I almost told him. The baby was gone.

But my gaze drifted past the screen of my phone and landed on Vivian in the passenger seat, picking up her own phone. She'd just accepted a transfer from Benedict.

$1,314,520.

In the silence of that car, an invisible handprint burned across my face.

Benedict brought Vivian back to our home without a shred of hesitation. "Phoebe, Vivian's still recovering from the delivery. She needs someone to look after her. Can you just be understanding about this? For me?"

If this had been before, I would have screamed. I would have torn the walls down.

But now, something in me simply... gave out.

"Fine."

Benedict looked stunned for a second, then slid a gold bracelet onto my wrist. "Good girl. I knew you'd be the bigger person."

But the bracelet—it was the same design Vivian had shown off on her social media.

I stood there and watched them empty our bedroom. Watched them move Vivian's things into the room that had been ours. Our home. Our bed.

My heart cooled, degree by degree.

Then my phone buzzed. A notification from a bargain-shopping app, linked through Naomi's profile page. I tapped through, scrolling idly.

And there it was. The exact same bracelet on my wrist. Listed at $9.99. Fake gold.

My skull hummed with a high-pitched ringing. Ten years. Ten years of love, and in Benedict's eyes, all I was worth was a $9.99 knockoff.

That night, grief over losing my child consumed me, and I spiked a high fever.

"Water... I need water..."

No one answered.

I forced myself up to pour a glass, but the bedroom door was wide open.

Vivian's cheeks were flushed. "Lawrence is full now, but my chest is so swollen it hurts... Benedict, could you..."

Benedict leaned down. "Sure."

The door closed. The sounds that followed seeped through the walls.

Like someone was carving a hole straight through my heart.

I thought of the first time Benedict kissed me, his face red with embarrassment. "Phoebe, can I kiss you?"

Now he was touching another woman.

Somewhere in my feverish haze, a large hand pressed against my forehead.

"Phoebe, you're burning up. Take this medicine."

Benedict stayed by my side the entire night. When I finally came to, he handed me a suitcase he'd already packed.

"Honey, I put together all the things you usually like. You should stay in the attic for a while, just so you don't pass whatever you have to Vivian and the baby."

He met my look of disbelief.