Page 102 of The Wrong Side Of Us

Stunned, Nathan blinked, confused as to why I would ask something like that. I didn’t even know why I was asking that.

“I-I was shocked. She just—I didn’t fucking expect for her to do that.”

“That doesn’t answer the question,” I replied calmly.

Nathan scoffed. “A few seconds, maybe.”

I nodded. It took everything in me to remember it wasn’t his fault; he hadn’t asked her to do this. Somewhere between rationality and sadness was anger, though, and anger was much safer than any of those two options. I couldn’t let my guard down.

Eventually, I would let myself feel everything, but in those few seconds, all I wanted to do was to be numb. Perhaps it was the pregnancy, or maybe it was my nature, but everything felt a hundred times worse.

Nathan didn’t cheat. I knew that, and mentally I understood he had been too shocked to react any quicker.

“Well,” I sighed, tucking my hair behind my ear, “I think it’s time for bed.”

“What?”

“It’s time for bed.” I shrugged, already walking towards the restroom to brush my teeth. “I’m tired, and I want to rest. All this craziness is tiring.”

“I don’t understand. Aren’t you pissed?”

I glared at him. “Oh, I’m fucking fuming,” I snarled, feeling how my heart beat a little bit faster as the words left my mouth. “But showing it won’t do shit because you’ve already seen her naked, and there is absolutely nothing I can do.”

***

The next morning, I awoke only to find Nathan already up, his face in his hands. My heart felt a little bit heavy at the sight, but I’d awakened with only one goal in mind. I sat up, getting his attention as I moved.

“You’re up,” he murmured.

“So are you,” I stated, matter of fact.

“Do you want to go out for breakfast?”

Before he even finished voicing his question, I shook my head. There was only one thing I had in mind, and to do it, I had to be alone.

“Evie—”

“No, I need to be alone today,” I said, forcing a smile.

He nodded, pressing his lips together. Without a further word, I brushed my teeth, went on to take a shower, and changed into the only shorts that fit me comfortably and a loose-fitting shirt. I put my hair up in a ponytail and left my face make-up free, not wanting to waste any more time.

Nathan fixed his eyes on me as if trying to figure out what the hell I was planning. I had to keep calm, because if he knew what I wanted to do, he would never let me leave.

“I’ll be back later.” I smiled, leaning against the doorway. He ran his hand over the back of his neck, trying to soothe the tension there, and agreed, asking me to be careful before I walked out the door.

Nathan and I hid nothing from each other, and it was very convenient. I knew the password to his phone, had the information I needed to get Jessica’s address. He wouldn’t agree with what I did, but I found it impossible to care.

Jessica crossed a line, and I wanted her out of our lives forever. I didn’t feel threatened by her, but she had so little respect for our relationship, and she didn’t care at all how it would hurt the man who she considered her friend.

I half expected to feel nervous as the cab pulled up to the house, but as I stepped out, it was anger that propelled me forward. There was no doubt in mind this was what I had to do.

My hand knocked on the door, not an ounce of hesitation in my actions. It took a few seconds before the door opened, and Jessica’s messed-up hair and bare face greeted me. Her blue eyes widened in surprise as she saw me, and I walked past her, not bothering with a greeting.

“What are you doing here?”

I scoffed, unable to stop myself from rolling my eyes. I spared her a single glance. She truly looked like shit.

“Oh, Jessica. You stand naked in front of my fiancé and you didn’t think I’d pay you a little visit? Surely, you’re smarter than that.”