For a moment, all I can do is stare.
What the hell is Brianna doing here? Did she come to see Elliot? That makes some sort of sense, but why was she at Maria’s house? That part doesn’t make sense at all.
She looks great too. Her blond hair is long and glossy, her legs look long and sleek in her skinny pants, and her face is glowing. She’s got a pregnancy glow. A pregnancy glow from my husband’s baby.
I can’t believe this is happening. How could my life fall apart so quickly?
It’s obvious she’s headed for our front door. Before she can make it, I kill the engine and scramble out of the SUV. I catch her before she makes it to the front door.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I hiss at her. Although the conviction in my words is hampered by the fact that I am slightly out of breath.
Brianna turns to me and gives me one of her beautifully fake smiles. “Sorry. I just need to speak to Elliot.”
She reaches out to press the doorbell, but I step in front of her before she can. “You can’t speak to him. You can’t see him ever again.”
She cocks her head to the side. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” I fold my arms across my chest, partially to hide the fact that they are trembling. “I want you off my property and out of our lives. Permanently. Elliot made a huge mistake, and he doesn’t want anything to do with you anymore.”
Her eyes take on a sympathetic look. “Oh. So he hasn’t talked to you about our plans yet?”
“What plans?”
She lets out a long sigh. “April, you couldn’t possibly think he was going to stay with you. We’re having a baby. He’s been wanting to have a baby for a long time.”
“We have a baby,” I spit at her. “Elliot and I have a child together. We have a family. We have a life together here.”
She nods. “Yes, and Bobby will still be a part of our lives—a bit. But you must know how unhappy Elliot has been with you. He can’t stand you. All you do is film your little YouTube show and spend his money.”
“That’s not true.”
“Are you completely oblivious?” She snorts. “Why do you think Elliot stays at work so late every night? To work? Nobody works that hard, honey.”
I grit my teeth. “He told me he regrets what happened with you. He told me it’s over.”
That sympathetic look again. “He’s just trying to find a way to break it to you. I’m sorry, April.”
My heart is racing in my chest. Could this possibly be true? Or is she just messing with my head? I don’t know what to believe anymore.
“Let me tell you this.” I poke her in the chest with my finger. “If Elliot tries to divorce me after what the two of you did, I will take him for every penny he has. I promise you that.”
I thought my words would shake Brianna, but it only seems to amuse her. “I don’t think so, April.”
The way she is looking at me is freaking me out. What does she know? Why is she smiling like that? She has no right to think she has the upper hand. I’m the one married to Elliot. She’s just a secretary who got herself knocked up.
Is she the one who has been texting me? Are she and Maria ganging up against me together? I can’t even wrap my head around it.
“Get off my property,” I say. Brianna doesn’t move.
“Get off my property,” I say again. “Listen, calm down, April…”
My voice grows several notches higher. “Get off my property. Right.
Now. Or else I’m calling the cops on you!”
I take a step towards her, and this time she flinches. Good. She’s scared. She should be, because I will absolutely call the police on her and press charges. I’m in no mood to mess around.
“I’ll come back later,” Brianna says. “Don’t bother.”
Brianna walks over to her car, gets inside, and drives away. After her car disappears, I look over at the house next to mine. Maria’s house. Why was Brianna at Maria’s house?
I have to know the answer.
I march over to Maria’s house and dart up the steps to her front door. I press my thumb against the doorbell, and when somebody doesn’t answer right away, I pound on the door with my fist. I want some answers, and I want them now.
But for some reason, nobody is answering.
I pound on the door a few more times, but I don’t hear any sounds from within the house. I peek through the window, but the house looks dark inside. And there’s no car in the driveway, although there may be a car in the garage.
Nobody is home.
Was I mistaken about Brianna coming out of this house? I thought for sure I saw her coming down the front stairs, but maybe not. Or maybe she got the address wrong and thought that house was ours. It makes a hell of a lot more sense than what I thought I saw.
I shake my head and return to our house. I stand in the middle of the living room, staring up the staircase. Elliot is upstairs working in his study right now. I should ask him if what Brianna said is true. Was he just biding time yesterday when he told me he wanted to stay together? Maybe he’s hiding his assets. Of course, I’ve got some of my own assets from my show, but it’s nothing compared to our joint accounts.
I imagine myself bursting into his study and demanding the truth. And then I imagine him tearfully admitting to me that everything Brianna told me is true. He wants to leave me to have this baby with her. He’s going to take everything and leave me penniless.
Suddenly, my chest feels tight. I sink onto the sofa, burying my face in my hands. I’m still furious at Elliot for what he did, but I still don’t want him to leave me. I don’t want to give up my life here. I don’t want to break up my family.
I’ll do anything to keep that from happening.
