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Nothing had worked. Not sex, not the vitamins and stress pills the doctor had prescribed, not the artificial insemination. She'd done intrauterine insemination, twice, with zero success. Now she felt like there was no more hope.
And on top of her despair was the overwhelming feeling of guilt. She’d promised Sloane a baby, demanded it of him, and he’d put his trust in her and married her. And she’d failed.
It just wasn’t fair. She’d wanted this so bad and worked so hard, to no avail. But mostly, she came to realize, it wasn’t fair to Sloane.
Under these circumstances there was only one thing to do. She was going to give Sloane a chance at life, a chance to find someone who could give him the family he deserved.
Before Sloane got back from London, she was going to leave.
CHAPTER 19
“Honey, I’m home.” Sloane had a smile on his face as he flicked on the light in the foyer and dumped his suitcase and briefcase on the floor. The flight from London had been long and dreary – that, after a delay of over two hours due to bad weather – but he was finally home.
“Melanie, where are you?” he called out as he headed for the stairs. It was late but not that late. He hadn’t expected her to be in bed before ten. Then again, she’d probably had a long day at the office and decided to turn in early. When he’d called earlier that day she’d sounded distant, almost as if she didn’t have time to talk. He hadn’t pressed, knowing he’d probably caught her in the middle of a business meeting but now that he was home he was eager to see her, hold her, make mad love to her.
And he had every intention of holding her to her promise. Making love in all kinds of new and crazy positions? As tired as he was, he was still willing and ready to try them all.
He bounded up the stairs then strode toward the master bedroom. The door was slightly ajar and he could see that there was no light inside. Strange. Melanie usually left the bedside lamp on until he got home.
Gently, he opened the door wider and was on his way toward the bed when what he saw in the shadowy room made him freeze. The bed was still made up and there was no-one in it.
Where the hell was Melanie?
Immediately, he turned and walked back to the door where he flicked on the light. And that was when he saw the plain white sheet of paper lying in the middle of the bed.
A sudden feeling of dread fell over him in a thick, grey cloud – something was seriously wrong. He went over to the bed and picked up the paper.
“Dear Sloane, I’ve made a very painful decision but one which is for the best,” it said. “Our relationship is just not working and it’s time for me to move on. This is hard for me to say, especially since we’ve been through so much together, but it’s better to say it now rather than continue to live a lie. I can’t be with you anymore. I’ve found someone else…”
What the fig?
There was more but Sloane couldn’t read another word. He felt like the earth was shifting under his feet. Another man? Impossible.
And the more he thought about it, the more he realized that it really was impossible. Melanie couldn’t have someone else in her life. Where the hell would she have found the time?
Between her hectic schedule, running Parker Broadcasting and her constant trips to Boston in her desperate effort to conceive, there was no way she could have fit an affair in between all that. There was definitely another story, the real story, and he was going to find out what it was.
Sloane picked up the phone by the bed and dialed Melanie’s cell phone number. No answer. He slammed the receiver back down.
Logically, she must have gone back to the house she owned in Westmount, her home before she’d gotten married. She hadn’t sold it and he knew the caretaker was still there. That was where he would start. If she didn’t want to talk to him on the phone then she’d have to talk to him face to face.
After his flight from Europe Sloane was dead tired but there was no way he was going to let this wait until morning. He jumped into his Benz and hit the highway at top speed, never easing up until he screeched into the dimly lit driveway of Melanie’s old home. He hopped out of the car and ran up the steps to ring the doorbell. As the chimes echoed in the house he waited, shifting from one foot to the other, his insides wound so tight it was like they’d snap at any moment.
A whole minute passed and no-one came to the door. He rang the doorbell again and thirty seconds later he was pressing it again. And after that he pressed the button over and over and over, filling the house with incessant chimes until finally a light came on in the hallway and the door opened to reveal Melanie, her eyes looking big and bruised, her mouth defiant.
“Didn’t you see my note?” She folded her arms and planted her body in the doorway. “Why are you here?”
“I’m here to take you home.”
She straightened her back and glared at him. “Didn’t you read what I wrote? There’s no more ‘us’, Sloane. And I’m already home, right where I belong.”
“You belong with me,” he growled. “Now let me come in so we can talk about this like adults.”
She sucked in her breath. “What part of ‘we’re over’ don’t you understand? There’s no use talking. I’ve made up my mind.”
“Melanie, you either get in the car now or let me in so we can talk.”
“I’m done talking.” As she said the words she was stepping back and pushing the door closed in his face.
Sloane was not having it. There was no way he was leaving there without his wife. He jammed his foot in the entrance just in time to stop the door from slamming shut then he planted a hand on the heavy mahogany and pushed.
Melanie stumbled back with a gasp of anger. “You can’t do this,” she snarled. “I don’t want to talk.”
“You’re talking,” he growled and before she could sprint away he clasped her upper arm and steered her into the living room. “Now sit and talk.”
She sat but she did not talk. She sat there glaring up at him, her mouth set in a mutinous pout.
Sloane remained standing, arms folded, staring down at her. “I’ll stay here all night if I have to. The quicker you start talking, the quicker we can get this over with.”
She just sat there, her lips tight, and even when he still stood there watching her she would not speak. It took about three minutes of this stand-off before an agonized sigh finally escaped her lips. “I don’t want to fight, Sloane. I just want to end this.”
Her words sliced into him. How the hell had they gone from a happy marriage to this? “Why?”
“Because…” She dropped her eyes and twisted her hands in her lap. “Because I’ve found someone else.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit. I want the truth.”
Melanie’s body jerked and her eyes flew to his. She was obviously startled by his outburst but he didn’t give a damn. He was done with this game.
“I want out…” she said, her voice trailing off.
“Why?” he asked again. “What did I do to make you want to leave?”
She shook her head as she stared up at him, her eyes big and bright with unshed tears. “Nothing. It’s all me. I’m just no good.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Confused and frustrated, Sloane shoved his hands deep inside his pocket and expelled his breath. “What’s going on in that head of yours? And why would you make up a story about some fake man in your life? Are you so desperate to get away from me?”
“I wanted a clean break,” she said, her voice tearful. “I thought that would do it. If I told you the real reason you might try to make me stay.” She shook her head. “But I can’t, Sloane. It’s not fair to you.”
Sloane dropped down onto the couch beside her. “What is this real reason? Tell me.”
She swallowed then drew in a deep breath. “I…can’t have your baby. I’ll never be able to give you an heir.” She sucked in her breath on a sob. “Don’t you see? It’s not fair to you. You need a future. I can’t give you that but someone else can.”
“Melanie, Melanie, Melanie. What am I going to do with you?” Sloane shook his head. “Don’t you understand? You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.” He reached out and cupped her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. “Baby or no baby, I want you in my life. I love you, Melanie. Don’t leave me. Please.”
Melanie blinked and her eyes grew wide. “You…love me?”
“Yes,” he said, releasing her chin. Now that he had her full attention he just wanted her to know the truth. His truth. “I love you more than anything. More than your dream of having a baby.” He reached down to take her hand in his. “When I asked you to marry me it was you I wanted, not your promise of a baby. I married you for you.”
