I don’t say anything. Orson glances at me, then says, “Yeah. I proposed to Scarlett. I’m thinking of a Christmas wedding.”
She ignores him and keeps her gaze fixed on me. “I also heard it’s a dual announcement.” The smile she normally keeps pinned on her face fades. “You fucked me less than a month ago,” she says bitterly. “And now you’re announcing you’re getting married? To your gardener?”
“I need some landscaping done,” I tell her. “I thought I’d get better service this way.”
Her eyes narrow. “You think you’re so smart,” she whispers. “But you’re not. You think you can take whatever you want, then discard it when you tire of it.”
“Kingi,” Orson warns, but I ignore him.
“I got tired of you even before I took you to bed,” I snap.
Her eyes blaze into mine. “Well, I have something to tell you that might make you want to put the brakes on.” Her gaze slides briefly behind me before returning to mine. Then she lifts her chin and says, with a horrible smile, “I’m pregnant.”
I stare at her, my heart banging. Orson’s jaw drops.
There’s a long silence, during which Sabrina raises an eyebrow, her smile turning smug.
And then I feel a presence at my side. I glance across and see Chessie, and it’s immediately clear she heard every word.
Icy fury creeps through me, and I glare at Sabrina. “That’s bullshit.”
She gives a small shrug. “You can say what you like. It doesn’t change the truth.”
I feel a complicated whirlwind of emotions—anger, frustration, dislike, and hurt. “Why are you doing this?” I demand. “Why are you so determined to ruin my life?”
“You’re so fucking selfish.” Her bitterness is back. “You treat me like shit and then wonder why I react badly?”
Her words imply that I’m right—she’s doing this on purpose to hurt me. So is she telling the truth? Or is she making it up?
“I’m going to tell the press first thing tomorrow,” she says. “It’ll be interesting to see whether my news or yours is the top headline.”
I clench my hands into fists by my side. “I bet a pregnancy didn’t even cross your mind until you found out about the engagement. Nobody’s going to believe you. And anyway, even ifyou are pregnant, and I know you’re not, I bet there are ten other men who could claim to be the father.”
She flushes. “Are you slut shaming me now?”
“Just stating a fact. You were hardly saving yourself for me, Sabrina.”
“Our relationship was very public. Who do you think the press is going to assume is the Papa?”
Fury billows through me. I open my mouth with no idea what I’m going to say, but I know it’s going to be cruel and unpleasant.
Orson obviously sees the look on my face, though. “Whoa… okay.” He moves between us, takes Sabrina’s arm, and physically turns her away. “Let’s take a walk over here, shall we, before we all say or do something we regret.”
He manhandles her away, just as people are starting to notice the altercation and look around.
I watch her go, silently fuming. Around us, people are leaning together and murmuring behind their hands. No doubt they overheard at least some of that conversation. Did anyone hear her say she was pregnant?
I feel nauseous, and I’m physically trembling both at what she said and her level of bitterness. But it’s not just that. I’m furious that she’s hurt Chessie. What I have with Chessie isn’t real. I’m not getting engaged, or married, to her. But for some reason I feel gutted that she’s been humiliated like this.
Chessie meets my gaze for a moment. Then she turns and walks away, heading for the exit.
I stride after her, and we walk silently out into the lobby. She doesn’t stop, continuing to the front door, and although someone calls out a hello to me as we pass, I ignore them, catching up with her just before she goes to run down the steps.
“Wait,” I say. “Chessie, please.”
She wrenches her arm out of my hand. “Why? We can’t go back in there. We can hardly announce our engagement now!”
“That’s what she was planning on,” I tell her with determination. “She wants to ruin me. That’s why she invented the pregnancy.”