Chapter 2

My surgery was scheduled for three days later.

The doctor said my body was too weak. They had to treat the inflammation, rehydrate me, and stabilize me first.

Jenna stayed by my bed, dark circles under her bloodshot eyes.

"Get some sleep. I'll handle everything else."

I shook my head. "How did the launch go?"

Jenna went quiet.

That was answer enough.

My phone buzzed.

Adrian.

I didn't pick up.

He called again.

On the third try, Jenna put him on speaker.

Adrian sounded pissed. "Summer Shafer, are you done with your little tantrum?"

I stayed silent.

"Celeste cried all night. She swears she didn't know you were allergic. Delete that defamatory post right now, then upload an apology video."

Jenna gave a sharp, disbelieving laugh.

"Mr. Weldon, do you even know where Summer is?"

Adrian paused.

"Where else? Hiding somewhere, waiting for me to come coax her out?"

Jenna's voice went ice-cold.

"She's in the hospital. She almost lost the baby."

The line went quiet.

Then Adrian said, "Knock it off, Jenna. She's always using the baby to guilt-trip me."

I stared at the ceiling and remembered the day I found out I was pregnant.

Adrian had wrapped me up and spun me around twice.

"Summer, we're finally going to have a family."

His eyes had been so bright.

I thought he actually wanted our baby.

People really did change.

Or maybe he never had.

Maybe the only thing that changed was Celeste coming back.

Celeste's voice slipped through the phone.

"Adrian, let it go. Don't pressure Summer. This is all my fault. I never should've come back."

She cried so softly, like she was the victim here.

Adrian's voice softened instantly.

"This isn't your fault, Celeste. Don't say that."

Then he went cold again.

"Summer, you hear that? She's defending you. What else do you want?"

My voice came out rough.

"Adrian."

He paused.

"Oh, so now you're talking."

"Let's break up."

The line went dead silent.

A few seconds later, he laughed.

"This again? Summer, grow up. You're carrying my baby, the apartment's almost done, and we already took wedding photos. Who exactly are you trying to scare with a breakup now?"

I didn't explain.

"My lawyer will contact you."

His tone changed fast. "What do you mean?"

"The apartment's going into foreclosure."

"Have you lost it? That's my property."

I gave a quiet, humorless laugh. "I paid the down payment. You signed the loan agreement and the mortgage papers. Adrian Weldon, it's time to pay me back."

A cup shattered on his end.

"Adrian!" Celeste cried.

His next words came through clenched teeth.

"Summer, don't take this too far. If you want money, I'll give you money. Don't come for the apartment."

"I'm not coming for anything," I said softly. "I'm collecting a debt."

His breathing got heavier.

"You really think I'd never leave you?"

That line used to wreck me for days.

Now I barely felt it.

I hung up.

Then I blocked his number.

Jenna looked at me, eyes even redder than before.

"Summer... you're finally awake."

I didn't answer.

I just laid a hand over my belly.

There was still the slightest curve beneath my palm.

I knew he was still there.

But I also knew I couldn't keep him.

***

That night, Adrian showed up at the hospital.

He had a container of chicken soup and a look like he hated being there.

When he pushed the door open, I was propped against the headboard, reading the foreclosure papers.

He froze when he saw how pale I was.

"You're actually hospitalized?"

I didn't look up.

He set the soup on the table.

"I talked to a doctor. The baby still has a chance. Stop saying you don't want it."

A tiny smile pulled at my mouth.

"Which doctor?"

Adrian frowned. "What?"

I handed him my medical records.

"Read them."

He took the records.

Two lines in, all the color left his face.

Then he dropped the file back on the table.

"Doctors always make things sound worse than they are. You'll be fine after some rest."

I looked at him.

"What if I died on that mountain?"

His throat moved.

"I didn't know the rain would get that bad. I just wanted you to calm down. Summer, don't act like I'm some monster."

Nausea rolled through me.

It wasn't that he didn't know the road was dangerous.

Or that I was pregnant.

He just took a gamble.

That I'd live.

That I wouldn't leave him.

That when I woke up, I'd forgive him for the baby's sake.

Adrian sat beside my bed and reached for my face.

I turned away.

His hand hung there.

"Summer, stop. You won't have to see Celeste again. Once you're out, we'll go get our marriage license."

"What about the warning post?"

He went quiet for a second.

"Take it down."

I looked at him.

He dodged my eyes.

"Celeste's campground just opened. It can't survive a scandal like this. You're a public figure. Apologize, and the internet will move on in a few days."

I nodded.

"So being poisoned and almost losing the baby doesn't matter. Being dumped on a mountain doesn't matter either."

Adrian frowned.

"Don't twist it like that. No one poisoned you, and I wasn't trying to hurt you."

I shoved the container off the table.

Hot soup splashed across the floor.

Adrian shot up. "Summer!"

I met his eyes.

"Get out."

In seven years, I'd never spoken to him like that.

He froze.

I hit the call button.

A nurse came in almost right away.

"Can you call security?"

Adrian's face went dark.

"You're really taking it this far?"

I didn't look at him again.

As security walked him out, he stopped at the door and dropped his voice.

"You'll regret this."

I closed my eyes.

No.

The only thing I regretted was ever loving you.