Chapter 4

The day Leo went to SEA Airport to pick up Olivia Grant from London, I terminated my pregnancy.

I’d always loved the idea of children—but this one was a mistake from the start.

Besides, a man like Leo Kingston didn’t deserve to be a father.

Late that night, just after I returned home from the clinic, Leo called me over and over—dozens of times.

I finally answered, voice sharp with irritation. “What?”

“Where did you go? You left without even eating dinner.”

I nearly rolled my eyes into the back of my head. “Oh, wow—you actually remembered me? How generous of you, Mr. Kingston, to spare a thought for me between your busy schedule.”

“Mia,” he snapped, teeth clenched, “do you have to be so cutting?”

“I admit I messed up today,” he continued, forcing calm into his voice. “But can’t you just let it go? Olivia just got back from London. She doesn’t know anyone in Seattle. Was I supposed to leave her stranded at the airport?”

“You’re about to marry into my family,” he added, as if that excused everything. “Can’t you be a little more understanding?”

In a few careless sentences, he’d twisted the whole thing around until I was the problem.

But I was done arguing. Done caring. Done pretending.

“Understanding?” I gave a dry laugh, gazing out at the city lights glittering beyond my window. “Fine. Consider us broken up. Why don’t you just marry her instead? That way, you won’t have to look at me and think of her anymore.”

“How’s that for understanding?”

“Mia, you know there’s nothing between us,” he sighed, frustration thick in his voice. “Why are you acting like this?”

“Am I the one acting—or are you just pretending not to see what’s right in front of you?” My voice stayed steady. “You know exactly what’s going on, Leo.”

“So you’re really ending things?” For once, his voice wavered—just slightly. “I thought you wanted to marry me.”

“I did,” I said coldly. “Not anymore.”

“I’m not joking, Leo. And I’m not asking your permission. I’m telling you: stay out of my life from now on.”

Before he could reply, I hung up, blocked his number, and deleted every trace of him from my phone.

A few days later, I had a follow-up appointment at Swedish Medical Center.

Olivia invited me to lunch, claiming she was “worried” about me. In truth, she just wanted to flaunt her victory.

I never understood how someone could take pride in stealing another woman’s fiancé. It struck me as pathetic—not impressive.

Unlike most people, Olivia thrived on admiration, on being the center of attention. She carried herself like the moon—distant, luminous, untouchable.

But when she realized I wasn’t jealous or heartbroken—just indifferent—she left looking deflated.

Watching her slender figure disappear down the street, I felt only pity. Such beauty wrapped around such a hollow soul.

She and Leo were perfectly matched.

“Mia,” she’d said sweetly over coffee, “please don’t let anything come between you and Leo. There’s truly nothing going on between us.”

“Tomorrow, I’ve asked Leo to come with me to the hospital for a post-travel checkup. You don’t mind, do you?”

I’d nodded politely.

Of course I didn’t mind.

I hoped they saw everything.

The next morning, Chloe Bennett picked me up before dawn. We had an early appointment.

The procedure had been quick. The doctor confirmed everything was healing well—though he warned there might be long-term effects on my fertility. Aside from that, no complications.

Chloe and I were laughing in the hallway outside the exam room when I turned—and froze.

There they were.

Leo and Olivia.

They spotted us instantly. Leo’s eyes, usually so composed, widened with confusion, then dread.

How poetic.

“What are you doing here?” His gaze dropped to the medical folder in my hand, suspicion sharpening his features.

Before I could answer, Chloe stepped forward, arms crossed.

“What about you, Mr. Kingston? What are *you* doing here?” Her voice dripped with contempt. “A University of Washington star like Olivia Grant needs her *friend’s fiancé* to hold her hand at a routine checkup? Pathetic.”

Olivia flushed, immediately slipping into her practiced role of fragility. “I’m sorry… all my friends are still overseas. I’m just overwhelmed adjusting back to life here…”

She turned to me, voice soft, eyes pleading. “I told you yesterday, Mia. You said it was fine, right?”

“Since when,” I said evenly, “does giving advance notice make crossing a line acceptable?”

“And frankly,” I added, glancing past her to Leo, “I don’t care what the two of you do.”

Leo’s expression darkened. He shot me a look of pure scorn. “Don’t act so high and mighty, Mia. You’re just jealous.”

He moved instinctively in front of Olivia, shielding her. “You think because you love me, you get to punish her? I hate women who play these petty games.”

“You lie constantly, and now you’re this possessive? It’s disgusting.”

The illusion shattered completely. The man before me wasn’t the boy I’d loved—he was just another entitled stranger.

Maybe my devotion had blinded him to his own reflection for too long.

“Leo,” I said, meeting his eyes without flinching, “I was pregnant.”

“I came here today… to end it.”