Nothing tonight is ever that easy, is it? I called the number for Hunter’s house repeatedly and no answer. Gavin left his phone at the bar so that isn’t an option, leaving me with no choice but to have Gavin drive me over to his house. When we pull up to the familiar iron gates, something inside me breaks. I could be still living here with Hunter, raising this baby with him, laughing, crying, and maybe one day we would have gotten married. Instead, he threw me out like a piece of useless garbage.
“The gate requires a code.”
“0-8-0-5.”
Having your birthday as the security code isn’t smart, but neither is Hunter. Gavin punches in the numbers and the gates swing open. As we get closer to the house, I see the lights in Hunter’s bedroom and the main foyer are on. Somebody is up. Gavin parks at the end of the sidewalk.
“Damn this place is huge.”
“It’s bigger on the inside.”
I open the door to step out and Gavin grabs my arm.
“Want me to go in with you?”
“Thanks, but no thanks.”
This is something I need to do on my own.
He doesn’t argue and lets go of my arm. I walk up the steps. It’s surprisingly warm tonight.
I knock on the door twice before ringing the doorbell. I listen to the sound echoing off the walls inside the house. It takes a second, but the door opens and a short girl with shoulder length blonde hair opens the door.
“Welcome to the Scotch residence. How can I help you?”
“I’m here to see Hunter.”
She doesn’t miss a beat as she speaks.
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Scotch is unavailable at the moment.”
“I know he’s probably up in his study, and if he isn’t with Peni, he’s actually doing his work for once.”

Her eyes go a little wide and she opens her mouth to say something. When she doesn’t find words, she closes her mouth. She obviously isn’t going to help me, so I squeeze right around her. She is too stunned for a second, allowing me to make my way around the house. I know it like the back of my hand, and nothing has changed. When the new girl finally snaps out of her shock, she chases after me.
“Wait! You can’t be here, Miss!”
I’m standing outside the door to Hunter’s office. There are no noises coming from behind the door. Crossing my fingers that I don’t walk in on something I don’t want to see, I enter the office. Thankfully, Hunter is sitting at his desk. Alone. He looks up from his papers and shock appears on his face. He quickly tries to cover it up. The young girl enters the room right behind me.
“I’m so sorry, sir. She barged in and demanded to see you.”
“That’s enough, Annalise. Please go back to your task.”
She gets quiet instantly. She reminds me of me when I was here. Quiet and always willing to obey Hunter’s orders.
Look where that got me.
Once I hear the door click shut, Hunter sits down.
“I see you have dyed your hair. It’s very fitting for your personality.”
His words tick me off. I take a deep breath to restrain myself from commenting.
“Come here to beg for your job back?”
And I already want to punch him.
“Nobody was picking up the house phone so I figured I’d come in person.”
“We have caller ID here. Your name came up.”
Of course. I knew that had to be the reason.
“I just came to inform you that Andy will need to take a few days off from work.”
“What kind of accident did she get into this time? What were you two idiots doing?”
My self-restraint is running thin. I can already feel the sweet connection of my fist against his face.
“She had to get emergency surgery. Not that you care, but she’s doing just fine.”
“How many days is she expected to be in the hospital?”
“Anywhere from three to seven. Depends on how well she does with healing.”
“Will she have restrictions when she returns?”
“I’m not her doctor, but probably.”
He nods, writing something down on a sticky note.
“Please inform Miss Sanchez that her stuff needs to be removed by the end of the week or it will be disposed of.”
It takes me a minute to respond. I’m too busy figuring out if he just said what I think he said.
“You’re firing her?”
He’s so calm about it that it just makes me angrier.
“If she will not be able to complete the tasks assigned to her in her job description, I do not need her to work here anymore. Just like the situation with you.”
This catches me off-guard, but I know the argument he’s going to play.
“If you have a child to care for, then you will be slacking off and requiring extra space and time off.”
“You just don’t want to face reality.”
He gives me an icy glare. I’m fed up with his crap.
“I don’t know what you are talking about. I face reality every day.”
I take a step towards his desk. I have no idea where this sudden courage and extra rage came from, but I’m liking it.
“You don’t want to admit to yourself that you cheated on Peni and got me pregnant. You don’t want to face the fact that this is your kid inside of me.”
“If you want to blame your pregnancy on me, go ahead, but I assure you that a DNA test will reveal that I am not the father of that fetus. Maybe one of the guys you sleep around with is the father.”
“I do not sleep around.”
By now, I’m speaking through gritted teeth, attempting to defend my honor.
“If that’s the lie you have to swallow every morning, that’s your problem, but we all know the truth. You are nothing but a little sl-”
I don’t let him get out the word. A satisfying crack fills the room as do what I’ve wanted to do for so long. Punch him right in his smug, lying face.
“Hunter!”
I didn’t hear the door open. I didn’t hear Peni come in. Now, she’s on her knees beside Hunter, trying to look at the damage. He turns his face away from her.
“How dare you assault him!”
I laugh. Not the proper response for this situation, but I honestly don’t care at this point.
“Maybe if he admits to his mistakes, he wouldn’t have gotten himself into this little mess.”
Peni looks up at Hunter with a confused look. His face is filled with anger.
“What are you talking about, you little weasel?”
“Your future husband is going to be a father.”
Her face twists in confusion.
“What?”
I turn, cradling my stomach with my hands.
“While you were away during his Christmas party, he cheated on you and now he’s going to be a father.”
With these words, I spin and exit the office, storming back out the front door to Gavin’s waiting car.