Keep Your Millions, Doctor. I’m DONE. Chapter 02

Keep Your Millions, Doctor. I’m DONE. Chapter 02

The private investigator sent me another update.

When I saw the baby’s nickname, my knuckles went white gripping the phone.

“Finn.” That was the name I’d picked for the baby I lost.

I’d spent weeks combing through baby name books and websites, loading every hope I had into that single syllable.

Preston used to rest his head on my belly and smile softly.

“Finn—short for Finnegan. Strong and steady. Perfect name.”

I thought that name had been buried with our child.

But it had been stolen and given to Wendy’s baby.

It was the middle of summer, but I felt bone-cold, aching all the way to my marrow.

[Send me the address for the birthday party.]

Preston had picked a scenic estate on the outskirts of Pine Hollow. You couldn’t get in without a pass.

I paid a fortune for one and slipped among the laughter and chatter like a ghost who didn’t belong.

Wendy beamed at the center of attention, playing hostess as she showed off the nursery.

Cream-colored walls. A wooden crib with rounded corners. A floor-to-ceiling bookcase.

Even the custom figurine on the windowsill—the one I’d spent half a month picking out, dreaming of the day my baby would see it.

My design. My nursery. Copied exactly and given to Wendy.

Voices from the crowd buzzed in my ears.

“I heard Dr. Hartley designed all this himself. Three years in and he’s still that devoted to you.”

“Well, Wendy’s amazing in her own right—youngest attending physician in the hospital. Her future’s bright.”

Wendy smiled sweetly and said, “Preston said this is his first child, so he wanted to give him the very best.”

Preston wrapped an arm around her, doting.

Then he glanced up lazily, his eyes scanned the crowd—and landed on me.

His happy smile froze solid.

The air turned heavy. Everyone’s eyes swiveled to me.

Wendy shrank back, and Preston instinctively stepped in front of her.

“Don’t make a scene today. Whatever you have to say, we’ll talk at home.”

My nails bit into my palms. I forced myself to stay composed.

“Preston, you’ve been lying to me for three years. You don’t even have an explanation?”

Before he could answer, Lindsay rushed forward.

She frowned, looking down at me like I was being unreasonable.

“He lied because he was afraid you’d do something crazy. He was trying to protect you. Why do you have to be so petty about everything?”

“Even if you’re hurting, crashing a kid’s birthday party is just embarrassing.”

Then my brother, Jason, chimed in, cold and hard.

“Besides, that was years ago. Time to move on. You can’t drag everyone down just because you’re unhappy.”

Even my parents shook their heads, their voices dripping with disappointment.

“Jennifer, you’re letting us down. Three years later and you’re still this vindictive.”

“You humiliated Wendy in front of everyone and made her life miserable. Isn’t that punishment enough?”

“And she doesn’t even want a title—she just wanted to give Preston a child. What’s so wrong with that? You don’t have to destroy someone completely.”

Preston let out a weary sigh.

“Fine. Now you know. Saves me the trouble of hiring actors to fool you—it was exhausting anyway.”

“My parents were on my case. You couldn’t have kids. I wasn’t going to stay celibate forever. You have to understand.”

“From now on, just stay home and play the part of Mrs. Hartley. We each live our own lives. No one bothers anyone.”

They all closed ranks around Wendy, shielding her.

And I stood there, surrounded by the people who’d once loved me most, treated like a threat.

I laughed quietly, the sound hollow.

“Preston, what if I told you I’m pregnant too?”