Page 56 of Pursued By My Grumpy Fiancé
“Hailey, I can assure you that if she really is pregnant, the baby is not mine.”
“‘If she really is pregnant?’ I’m not blind. I know what a pregnant woman looks like!”
I groan in frustration and throw my head in my hands. Hailey is impossible to have this conversation with in her current state.
“I know you’re not blind! I just meant if she’s really pregnant, or if she’s wearing, like, a fake belly or something.”
I lean back and stare at the ceiling. Hailey’s quiet for a moment.
“A fake belly? This isn’t a soap opera, Landon.”
“Well, I don’t know! Look, I’m just saying. There’s the distinct possibility that she could just be faking it,” I say pointedly.
Hailey stares in my direction, but I can tell that she’s not looking at me, because she’s looking through me, deep in thought. Finally, she shakes her head.
“No, she’s really pregnant. Her feet were so swollen, I couldn’t even believe that she was wearing heels like that. It looked so incredibly painful.” She shudders as she recalls the memory.
“Okay,” I heave a huge sigh, the dilemma weighing on my body. “So, she’s pregnant. But I promise, Hailey, it’s not my baby. I was always safe with her, especially because I didn’t trust her.”
Hailey stares at me with a sad look on her face.
“Landon, I just— Look, I want to believe you, but I just don’t know how to tell what’s the truth from what’s a lie.”
“Well, believe me! I’m telling the truth! We just started a relationship, a real relationship. I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that!” I can hear the desperation tainting my voice as I plead with her to just take me at my word.
“Do you not see the problem I’m having? The entirety of our relationship is based on a lie. The whole reason we’re even in an actual relationship is because you told the entire world a huge lie—that I was your fiancée. You even did it against my wishes! Do you think that puts you in the position to be believed in a situation like this?” She bites her lip, and I can’t even muster the emotional energy to find it sexy.
My heart is sinking into my stomach.
“No. I don’t, I guess.” I sigh and sink back into the armchair, leaning forward so that my head is in my lap.
Hailey walks over to me, moves like she’s going to pat me on the back, then pulls back as she thinks better of it. Instead, she kneels down in front of me, wobbly from the wine she’s consumed.
“Look, Landon, I’m not saying that we’re over or anything. I don’t want us to be completely done. I’m just saying that maybe it’s better if I take a step back for a few days. Go stay with my sister or something, you know? Truthfully, I just need some time to think and absorb the day’s events.”
I lift my head to look at her. My eyes search hers, noting the hurt that has rooted itself deep within them. I sigh and nod.
“Okay, I do understand that. I don’t want you to be gone for long, though. So, will you at least call me in a few days?” I ask.
I don’t even care how pathetic I sound. I can’t lose Hailey before I’ve even really gotten the chance to be with her.
“I’ll call you even before that.” She gives me a small smile, then stands up. She smooths out her outfit, then heads to the room to pack a bag.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Hailey
I’vebeenstayingwithmy sister for the past two days. I know that I promised Landon that I would call him before three days had passed, but to be honest, I wasn’t in my right mind at that moment. I’ve had time to think, but not to truly process the events of that night.
Seeing a pregnant Victoria at the door rocked me to my core. In truth, I shouldn’t have picked up that bottle of wine after she left. Especially since I know how I get off of wine. Taking the time away to think has helped, though.
When I showed up on my sister’s doorstep two nights ago, she was extremely perplexed.
“Hailey? What are you doing here?” she asked, pulling me inside and shutting the door behind me.
It was weird being in her home again after spending a majority of my time in a luxurious penthouse. It was small—a two bedroom apartment on the outskirts of the city that’s being subsidized for her by Stanford. The appliances are old, and the windows are not sealed properly, making the entire place feel slightly too warm.
Emma led me to her worn couch, a gift from my mother when she went into hospice care.
