The Second Wife by Melinda Mulera (book club reads .txt) 📗

Chapter 51: It's only business

We arrived back at Hazel's place and it was well past noon with an almost darkening sky. We had grown quiet over the small journey back here and I was glad he didn't really talk much when I had to think for myself.

"Oh sh*t...." I heard Avery whisper mutely. I glanced towards him in wonder as he slowed the car down, approaching the parking lot. I glanced towards his reason to curse and it was a car I hadn't seen before parked really badly and almost blocking the entire way.

"Who's here?" I asked, only to notice him clench his jaw tightly as he stopped the car and pulled out the phone from inside his pockets.

He sits on his phone?

"Really?" Was the first this Avery said the moment his phone kissed his ears. ".... Fine." He sighed out and shoved the phone back into the pocket before glancing at me. "Just know I really love you, Iris."

Wtf?

"Are you dying?" I asked in wonder as he simply kissed my cheeks before getting out. I watched him for a moment as he closed the door before I also got out. Now feeling nervous.

His mother? His father?

If it was Tina, he would probably be casual. Except his father or the mother.

I'm not ready to meet them once more. The last time his mother stared at me was of pity.

I walked behind him as he lead the way towards the house, looking rather too tense than I had seen him before.

Who the hell is the owner of the car?

Sure is making him nervous.

He opened the door to the house and walked in, letting me trail behind as I closed the door softly. Hazel's voice could be heard from inside the living room yet there was no second voice. Avery's pace slowed down even more as we walked towards the opening of the living room. He whispered out something, but I knew it wasn't for me anyway. Finally stepping into the large living room after Avery's snail speed, I finally found my eyes lingering around until they dropped on those familiar set of stunning blue eyes and long brown hair.

It's the woman from the hospital.

She must be Avery's sister-in-law. She looks rather serious, could be why Avery looks very uncomfortable to see her.

"Oh." Was the first this she said as she stared directly at me. "So that's why you weren't taking my calls." She stood up from the couch and I couldn't help but marvel at how her business tight dress fit around her small round hips, small waist and large breasts. Her hair, just like before, was long and too straight for actual hair. This time, instead if a nude lipstick, she had a thick red icing on her small but perfectly shaped lips to match her smoky eye-shadow and perfectly shaped brows.

Gosh she was gorgeous.

"You want something?" Avery asked as he stood where the couch began, harding getting close enough for a handshake. I stood beside him and stared at her some more.

"Pretty odd thing to say after seeing your own wife." She rolled her eyes to which I gasped to.

That's Rose!?

For an odd reason, I thought she had red hair.

So I met Rose that day and didn't notice. Why was she there to begin with. Is she pregnant....?

"I met you earlier." She pointed out and towards me specifically. Avery and Hazel both shot me a curious glance. "At the hospital. Do you remember?"

"I actually do." I chuckled nervously. "You were taking a pregnancy test..."

"..... Huh!?" Avery chocked out and shot her a glance. "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious, Avery?" She asked with a roll of her eyes as she crossed her arms on her chest. "I'm pregnant."

"Who's?"

"What the fvck do you mean who's, Avery?" Hazel spat out at Avery's confused face.

"Last time I had s*x with her was the day before I was born." He said out and I furrowed my brows in confusion. "We never had it since two years ago. So who's it for, Rose?"

"Well, call it the grace of God or whatever but I happened to have been under experimentation. It's a process called  in vitro fertilization. Allows women with fertility disorders to carry children of our own. Of course the child doesn't contain either mine nor Avery's genes, but it was sold to me."

"Why did you do that?" Avery asked as he crossed his arms on his chest. "You didn't even consult me first."

"Like I needed to." She chuckled lightly as she glanced around her self for a moment. "This was my choice alone. You don't need to offer support if this turns out successful enough. You have your own problems to deal with right now." She said as she shifted her gaze towards me, implying that fact I might be caring his. "So you don't need to worry."

"Is it a publicity stunt?" He asked her again and I couldn't help but feel the hatred between the too. It was too revolting to watch.

"What else?" She furrowed her brows at him with a thin lip line. "Many women facing the same as me will see that it is possible to carry children and still be happy. I'm just being an influencer. It's expensive and it's a bit of a struggle to check in regularly but isn't that a small sacrifice to the big picture?" Her brows raised high and I glanced else where because she kept looking at me when talking to Avery. It wasn't really appealing. "Anyway. Let's not pour all the problems on me but onto this woman you two are having problems with. If you two can't settle your issues, have her terminate the little creature causing problems and you can both let go of her and move on." She suggested with a twisted smirk as her eyes still remained intently on me. I reached my hands up to my stomach and hugged myself in terror.

I wouldn't dare.

"She's not doing any of the sort." Avery rolled his eyes. "She's keeping it. We've already settled things."

"I doubt you have. Considering both of you are married except one's wife is still alive, the most logical thing would be to had her over to the one without one." She pointed out only to have Avery tense beside me as I glanced at him with raised brows. "But Avery will not let her go with his stubborn clingy behavior. Both men here love competing against each other to see who gets what. The family, the money and the girl. Sad. Very pitiful. Even after she give birth, the competition will not end. It's an infinite loop of disaster."

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