How to Destroy a Cheater Without Saying Goodbye novel Chapter 26

She was finally free.

At last, she'd escaped that suffocating vortex.

Blanche was still reveling in the rush of freedom when a sharp cramp seized her lower belly, doubling her over in pain.

It hit her then—she wasn't entirely alone.

She still had this child.

But she didn't want this child, either.

A large, warm hand suddenly covered hers, pressing gently over her abdomen.

Startled, Blanche swatted the hand away, terrified she'd run into some creep on the plane—only to look up and see Eddy.

Why was he here, of all places?

Frozen, she stared at him in shock.

He always managed to find her.

All the joy of escape vanished, swept away by dread and helplessness.

No matter. She still had 28 days.

She still had the Director-General.

But Eddy's expression didn't change. He pulled her into his arms, burying his face in the curve of her neck, breathing in her scent as if he'd been starved of it, and let out a shuddering sigh. "Honey, I finally found you."

She felt something cold and wet trickle from his cheek onto her collarbone. Her long lashes fluttered as she came back to herself, meeting Eddy's dark, tear-filled eyes.

This was only the second time she'd seen Eddy cry—the first was on their wedding day.

And, if what his little sister, Hedwig Simmons, had told her was true, he'd sobbed uncontrollably outside the delivery room when their daughter was born, terrifying the entire staff. Blanche had thought Hedwig was just trying to amuse her.

But now, Eddy's storm-grey eyes shimmered with tears, and he looked utterly broken.

He really was terrified of losing her.

The cold dampness slid from her collarbone to her chest, and Blanche pressed a hand to her heart, willing it not to flutter at his touch.

She remembered what the Director-General had said.

Eddy loves you so much. If you ever vanished, it would destroy him.

But so what if he loved her? He'd betrayed her.

Not just her—he'd betrayed their dead daughter, too.

Blanche glared at him, biting her lip so hard she tasted blood, letting the pain anchor her and force herself to stay calm.

Expressionless, she turned to stare out the window.

City lights flickered on as dusk fell, painting the world in fading gold. She said nothing.

She still had the Director-General—he could help her leave Eddy for good.

No matter how powerful Eddy was, he was no match for the organization and the Director-General.

Just 28 more days. She would wait.

Her heart would never ache for him again.

He held her close, and she heard his sigh warm against her ear. "No matter what happens, as long as I'm here, I'll fix it for you."

"When you're ready to tell me, I'll be here."

His hand rested gently on her belly, rubbing slow circles until the pain eased.

According to the bodyguard's investigation, the man who'd called the ambulance for Laney that afternoon had also brought her to the security office that evening—and both times, he'd had a child with him.

There are no coincidences in this world. The man with the child must have some ulterior motive for getting close to Laney.