Page 50 of Boards & Betrayal

“He spiraled,” Janet said with a shrug. “Started pushing everyone away, including Nick and me. It’s taken him years to build himself back up, to find some semblance of control over his life.”

She paused, letting her words sink in before delivering the final blow. “Imagine what it would do to him if he found out you were pregnant and got rid of the baby without ever telling him. Itwould destroy him all over again. And the fact thatyou, out of all people, the one he trusts, kept that from him? You know how he is. He wants to know everything. Hiding things from him…" She shook her head. "Did you know he accused me of trying to trap him with Nicky? That man couldn't bear the thought of taking any responsibility for his son."

"But he did," I pointed out. "He gave up the NHL —"

"His injury forced him to do just that," Janet spat out. "He never wanted kids…" Her eyes narrowed. "Or maybe you don't want him to know because what if he's relieved? What if he says he's glad you suffered, so he doesn't have to have another child?"

I hated she was right, that every word she said made sense in a twisted way. The thought of Thomas finding out about the miscarriage and blaming himself for not being there... it was too much to bear. Even if Janet and Nick thought it was something else, I didn’t want Tom to deal with that pain.

But admitting that Janet was right felt like conceding defeat. I refused to give her that satisfaction.

“What do you want from me?” I asked quietly, my voice trembling despite my efforts to stay composed.

Janet’s smile widened, victory shining in her eyes. “Oh, it’s simple,” she purred. “Get Thomas to cut me a check. One point five million."

The room felt stifling as her ultimatum hung in the air between us.

I couldn't help it. A laugh burst out of me, awkward and strained. It sounded more like a bark than anything resembling humor. “What?” I asked, incredulous.

Janet’s smirk grew wider. “I know that number is going over your pretty little head,” she said, her voice dripping with condescension. “But it’s the truth. One point five, and I won’t say a word about this to Thomas.”

A slow burn started in my chest, anger mixing with the absurdity of the situation. “This time,” I snapped back. “What if you want more next time? And that’s even if he’ll listen to me?—”

“He will,” Janet interrupted, her confidence unwavering. “I know he will. And as to your other point, you’re just going to have to trust me.”

I laughed again, the sound bitter and hollow. “At this rate, I should just tell him myself.”

“Do it,” Janet challenged, leaning back in her chair with a satisfied air. “Go ahead. Do it. And watch his heart break even more than his injury broke him.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of my sails. Janet's gaze was unyielding, her eyes cold and calculating as she watched me struggle with the decision she had forced upon me.

My mind raced through all the possible outcomes, none of them good. Telling Thomas about the miscarriage would devastate him—I knew that much for certain. But giving in to Janet’s demands would only set a precedent for future extortion.

“I need time to think,” I finally said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Think fast,” Janet replied with a triumphant smile as she stood up and sauntered towards the door. “Time’s ticking, sweetheart.”

As she left the office, I slumped back in my chair, feeling the weight of her ultimatum pressing down on me like a ton of bricks.

How had everything gotten so complicated? My head spun with the possibilities and consequences of each choice before me. One thing was clear—I needed to figure this out before Janet could do any more damage.

For now, though, I needed to focus on getting through this night without breaking down completely.

Taking a deep breath, I stood up and walked back towards where Thomas waited for me by the rink's entrance. His concerned eyes met mine as soon as I approached.

“Everything okay?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah,” I lied, forcing a smile onto my face. “Everything’s fine.”

My heart pounded painfully in my chest as I weighed my options—none of them good.

In that moment, I realized just how deeply entangled I was in this web of lies and secrets.

And there seemed no way out without causing even more pain for everyone involved.

“You’re lying,” Thomas said, his voice low and dangerous. “Ally, what the fuck is going on?”

I looked down, unable to meet his intense gaze. “Thomas…”

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