After He Cheated, I Dumped Him For My Crush

Chapter 3

When we got back, my mother-in-law was already there waiting.

The second Brandon and I walked through the door, she rushed over, panic written all over her face. "Joanna, please tell me it's not true. Did you really go to the hospital and end the pregnancy?"

I wasn't planning on hiding it anyway, so I just gave it to her straight. "Yeah. I did."

She broke down, pointing an accusing finger at me. "How could you do something so reckless? That's a life, Joanna! A baby!"

I knew she was just heartbroken over losing a grandkid. The Vinsons wasn't exactly big. Brandon was an only child, which was why his parents had always pressured us to expand the family.

When they first found out I was pregnant with our second, they were over the moon. But now, because of Brandon's affair, an innocent life had become collateral damage in my quest for revenge.

Part of me felt stupid too, acting so impulsively. I knew my in-laws would probably hate me forever for this.

"Mom," I said, my voice deadpan. "Your son cheated on me. Did you really expect me to carry his child after that?"

That shut her up.

She stood there, completely dumbfounded, for what felt like an eternity before she started scrambling for excuses for her son. "Joanna, look—what Brandon did was messed up, obviously. But that baby wasn't just his. It was your own flesh and blood! How could you just throw it away like it was nothing?"

Brandon chimed in right on cue. "My mom's right, Joanna. You actually aborted your own kid. You're cold-blooded!"

That did it.

Anybody else in the world could call me heartless. Not him. Brandon Vinson was the last man alive with the standing to say a word to me about it. If he hadn't torn this marriage down, none of this would have happened.

I didn't even think about it. I said it right into his face.

"I want a divorce, Brandon."

It was the first thing that had crossed my mind the moment I found out about the affair.

Before, the pregnancy had kept me trapped. Now that it was over, all I wanted was to cut ties with this cheating bastard and get as far away from him as possible.

Brandon hadn't seen it coming. He never thought I'd actually pull the trigger.

He'd counted on the kids. He knew what they were to me, and he'd banked on it.

I laid it out for him. "Relax. I won't come after you for custody. Just sign."

I'd taken a lot for that kid. Anybody would. But there's a point where it stops.

He wanted me to give up every piece of myself and lose my mind holding a wrecked house together. That was never going to happen.

Especially not after Brandon's cheating. There was no universe where I could just forgive and forget. Divorce was the only way out.

Brandon stared at me, trying to call my bluff. "Are you seriously telling me you're willing to just walk away from Billy?"

I let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. "You saw what I just did, didn't you? I've already given up one kid. What's one more?"

Before he could answer, my mother-in-law panicked and jumped between us. "Joanna, stop! Divorce is a massive deal! You need to take a breath and think this through!"

To give her credit, even though she usually babied Brandon, she was generally a reasonable woman.

She knew we were at this breaking point because her son had screwed up first. Plus, she doted on her grandson and wanted him to have a whole family, so she was desperate to keep us together.

I had fully intended to burn every single bridge tonight. But the moment my father-in-law walked through the door carrying Billy, my resolve took a hit.

Billy threw his little arms around my neck, calling out "Mommy" over and over.

My heart instantly melted. He was such a sweet boy—the mere thought of leaving him tore me up inside.

Then I looked at Brandon, standing there doing his best impression of a devoted husband, and all I could think about was where he'd been.

It turned my stomach.

That night before bed, I traded a few texts with Nicholas.

He said he was driving back to Ockburn in the morning and offered me a seat if I wanted out of town.

I couldn't tell what he was after with that. I didn't answer it straight.

Joanna: Thank you for the last couple of days. Brandon and I still have a lot to work out, so I can't leave yet.

His reply came back before I'd put the phone down.

Nicholas: So once you and Brandon work it out, you'll come with me?