Marrying my secret admirer after my husband's fake death novel Chapter 2

Jayne was beside herself with joy, barely daring to believe what she’d heard. She leaned in, needing to be sure. “Are you serious, Edith?”

Edith’s gaze flickered over the shattered photo frame on the floor, her expression resolute. “Beckett is gone. That’s why I have to live well.”

Yes, in her heart, Beckett was already dead.

Jayne’s face broke into a wide smile.

Up until today, Edith had always seemed to believe that with Beckett gone, there was no point in living at all.

Jayne was so moved, her voice trembled. “That’s right. The living have to keep living.”

Late that night, the sounds of laughter and rhythmic thumping from downstairs grew louder and more brazen.

It was like a dull knife scraping over Edith’s heart, each pass cutting deeper than the last.

She didn’t fall asleep until the small hours. At dawn, the piercing wail of an ambulance echoed across the Vance estate.

Edith opened her bedroom door just in time to see Beckett, panic in his eyes, carrying Salome down the stairs.

He didn’t spare Edith so much as a glance.

In all the years she’d known him, she’d never seen Beckett so rattled. He was always the picture of composure–measured, controlled.

Down below, the house staff were chattering amongst themselves.

“Lady Salome woke up feeling sick this morning. Mr. Vance was so worked up he called an ambulance straight away. Said she needed to get checked out.”

Another maid stifled a giggle. “The racket last night–I heard it all the way from the servant’s quarters. Honestly, after more than a month, it would be odd if she weren’t pregnant by now.”

Standing by the grand staircase, Edith’s fingers dug deep grooves into the polished wood.

The hospital called not long after.

They asked specifically for Edith to come in

Beckett knew she hated pain. She was hypersensitive to it–even a gentle tap would make her wince.

He’d always been gentle with her, even when he held her hand.

But now, in his panic over Salome’s baby, he didn’t even notice he was hurting her.

Edith lifted her chin, her eyes cool and sharp. “You never called me by my name before. It was always sis‘ or ‘sister–in–law.”

It was absurd, really. Beckett’s act of impersonating Bennett had always been full of holes, but she’d been so blinded by love that she refused to believe her beloved

could ever do something so outrageous. Right up until last night, she hadn’t doubted him for a second.

Beckett’s face twisted awkwardly, but after a moment’s hesitation, he seemed to decide that Edith hadn’t caught on. His expression smoothed over.

“Salome’s in the hospital bed and I’m a mess–I just got flustered and called you by the wrong name.”

Edith let out a cold, humorless laugh. “Oh, flustered, are you? Funny. Maybe next time you’re that anxious, you could try being a bit more gentle. Wasn’t Salome just asking you to take it easy last night?”