Always her: He Left Before He Ever Knew

Chapter 3: Just The Two of Us

Isabel

My eyes didn’t go up, but I felt the whole office floor staring at me as I walked to the elevator.

The employees in the hallway stepped aside, their hushed conversations turning to silence the moment I passed.

I pressed the elevator button and fixed my eyes on the gap between the doors, counting the seconds till they opened

As soon as I entered, I pulled a tissue from my bag. I tried to clean the tears from my face, but they kept coming.

I looked at myself in the mirror.

My eyes were red and my makeup was nothing but black smudges under my eyelids. I looked older than when I saw myself this morning.

The doors slid open and I walked into the lobby. My head was down. I didn't see the man waiting there for the elevator.

"Isabel?"

I froze. It was Ryan. Daniel’s best friend.

He took a step toward me, his voice soft.

"Are you okay? You look…"

"I’m fine, Ryan," I whispered.

I walked quickly away from him. I didn't want his kindness. I felt like it would break the last bit of resolve I had left.

I reached the parking garage and climbed into my car. I shut the door, and just sat there staring at nothing.

My life was gone. In the span of an hour, I had lost my husband, my home, and my safety.

I thought about the house. Our house. The thought of going back there to be humiliated by the staff. I couldn’t.

I wouldn’t.

But as I put my hands on the steering wheel, I realized I didn't know where to go.

I scrolled through my contacts. My thumb hovered over name after name, but I couldn't call any of them. They were all part of Daniel's circle.

I scrolled until I found Sofia.

I dialed. She picked up on the second ring.

"Izzy?"

I tried to speak, but my voice was a mess.

"Sofia... I..."

There was a pause on her end. Her voice dropped, and was replaced by a protective edge.

"Tell me you're okay.", she said.

"I'm not," I breathed.

"Come to my house," she said firmly. "The spare key is in the blue vase. I’ll be there in half an hour. I’ll meet you there, Izzy.."

"Okay," I said, hanging up.

Before I started the engine, I needed to do two things first.

First, I pulled the test results from my bag and I searched the paper.

I needed to see it myself. Because the small voice in my head kept telling me something was wrong.

I found the number on the letterhead and dialed it.

"HealthBridge Diagnostics, how can we help you?"

"Please”, I said, trying to keep my voice from cracking. “I…I’d like to request my original results of a paternity test,"

“Okay. Can you provide us with your patient ID and the date you did the test”

"Patient ID is 7749-B. Tested last Tuesday."

"One moment, please.",,the voice said.

I heard the tapping of keys.

"Due to security protocols, we have to conduct a manual review of the data for a re-release. We will get back to you in three to five business days."

"Five days?" I asked, my heart sinking. "Is there any way that you can speed…?"

A sharp tap on the side of the window made me jump.

“Sorry”, I said to the phone and hung up.

Standing by my window was Sarah, Daniel’s personal assistant.

Her expression was uncomfortable. She looked like someone who was dragged there but was too afraid to refuse.

I rolled down the window. "Sarah?"

"Mrs. Ashford," she said, but she winced at the title. "I'm sorry. But Mr. Ashford... he’s asked me to collect a few things."

I looked at her, my hand still gripping the phone. "What things?"

"He’s asked for the corporate card," she said. "And the keys to the company car. Immediately."

I was speechless.

It wasn’t because of the realization that the car didn't belong to me. I had always known it was a company perk.

It was the speed. And the sheer length Daniel was going to in order to remove me from his life.

"I see," I said. My voice felt like it was coming from a great distance.

I unbuckled my seatbelt. My movements were slow, like I was moving through water.

"I can have a cab arranged for you," Sarah said quickly. "I can pay for it to take you to your destination. Please, let me do that."

I grabbed my purse and stepped out of the car, clicking the remote to lock it for the last time.

"I'm not going very far," I said, trying to force a smile. It was a half-truth. Sofia lived across the city, but I didn’t want to be pitied.

Sarah looked at me confused. She looked like she wanted to say something else. But she just nodded.

I handed her the keys and watched her walk back inside the building, leaving me standing in the middle of the empty parking space.

I walked out of the garage and flagged a taxi. I didn't go straight to Sofia's. I needed to do the second thing I planned.

I stepped into the store,and sat at the velvet-covered counter.

I pulled the ring from my finger and stared at the diamond.

It was beautiful, but it meant nothing to me now. A part of me whispered that maybe this was a mistake. Maybe Daniel would calm down. Maybe he would call.

But I remembered his cold eyes, the finality of his voice and I knew the truth.

"Madam?"

The jeweler’s voice pulled me back.

I handed the ring to him. He took the ring from my hand, his eyes lingering on my face for a second too long.

He understood. He had seen women like me before.

He put his loupe to his eye and observed the stone. After a few minutes, he set it down on a small cushion.

"It is indeed exceptional," he said softly.

Then he called a price that was incredibly high. I didn’t expect it to be that much, but I wasn't surprised. Daniel was never one to do things cheaply.

"I'll take it," I said.

He disappeared into the back and returned with a fat envelope.

I took the cash, feeling its weight in my hand.

The sun was starting to set, when I walked out of the store and onto the sidewalk

I placed my hand over my stomach, feeling the slight warmth beneath my palm.

"It's just the two of us now," I whispered.