Page 14 of The Anniversary Betrayal
He wanted to turn back time, to rip out the part of himself that had been weak, reckless, selfish but the truth was, he couldn’t. Rebecca’s text buzzed again. He threw the phone onto the passenger seat and started the car. He couldn’t go to her. Not now. Not ever. He needed Ashley. He needed hisfamily but deep down, Kingston knew he might already be too late.
By mid-morning, Ashley forced herself into scrubs and headed to the hospital. She couldn’t let her colleagues see her unravel, couldn’t let her patients feel her chaos. She plastered on a smile that felt like it belonged to someone else but behind closed doors, in the brief silence of the on-call room she let her head fall into her hands. Images of Kingston with Rebecca kept flashing behind her eyes, each one sharper, crueler than the last.
She had kicked him out, but that didn’t erase the ache. The betrayal still throbbed through her veins, raw and relentless. For the first time in her life, Ashley Kennedy didn’t know how she was going to survive the day but she knew one thing that she couldn’t go back. Not now. Not after the truth. She whispered into the empty room, her voice breaking but steady. “I deserve better.” And though her heart didn’t quite believe it yet, the words felt like the first fragile step toward reclaiming herself.
Chapter Twelve
The silence was unbearable. Every hour that passed without a word from Ashley gnawed at Kingston like a wound that refused to close. He had texted, called, left voicemails and each one more desperate than the last. His phone was an endless trail of unanswered attempts.
“Ash, please. Let me explain. I know I don’t deserve it, but please let me try.”
“I’m sorry. I was stupid. I ruined everything. Please talk to me. Please.”
“I haven’t told the kids anything. They keep asking about me. I can’t do this without you. We can fix this.”
“It meant nothing. You mean everything. I swear to you, it’s always been you.”
“Please, Ashley. Just pick up. One call. One chance.”
But every message went unread. Every call went to voicemail. Kingston sat in his car outside a coffee shop, his hands wrapped around a paper cup gone cold. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten. He couldn’t bring himself to go home, home was Ashley, the kids, laughter in the kitchen. Not the hollow apartment he’d stumbled into after she threw him out.
Rebecca had called too. Three times yesterday, twice this morning. Each time, Kingston stared at the screen until thecall went dark. Once, she showed up at the hospital, her eyes pleading, her tone sharp when he brushed her off.
“I just need time to think,” he had told her, his voice low and tired.
“Kingston,” she’d pressed, her hand curling around his arm, “don’t pretend this didn’t mean something.”
He’d peeled her hand off, shaking his head. “It was a mistake. I was a mistake. I can’t do this with you anymore.”
Her face had hardened then, hurt flashing across her features but he couldn’t soften it. Not now because the only face that mattered was Ashley’s, the way her eyes had shattered when she confronted him. That look haunted him more than anything Rebecca could offer. For the first time in his life, Kingston Robert felt completely unmoored.
At the hospital cafeteria, Ashley sat across from Carl and Susan, her untouched salad sitting heavy between them. She’d been quiet all morning, forcing herself through rounds, but her friends noticed. They always did.
Carl leaned forward, his elbows braced on the table. “Alright, Ashley. Spill. You’ve been walking around like someone stole your favorite stethoscope. What’s going on?”
Ashley gave a hollow laugh. “It’s worse than that.”
Susan reached over, resting her hand lightly on Ashley’s wrist. “Honey, you don’t have to carry it alone. Tell us.”
Ashley swallowed, staring at the table. For a moment, she debated keeping it inside, locking the truth away where it couldn’t breathe but the words came out anyway, ragged and raw.
“Kingston’s having an affair.”
Carl cursed under his breath, his chair scraping back slightly. Susan’s eyes widened, her lips parting in shock.
Ashley shook her head quickly. “Please don’t… don’t say anything. I just needed to tell someone. I can’t keep pretending I’m fine.”
Susan squeezed her hand. “Oh, Ashley. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s Rebecca,” Ashley continued, her throat tight. “You both know her. Everyone knows her. She works at his hospital. And I…” Her voice cracked, tears welling despite her best efforts. “I found out. I confronted him and I kicked him out.”
Carl’s face darkened, anger flashing hot in his eyes. “Good. He deserves worse. I’ll tell you that much.”
“Carl,” Susan warned gently, but she didn’t disagree.
Ashley wiped at her eyes with a napkin. “The kids don’t know yet. They just keep asking where Daddy is and I—” Her breath broke, and Susan pulled her into a hug across the table.
“You don’t have to have all the answers today,” Susan murmured. “One step at a time. You’ve already done the hardest thing.”
