Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN IN THE LOBBY
Ryan was arrested that night after police took statements from Dad, hotel staff, and a guest who had seen the shove.
Learning that did not make me feel safe.
It made me wonder how angry he would be when he got out.
By morning, the baby’s monitoring was reassuring. Dr. Patel said I could leave with instructions to return immediately for certain symptoms.
Dad stood near the door while the nurse reviewed them with me.
“Where do you want to go?” he asked afterward.
I almost said home.
Then I pictured our house.
Ryan’s shoes by the stairs. His laptop on the kitchen counter. The camera over the garage that sent alerts straight to his phone.
“Your place,” I said.
“Okay.”
No lecture. No condition.
On the drive, I told him about the photograph.
His grip tightened on the steering wheel.
“Do you want me to look into it?”
“I want to ask her myself.”
Lena agreed to give the woman my number rather than share hers without permission.
An hour later, my phone rang.
“My name is Hannah.”
Her voice sounded tired.
“How old is your son?” I asked.
“Four.”
“How long have you known Ryan?”
A pause.
“Six years.”
I looked at the wedding photograph Dad had never taken off the hallway table.
Ryan and I had been married for two.
“Are you married to him?”
“No,” Hannah said. “I said that at the hotel because I thought they’d let me upstairs if I did. I’m sorry.”
“What were you doing there?”
“He stopped paying the rent. He wouldn’t answer me. I knew he’d be at the gala.”
I closed my eyes.
“He told me he was separated,” she continued. “Then he told me the divorce was taking forever. Last night I saw you.”
“You saw that I was pregnant.”
“Yes.”
Neither of us spoke.
Then she said, “I didn’t call to ask you for anything.”
“Why did you call?”
“Because he left a folder at my apartment. I opened it after I got home.”
“What kind of folder?”
“Copies of financial paperwork. Your name is on it.”
My stomach tightened.
“There’s a signature page,” Hannah said. “And a sticky note.”
“What does it say?”
May you like
Her voice dropped.
Practice until it matches.
