The scene inside the office appeared right in front of me with nothing hidden.
The messy desk, documents scattered, the chair pushed aside, and Zion leaning against the desk with his clothes in disarray, while Maeve was half leaning into his hold, her skirt wrinkled, her face flushed.
The air carried a sickening smell.
Maeve jumped in surprise; the next moment, her eyes watered instantly, and she curled into Zion’s arms by instinct.
I stood in the doorway, my fingers pressing into the frame, a tight pain spreading across my belly.
“Zion.” My voice shook.
“Why did you hand the clothes I got ready for my baby… to this woman’s dog?”
The moment she heard that, Maeve’s tears dropped right away.
“Sis… Sis…” Her tone was soft and hurt. “I just… just saw those outfits on Brother Zion’s phone a few days back, and I thought they looked so cute… so I casually said… it’d be nice if my dog could try them on…”
“And Zion gave me those clothes and toys the next day. I honestly didn’t know they were for your baby. If I knew, how could I take them?”
A sharp pain throbbed at my temples. I had barely opened my mouth when Zion let out a short laugh.
He lowered his head to look at Maeve, his tone gentle and doting.
“Why bother saying so much to her?”
“How could she not take them?” His tone was careless. “Those worn-out old outfits, letting a dog use them fits just fine.”
A loud buzzing rushed through my head.
Worn?
Good for a dog?
My voice scraped out of my throat with effort. “Zion, those were the clothes I begged—”
“Enough.” Zion impatiently interrupted me.
“Can you stop making such a big deal?”
He lightly touched Maeve’s back, sounding completely dismissive.
“What you did at your mom’s death anniversary upset Maeve. I took a few outfits and toys to compensate her. What’s the issue?”
He looked straight at me, his expression cold. “And now you run to the company to yell?”
Compensate?
Using our baby’s clothes and toys to make it up to his mistress?
I stood where I was, the hurt in my chest making it hard to breathe.
I had always believed that when it came to the baby, at least Zion cared.
I believed he was ready to be a decent father.
But now I finally understood that it was nothing more than my own fantasy.
The baby wasn’t even here yet, and Zion could already, without a second thought, take everything meant for her and use it to flatter another woman.