Page 69 of Dirty Little Secret, Baby
"Is that why you came?" I shoot back, unsure whether to tell him and feeling how hurt I still am, even if he stood up to Chris for me. So why the mall, and why the termination? So he’ll just have to live with the shock that, on paper, I’m a wife.
"No, you’re right. It’s none of my business," he says, pausing. Oh, if only he knew how much it is his business, I think.
"The child isn’t his," I say quickly, avoiding his gaze because I want to make at least that much clear.
"It’s okay, Beth. I’m here because I couldn’t stop thinking about our conversation earlier. You know, the shopping mall," he says, gesturing out the window toward where the mall will go up. "And about the termination notice for your shop. So, here’s the thing: I made some incredibly stupid mistakes. The shopping mall was my idea, but you should know it was meant for your own good. I would never have allowed—"
"Beth! Are you there?" Veronica’s voice shrills down into the shop, cutting off Alex’s spiel—the one I wanted so badly to hear because I wished it were true and that he had good reasons for all of it. I didn’t really believe it, but after his rescue I’d decided to hear him out at least one last time.
"Yes, Veronica. What is it? Can it wait a minute?" I ask, signaling Alex to hold on a second.
"I don’t think so. There’s a problem. With Ben..."
Her voice sounds clearly agitated. What’s going on? A thousand questions shoot through my head. He wouldn’t...
Chapter 32
Alex
She's married! What a shock!
Okay, only on paper, and the guy is a complete idiot who doesn't deserve her. God knows what he would have done with that raised fist if I hadn't happened to come along.
I could see it in Beth's eyes, and I think he's done it before: hit her.
For that alone, he deserved a good beating, and I could barely restrain myself from giving him one.
But this was about Beth, and I didn't want to screw it up again, so I summoned all the reason I could and showed him the door.
So many questions swirled through my mind: Was he the father of her child? Was there maybe more to it than just a marriage that only existed on paper and had been over for a long time?
Again, I felt like Beth was slipping right through my fingers. But I pulled myself together and didn't ask too many questions, because Beth reacted—rightfully so—withdrawn. I could understand her; she must still think I wanted to mess with her after everything Eric had done.
So I put my questions on the back burner and decided to do what I had come here for, before that Chris guy had turned everything upside down again. I wanted to explain why I bought the building complex and how I intended to help her with it. But I just couldn't get the words out, because in that moment, I realized that she might not want my help at all. Could it be that she'd see it as an attack on her independence and assume that I thought she couldn't manage on her own?
Oh, man! Why didn't I think of that before?
But now it was too late. I was here and I wanted to see this through, to explain the mess my assistant had made, and to seize the only chance that might lead to us having a future.
But it was as if it was jinxed. Just when I was ready, something came up again. It almost seemed as if fate was conspiring against it.
For a moment, I was very annoyed when her friend called from upstairs. Beth wanted to keep listening to me; I could see it in her eyes. But then she said the words that changed everything:
"There's a problem. With Ben..."
******
Beth looks at me, startled, for a fraction of a second, and you can literally see all the blood drain from her face. But the sight of a worried mother is gone in an instant, as she tears up the stairs like a bat out of hell without another word.
Now here I stand, wondering what to do, hearing the excited voices of the two women talking upstairs.
The topic between us is on hold for the moment, that much is clear. But what should I do now? Just wait? Or go see what's wrong? What's going on with her child? Something serious? But can I really help? I don't know the first thing about kids.
"We'll take a taxi to the pediatrician. He said to come right away. See you later, Veronica," I suddenly hear Beth's voice again, loud and clear. Then I hear the sound of her feet on the stairs and she comes back down to me, presumably to tell me that we'll have to talk another time.
Then we're facing each other again, looking at one another. But she's not alone. For the first time, I see her with the child in her arms. Her child.
"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" I ask, seeing her worried and slightly dazed expression and guessing she had completely forgotten I was here.
