I wiped my mouth, my body shaking with nausea and anger. He was furious—furious that I wasn’t playing along with his charade. Furious that I wasn’t willing to be his wife in name only while he lived a double life.
“You’re gonna regret this, Jane,” he spat, his voice venomous. He grabbed at my clothes again, more forcefully this time, his hands pawing at me with no concern for my feelings.
My body tensed and for a brief, agonizing moment, I felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. My stomach clenched and I gasped. The baby. It was as if even this tiny life inside me sensed the danger, the threat.
“Stop!” I screamed, shoving him away with all the strength I had left. “Get away from me!”
He froze, stunned by my sudden outburst. I straightened my crumpled shirt, my eyes blazing with fury. Then, without thinking, I slapped him hard across the face. The sound of my palm connecting with his cheek was deafening in the silence that followed.
Mark stared at me in disbelief, his eyes wide with shock and betrayal. He had never seen me like this before. He had never seen me so broken, so done.
“Jane...” he whispered, his voice low, dangerous. “You’re really something.”