A violent storm had left her soaked through and barely clinging to life.

I took her to every veterinary clinic in Southport, but every vet told me she wouldn't survive the night. I had already started preparing to bury her.

Instead, she pulled through. Little by little, she grew into the round, affectionate cat I adored.

Alex lit a cigarette. Whatever he was feeling was impossible to read. Then he changed the subject as if the conversation had never happened.