I Fell Where His Love Favored Another

Half a month into our cold war, I, Claire Parker, found an abortion procedure slip tucked inside Daniel Carter's suit pocket. The patient's name belonged to the fragile little childhood sweetheart he had always protected so fiercely—Sophie Bennett. I folded the paper calmly and slipped it back where I had found it. Daniel noticed the movement immediately. His eyes flicked toward me through the rearview mirror, resignation coloring his voice. "What are you overthinking now? Sophie was just keeping a friend company at the hospital. She accidentally left it there." I turned toward the window and said nothing. This was Sophie declaring war on me, yet the man who could crush competitors without mercy in the business world believed her completely. The silence inside the car grew suffocating until Daniel finally stopped outside an upscale jewelry boutique. He reached over and ruffled my hair with easy familiarity, his tone indulgent and affectionate. "Come on. Pick out a ring. Your birthday's next month anyway, so we might as well register our marriage too." I bit down hard on my lip as tears fell soundlessly onto the back of my hand. What he still didn't know was that I wouldn't live long enough to see next month. ...... "This pink diamond would look perfect against Sophie's skin tone. Please bring it out for me to see." Daniel's voice rang through the VIP lounge without the slightest hesitation, as though this were the most natural thing in the world. He lounged on the sofa, long fingers tapping lazily against the glass display case. The sales associate froze for a second, her gaze darting awkwardly between him and me. "Mr. Carter, this pink diamond is one of our signature pieces. It's usually purchased as an engagement ring. Are you certain you'd like to view this one?" Daniel frowned slightly, impatience threading through his voice. "Bring it out. Sophie has a charity gala next week. Her dress needs something strong enough to carry the look." He said it so casually. So matter-of-factly. I sat quietly beside him when a violent cramp suddenly twisted through my stomach. Instinctively, I bent forward, clutching the fabric of my dress as cold sweat slid down my forehead. Daniel noticed immediately and glanced over. His eyes lingered on my face for two seconds before he sighed. "Claire, are you upset again?" He reached over and tucked the loose strands of hair behind my ear with practiced ease, helplessness lacing his tone. "Didn't I already tell you? We're getting married next month. Sophie's like a little sister to me. She's always been fragile, and she's been through some rough things lately." He paused, effortlessly burying the truth behind that abortion slip. "Taking extra care of her is only natural. You're about to become Mrs. Carter anyway. Can't you be a little more understanding?" I looked up at him, at the confidence written all over his face. He was certain I would never leave him. Certain that the title of Mrs. Carter was enough to make me stay no matter what he did. "Okay." I heard my own weak voice answer. Daniel smiled in satisfaction and pinched my cheek lightly. "That's more like it. Go pick out a plain band over there." He pointed toward the most ordinary display counter tucked away in the corner. "You're always doing housework anyway. Anything too fancy will get scratched up. A simple band suits you best." Once he finished speaking, he turned away again, fully focused on watching the sales associate wrap up the pink diamond worth millions. I pushed myself to my feet. The pain in my stomach made my legs feel weak, but I still forced myself toward the counter displaying the plain rings. The sales associate carefully handed me the cheapest platinum band in the case. "Ms. Parker, try this size." I slipped the ring onto my finger. It hung loose, nearly a full size too big. My fingers had grown thinner from chemotherapy and weeks of barely being able to eat. "It's a little loose," I said softly. Hearing that, Daniel walked over. He didn't even bother looking before speaking directly to the associate. "We'll take this one. Have someone resize it and send it over later." After a brief pause, he added casually, "Once we're officially married, I'll buy you a better one." He pulled out his black card and handed it over, too impatient to even enter a password before using facial recognition to pay. By the time we stepped out of the jewelry store, the wind outside had grown fierce. Daniel carefully tucked the pink diamond box into the inner pocket of his coat. Then he shoved the small bag containing my plain band into my hands. "Hold onto it. I'll make it up to you properly on your birthday next month." His fingertips brushed against the icy back of my hand. He paused for half a second, but said nothing. He hadn't even bothered buying me a decent ring box. I tightened my grip around the paper bag, the metal band inside pressing painfully against my palm. "Thank you," I murmured. Daniel wrapped an arm around my shoulders and guided me toward the car. "What do you want for dinner tonight? I canceled my business dinner just to spend time with you." There was a kind of gracious superiority in his tone, as though he were granting me a favor. I stared at the passing city lights beyond the window while the metallic taste of blood rose sharply in my throat. "Anything's fine." I swallowed the sweetness of blood back down and quietly closed my eyes.