Three months pregnant, I told my fiancรฉ, Miles Kensington, I was ending it. He frowned at me. "What is it this time? Because my mother said you shouldn't keep the baby right now?" "Yes." He looked impatient. "Fine. Go back to the apartment and rest. I'll talk to my mother." I said nothing. He turned away to take a call from his assistant, completely missing that something was off with me. "Book two first-class tickets to Cabo for the weekend. Take her to the beach to unwind." That "her" wasn't me. After he hung up, all he said to me was that we'd talk another time. He didn't know I'd gotten my test results today. I was carrying twins. I made the call. "Aunt Victoria, help me arrange a move to the West Coast." If the Kensington family didn't want this child, then the baby would bear the name Quinn. No more ties to that old Boston dynasty. *** An iMessage lit up my screen just as I ended the call with my aunt. "Harper, it's Paige. Miles gave me your number. Said I should keep you company when I have time." I stared at it for a few seconds. Didn't reply. Kept packing. Gwen let herself in with the spare key while I was shoving my Social Security card and car title into a folder. She stopped in the doorway, taking in the cardboard boxes and scattered clothes in the living room, then the documents in my hand. "You're packing?" "Yeah." "Where to?" "Portland." She walked in and sat on the edge of the sofa, her gaze dropping to the slight curve of my belly. "The baby?" "I'm having it on my own." "Does Miles know?" "He knows I'm ending it. He doesn't know I'm moving to Oregon." "When will you tell him?" "I won't." Gwen opened her mouth, then closed it. After a few seconds, she asked a different question. "Why is his mother so insistent you get rid of this child?" My hands stopped moving. Eleanor Kensington's exact words had been: "Harper, I consulted an advisor in Sedona. This child's energy is completely incompatible with Miles. It will bring terrible outcomes for your relationship. Even the family trust could be affected. This child cannot be kept." Gwen listened. Her Starbucks cup crumpled halfway in her grip. "She used that New Age bullshit as a reason?" "Yes." "What did Miles say?" "He said he'd talk to his mother. Then, right in front of me, he called his assistant and booked two tickets to Cabo. Taking Paige." "Who's Paige?" "A friend he knew from summers in the Hamptons when he was a kid. She got back from Europe two months ago. He said she's been in a bad emotional state. Wanted to take her somewhere to relax." Gwen stared at me for a long moment. Her eyes welled up. "You did the right thing. To hell with the Kensingtons." My phone buzzed again. When I didn't respond to the text, Paige called. I didn't pick up. She went to voicemail. "Harper, Miles said your morning sickness has been really bad. I picked up some organic ingredients at Whole Foods and made you some bone broth. It's at the front desk of your building. Remember to grab it." I transcribed the message and showed Gwen. She looked up. "He had this woman deliver soup to you?" "That's what the message says." "And where is he?" "Probably shopping for swim trunks for Cabo." Gwen handed my phone back. No further commentary. A quiet beat passed. She stood up and helped me fold the remaining sweaters from the closet into a moving box. "What do you need me to do?" "Help me ship those boxes of books to my apartment in Portland." "Done." I flipped open today's ultrasound report and glanced at it. Gwen leaned in. "Twins?" "Confirmed this morning." "Does that bastard know?" "No." "You're really not going to tell him?" "He didn't want even one. What difference would knowing there are two make? A bigger check?" Gwen didn't ask again. She helped me finish packing. At the door, sh......
