My Husband's Ex Toasts Their Past

At an alumni reunion, my husband's business rival Vanessa Graves stands up in front of everyone and raises three toasts to him. "The first is for the time you risked your life to save me from a group of thugs and ended up with broken bones and spent six months in the hospital. "The second is for the five years we were together, and every bit of love and devotion you gave me. "The third is for putting everything behind you and coming here tonight to see me." She finishes her drink and looks at my husband, Russell Grayson, with teary eyes filled with affection. The whole table erupts in whispers, every pair of eyes locked on her and Russell. "No wonder the campus queen has been single all these years. She's been waiting for Russell Grayson." "They were everyone's golden couple back in the day. After they broke up, he was a wreck for the longest time before someone else swooped in. Are they about to get back together?" Under the weight of everyone's loaded stares, I smile and slide Russell's glass away from him. "No drinking if you're driving, honey. I have a prenatal appointment this afternoon. Why don't you come with me?" Chapter 1 "What? When did you two get married? And you're already having a baby?" My words sent a shockwave through the table. Under everyone's stunned gazes, Vanessa Graves' head snapped up toward Russell Grayson, and tears instantly spilled from her reddened eyes. I smiled. "We signed the papers almost a month ago. The wedding's still being planned, but we'll let everyone know once we've set a date." The classmates who'd been gossiping moments earlier looked embarrassed and mumbled a few awkward congratulations. But a woman sitting next to Vanessa let out a scornful laugh. "Oh, aren't you just thrilled with yourself? If Vanessa hadn't been forced to end things with Russell back then, he never would've looked twice at you. "Everyone knows how crazy Russell was about Vanessa. He would've given his life for her. In his heart, you probably don't even come close. If you weren't carrying his baby, do you honestly think he would've married you?" A few people nodded without thinking, clearly on her side. I ignored the woman and fixed Russell a bowl of his favorite soup. Vanessa had only moved back to the country six months ago. I'd watched Russell rip deals right out from under her, and watched him swear through gritted teeth that he'd make her life a living hell. He hated Vanessa that much. There was no way he'd ever go back to her. But right now he sat in silence, his eyes dark and unreadable as he stared at Vanessa across the table. He didn't even glance at the soup I'd set in front of him. The air at the table went still, and I frowned slightly, a quiet unease settling in my chest. Nobody knew the story between Russell and Vanessa better than I did. Years ago, Vanessa had cheated on Russell with some trust-fund kid just to get herself a ticket overseas. She left nothing behind but a breakup letter before disappearing with the guy. Russell rushed to the airport in tears, but he couldn't stop her. He fell apart after that, spiraling into depression for a solid six months. Then one day, I gathered my courage, walked up to him, and told him how I felt. "Even if everyone else gives up on you, I'll still be right here. "She doesn't want you anymore, but I do. I like you. Let's get together." He just stared at me, stunned, but he didn't say no. And just like that, we stumbled into a relationship. To help him get back on his feet, I poured every penny I'd ever saved into starting a small company for him, then used my family's connections to help him grow it piece by piece. He used to hold me tight on countless late nights, whispering my name. "Thank God I have you, Holly." And whenever I'd get a little jealous and bring up Vanessa's name, his face would twist with disgust. "Don't ever mention her again. Just hearing her name makes me sick." Chapter 2 Russell supposedly hated Vanessa. So why couldn't he take his eyes off her face? A wave of panic hit me, and I couldn't stop myself from reaching over and tugging on Russell's sleeve. He snapped out of it and looked at me, something complicated flickering behind his eyes before a small smile replaced it. "Alright, whatever you say." That familiar warmth settled over me, and the unease in my chest slowly faded. "Sorry, everyone, I need to take my wife to her prenatal appointment. You all enjoy the rest of the evening." Russell stood up and took my hand, leading me toward the door. But Vanessa called after him, her voice cracking. "Russ, what happened back then was a misunderstanding. Can't you forgive me and at least give me a chance to explain?" "No." He cut her off before she could finish, his brow furrowed and his tone dripping with contempt. "A gold-digger doesn't deserve my forgiveness, so don't waste your breath. And that Eastport Marina project? I'm taking it, end of story. "And for the record, I'm married now. My wife is the person I love most in this world, and she's not someone any random person gets to compete with." That last part was harsh, even for him. Vanessa's face went white. She stumbled, catching herself on the edge of the table to keep from falling. Russell's expression didn't change, but just as he stepped through the door, he glanced back at her. I felt his hand tighten around mine for no reason at all. The whole drive back, Russell sat with his jaw clenched, not saying a word. I could feel something off about him, and I turned to look at his profile, letting a hint of cautious jealousy slip into my voice. "Maybe you should just let her have the Eastport Marina project. She's on her own out there. It can't be easy for her." Before I could finish, he slammed the brakes and pulled over to the side of the road. He turned to face me, looking me dead in the eyes. "Holly, don't ever say something like that again. She doesn't deserve it." "I just…" I hesitated for a few seconds before letting out what was really bothering me. "I don't want you having anything to do with her anymore." Russell's lips curved into a soft smile at that, and he reached over and pulled me into his arms. "Silly, stop overthinking it. Trust me, the only thing I feel for her is hate. Nothing else." He leaned down and kissed me. The tension in the car melted into something warm and tender, and under his gentle touch, I forgot everything unpleasant from earlier. Every last trace of doubt drained right out of me. Just as things were heating up, Russell's phone rang. He answered it without thinking, and Vanessa's anguished, sobbing voice came through the speaker. "Russell, please don't do this to me. I put everything I had into the Eastport Marina project. Please, I'm begging you, don't take it from me. "And what happened back then, I had no choice. You have to believe me. You're the only person I've ever loved." Her voice was shattered, thick with tears and what sounded like too much to drink, the kind of crying that made anyone listening feel sorry for her. Russell's body went rigid for a split second, and the irritation in his eyes vanished completely. He hung up, pulled away from me, and straightened in his seat. Something passed behind his lowered eyes, but he'd turned his face away—I couldn't read his expression. Before I could say anything, he was already out of the car, walking around to the passenger side and opening my door. "Holly, something just came up at the office. I need to head in. Take a cab to the hospital for the appointment, and I'll come to you the second I'm done." It wasn't up for discussion. It was an order. I got out numbly, doing as he said, and by the time I processed what had just happened, the car had already made a U-turn and disappeared down the road. This was, I was pretty sure, the first time Russell had ever just left me standing on the side of the road like that. That heavy sense of dread came flooding back. I took a few deep breaths and told myself not to read too much into it. I stood in the blazing sun for over ten minutes before I managed to flag down a cab, and by the time I got to the hospital, I'd already missed my appointment. While I was waiting in line to reschedule, my phone buzzed with a call from the receptionist at the office. "Ms. Townsend, Mr. Grayson just handed the Eastport Marina project over to the rival company out of nowhere. The whole team pulled multiple all-nighters putting that proposal together, and now it's all for nothing. Everyone's about ready to lose it." Chapter 3 I didn't hear a single word she said after that. It felt like I'd been struck by lightning, my mind going completely blank. The receptionist must have picked up on something in my silence, because she wrapped up quickly and hung up. I sat alone on a bench in the hospital corridor, staring at nothing, until the doctor called my name several times before I finally snapped back. "You're here by yourself today? Where's your husband?" The doctor made small talk while doing the ultrasound. At every other appointment, Russell had always made time to be there, no matter how busy he was. It was only natural she'd notice his absence. I swallowed the ache rising in my throat and forced a thin smile. "He's tied up with work today, so he couldn't make it." The doctor nodded and didn't press further, but her brow creased slightly as she studied the monitor. "You had serious trauma to your lower back before, so the pregnancy has never been the most stable. You really need to watch your stress levels and get plenty of rest; otherwise things could get dangerous. "I've already gone over all of this with your husband. Next time, have him come with you. The hospital gets crowded, and it's not safe for you to be here alone." I nodded and rested my hand on the small swell of my belly, my nose stinging with the threat of tears. Three years ago, Russell got into a fight with someone at a neighboring table after he'd had too much to drink. When the guy grabbed a chair and swung it at him, I threw myself in front of it. I ended up with two broken ribs and spent six full months in the hospital. The doctors told me back then that if I ever got pregnant, it would be much harder on my body than a normal pregnancy. Russell knew all of this. That was exactly why he'd been so careful ever since he found out I was pregnant, looking after me like I was made of glass, terrified that something might go wrong. But today, because of Vanessa, he'd left me behind for the first time. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was slipping away from me, even if I couldn't put it into words. After the appointment, the doctor noticed how packed the hallway was and personally walked me to the elevator to make sure no one bumped into me. That was when a commotion erupted near the emergency entrance on the first floor. I looked down and saw Vanessa lying on a gurney, one hand clamped around Russell's, tears still streaking down her face. "Russ, don't go. Please don't leave me. I'm scared." Russell's brow was furrowed tight. He wasn't looking at her, but the twitch at the corner of his eye gave everything away. "Vanessa, quit the theatrics. Let go. I don't have time for this." His voice was cold, but he never once pulled his hand free. How much strength could a drunk woman really have? If he actually wanted to leave, he would have been gone a long time ago. A sharp pain shot through my chest, and something in my eyes dimmed. The doctor noticed me frozen in place and followed my gaze down to the first floor. She fell silent, and when she looked back at me, there was unmistakable pity in her eyes. I pulled my gaze away, said a quick goodbye, and walked calmly into the elevator. In the cab, Russell's call finally came. "Holly, did you finish the checkup? How'd everything look?" His tone was perfectly casual, as if there was nothing he needed to explain. I knew better than to ask, so I just gave him a brief rundown of the results. By the time we hung up, he hadn't said a single word about coming to get me. I could hear the familiar noise of a busy hospital in the background. He was still there, probably still in Vanessa's room, his hand still locked in hers. A sudden, sharp ache twisted through my chest, followed by a wave of nausea. When I got home, I ate a few dried plums to settle my stomach and collapsed on the couch, falling asleep almost immediately. I didn't know how long I'd been out when the sound of the front door jolted me awake. Russell saw me on the couch and came over, his face soft with concern as he scooped me up and carried me to the bedroom. "Why would you fall asleep out here? What if you caught a cold?" The moment he leaned in, the smell of unfamiliar women's perfume hit me and sent my stomach lurching. I clamped a hand over my mouth and started dry heaving. Russell panicked, rubbing my back and trying to help me breathe, his voice thick with guilt. "It's that bad, huh? This is my fault. I should've come home earlier to be with you." I lifted my eyes and looked straight into his. "You were at the hospital with her all afternoon, weren't you?" Chapter 4 Russell froze, his expression locking in place. "You saw all that?" I gave a small nod. "It's not what you think. I doubled back to handle something for work and ran into her. She was drunk out of her mind. She latched onto me and wouldn't let go, so I dropped her off at the hospital since it was on the way. "You know how much I can't stand her. When she was grabbing onto me, I wanted to rip her hand off." The disgust in his eyes was practically overflowing when he said it. It didn't look like a lie. But something still felt off, even if I couldn't pinpoint what. The exhaustion of early pregnancy washed over me again, and Russell hurried off to shower before climbing into bed beside me. "Get some sleep. I'll take you out for a walk tomorrow." I curled into his chest and let the steady rhythm of his heartbeat settle me. It helped, a little. I closed my eyes and drifted off again. But the sleep didn't last. I woke up less than three hours later. I reached for Russell on instinct, and my hand found nothing but cold, empty sheets. I scrambled out of bed to look for him. The living room was pitch black, with only a thin sliver of light coming from the front door. The door hadn't been closed all the way. I crept toward it and saw Vanessa with her arms wrapped tightly around Russell's waist, her face buried in his chest, looking utterly helpless. "Russ, I know you still care about me. Please stop shutting me out." Russell shoved her away, his face hard. "If you're still drunk, go back to the hospital. Don't show up at my house in the middle of the night pulling this." "No." Vanessa's eyes were red as she lunged forward and clung to him again. "You love me. You know you do. Otherwise you never would've given me the Eastport Marina project behind everyone's back. "You only married her to get back at me, didn't you? To make me jealous?" I stopped in my tracks, my heart slamming so hard that each beat felt like a fist against my ribs. Russell said nothing. His silence was its own answer. When he didn't deny it, Vanessa's eyes lit up like she'd won a bet. She rose onto her toes and pressed her lips to his. Russell's entire body went rigid, but he didn't push her away. I wanted to scream, to stop it, but my throat clenched shut as if something was wound tight around it, and no sound came out. The door slowly swung closed with a dull thud, sealing off the last trace of light. The dull ache in my chest sharpened into something knife-like, twisting until I couldn't breathe. I didn't sleep the rest of the night, and Russell didn't come home. He finally sent a text just before dawn. "Holly, something came up and I had to leave early. Be good and wait for me at home." I let out a bitter laugh, and tears fell silently down my face. This love I'd fought so hard to hold onto was falling apart in my hands. Just then, my phone rang. It was someone from the finance department at the company. "Ms. Townsend, Mr. Grayson came into the office first thing this morning and transferred 30 million dollars out, saying he needed it urgently. I thought I should let you know." I sat there listening, my nails digging so deep into my palms they broke the skin. The startup capital for the Eastport Marina project was exactly 30 million. He hadn't just handed Vanessa the project on a silver platter. Now he was siphoning company funds to bankroll her too. But before I could confront him about it, Russell came bursting through the front door, kicked the bedroom door open, and stormed toward me. His hand clamped around my throat and he pinned me with an ice-cold stare. "Holly, how could you be this vicious? "All I did was spend one night with her, and I didn't even touch her. But you sent people to beat her like that? If she hadn't fought her way out and come to me, she'd have lost a lot more than just her dignity." I stared at him in disbelief, the blood draining from my entire body. "I didn't—" Before I could get the words out, his palm cracked across my face. He shoved his phone in front of my eyes. The security footage showed Vanessa on the ground, surrounded by a group of thugs kicking and punching her. At the very end of the video, one of the men they'd restrained said on camera, "Some woman named Holly Townsend paid us a hundred grand to rough her up and mess her up real good." "The evidence is right here. What else could you possibly have to say?" When he finished, he shoved me by the throat. My body flew backward and my stomach slammed into the sharp corner of the vanity. A tearing pain ripped through my lower abdomen, and something warm and thick with the smell of blood began sliding down my thighs, dripping onto the floor one drop at a time.