I stood up and took a few steps backward, away from her bed. “You lied to me. You took advantage of my husband when you knew he was vulnerable!”
She shook her head in protest and tears spilled from her eyes. I could imagine how this scene would look to an outsider looking in. Mean old Jillian, making the poor, sick cancer patient cry. But those outsiders had no clue what this poor, sick woman had done to me.
“I can’t believe how stupid I was to think you were my friend.”
“I am your friend, Jillian. I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you before we had left to go home from our holiday, but I was afraid that if I had, then I would have never heard from you again, and I wanted to hear from you because the truth of the matter is, I liked you a lot. I now know why Evan spoke so highly of you and—”
“Don’t! I don’t want to hear anything that he had to say about me to you. Just don’t! So, why did you stalk me to even tell me? Hmm?” I bit my bottom lip, trying so hard to pull it together. “Why this dire need to let me know you slept with my husband?”
“Because I knew the cancer had come back, and I had heard from a former coworker about what happened to Evan...and I just needed to...” She paused and sucked in a deep breath.
I closed my eyes, preparing for the answer I knew was coming. “Is Thomas his son?”
She swallowed hard, her eyes spilling over with tears, and with every passing agonizing second, I could feel my stomach twisting and turning. When she finally nodded, I let out a torturous gasp.
“Did he know?” I demanded.
“No. I never told him because I knew how much he loved you. I never told anyone. I knew what we did was wrong and should have never happened. I left that company shortly after I found out I was pregnant, and I never spoke with Evan again.” She pleaded her case while I remained silent with a whirlwind of thoughts overtaking me.
“Jillian, please. Say something,” she begged.
I shook my head. My shock leaving me powerless to render words. How could this be? Surely, I’d wake up from this dream—this nightmare and breathe a sigh of relief. I’d tell Kate all about it and we’d get a good laugh over it. But as I gazed into her eyes, flooded with every emotion possible, I knew I was very much awake.
My body broke into a sweat and my stomach clenched over and over as I gazed down at her one last time before running out of her bedroom. I darted into the guest room, throwing all my belongings haphazardly into my suitcase, running down the steps and out the door with no idea where I was going. After wheeling my suitcase down the street, I finally stopped once I felt far enough from Kate and the whole situation. Pulling out my phone, I did an Internet search of nearby accommodations to spend the night. I settled on the first one that popped up, a little B&B only a few miles from where I was. I ordered an Uber and came up with my plan while I waited for it to get to me. Once I got settled, I’d make plans to rearrange my flight to head back home in the morning, and try and wrap my head around everything I had just learned about the man I thought I knew better than anyone.
CHAPTER 20
I ARRIVED AT the little bed-and-breakfast that under normal circumstances I would find charming, but given the way I was feeling at that moment, I couldn’t feel anything. The sweet grandmotherly-looking owner handed me the key to my room, and I shook my head, letting her know she didn’t need to continue her spiel about afternoon tea and evening wine and cheese.
“Well, if you need anything, love, just let me know.” She gazed at me sympathetically, no doubt noticing my red-rimmed, swollen eyes.
“Thank you,” I managed, before heading up the stairs to my room. I put my things down and immediately closed the curtains. Flopping down on the bed, I buried my head into the pillow, expelling the gut-wrenching sobs I had been holding in.
I awoke after a two-hour sleep to find three missed calls from Theo and two text messages:
Theo (2:14 p.m.): Kate just told me everything. I’m so sorry. Please call me, text me, anything to let me know you’re okay.
Theo (3:27 p.m.): I’m really worried about you.
Theo had been lied to by Kate this entire time as well, thinking someone else was the father of her child. How could she have been so deceiving even to her own brother? It wasn’t as if he even knew Evan, so why would he have cared if she had a one-night stand with a married man and got knocked up. I typed out the best reply I could muster.
Me: I’m fine
My phone began to ring a few seconds after hitting the send button. I wasn’t surprised to see that it was Theo calling. I sighed heavily, debating whether to answer it. I didn’t have the energy to speak to anyone, and I especially didn’t want to hear any defense he
