The Viral Post That Exposed My Husband’s Five Women Chapter 02
Brianna: [Seriously?! I’ve waited so long for this! Baby, I love you so much!]
Kelsey: [AHHH! Can I wear that red dress you bought me? I want everyone to know I’m yours!]
Lauren: [Yes! The renovations are done. Once the gala’s over, we can finally move in together!]
Alyssa: [That’s amazing! I just got my nails done today for the gala. When we sign the stock transfer paperwork, I need to look gorgeous!]
Chloe: [Baby, I knew you’d finally tell everyone about us. Once the baby’s born, we have to be official anyway.]
I read them one by one.
It was exactly as I’d thought.
All five women worked at the same company, yet none of them had found out about the others. The only explanation was that Ryan had made sure every one of them kept the relationship secret.
But he was using my company to bankroll a whole roster of women.
Did he ever think to ask me?
Once I had saved all the evidence, I rested a hand over the slight swell of my stomach.
After a moment’s thought, I went to the hospital.
I had barely arrived when Ryan’s voice drifted down the hallway.
“Mom, the baby isn’t developing as well as we’d hoped, but it’s still my child. I don’t care what it costs. We’re doing whatever it takes.”
I froze.
I turned slightly and saw my mother-in-law, Deborah Mercer, holding Chloe’s hand with a look of deep concern.
“I had a psychic reading,” Deborah said. “She said it’s a boy!”
“Starting today, you’re moving in with me. Don’t worry about anything.”
Chloe lowered her gaze, one hand resting over her stomach, wearing a bashful smile.
Anger surged through me.
Five years ago, Ryan and I had lost our first baby in a miscarriage.
My parents happened to be overseas at the time, so I called Deborah and asked if she could help take care of me while I recovered.
Instead, her voice had turned harsh over the phone.
“You couldn’t even carry Ryan’s baby, and you still have the nerve to cry?”
“This is what happens when you refuse to listen to me and eat whatever you want!”
“Natalie Ashford, you should be getting down on your knees in front of the whole family to apologize, and you expect me to take care of you?”
Ryan heard her.
Instead of defending me, he sighed and said, “Natalie, Mom isn’t wrong. You were careless. That’s why you miscarried.”
“Mom’s angry right now. Let’s not bother her.”
“From now on, just stay home and rest. Let me take care of the company. We’ll have a second child, then a third. Okay?”
I believed him.
That was when I handed him full control of the company’s day-to-day operations.
But now, just as our second child had finally come along, he already had another family.
I let out a humorless laugh and turned into the exam room behind me.
“Doctor, can you get me in for an abortion as soon as possible? Tonight, if there’s an opening.”
The doctor stared at me in surprise.
“Ms. Ashford? You spent five years getting healthy enough to conceive. Why would you…”
I shook my head.
“I’m getting divorced. There’s no reason to continue the pregnancy.”
The doctor looked genuinely sorry, then signed the procedure paperwork.
Two hours later, it was over.
The pregnancy was still early, so I didn’t need to stay overnight.
I walked out clutching the paperwork, feeling almost weightless.
I had barely made it through the doors when someone grabbed me hard and yanked me to the side.
“Natalie? It really is you! What are you doing at the hospital?”
I looked up and found Ryan staring at me, visibly tense.
I stepped back and pulled my arm free.
“What are you doing here?”
