Chapter 270
She said coldly, “Irving Butler, your wife is pregnant!”
Irving froze, stunned for a moment before coming back to his senses.
His gaze rested on Mrs. Butler’s rounded belly, a flicker of something complicated passing through his eyes.
“If you knew you were pregnant, you should be home, taking care of yourself,” he said flatly.
Mrs. Butler shot him a look, her voice sharp. “If I’d stayed home, would you just have carried on your little affair with that tramp in your office?”
She stared hard at Irving’s neck-there was a lipstick smudge there, a garish shade of red that had been all the rage lately. She needed to find out whose lips had left that mark.
Her eyes swept over everyone in the room.
Finally, her gaze settled on Irving’s secretary, her expression darkening, a flash of fury in her eyes.
Supporting her aching back, she stormed toward the secretary. “It was you!” The secretary, caught off guard, stood frozen in terror, eyes wide. “It wasn’t me, I
“Shut up!” Irving barked, his tone icy.
The secretary snapped her mouth closed, looking at Irving, her face a picture of innocence.
Mrs. Butler’s voice rose, shrill and unhinged. “Well? What are you trying to say? Who was it? Speak up!”
Irving didn’t even spare his wife a glance. If it weren’t for her pregnancy, he’d have divorced her long ago-she was old and broken down, no match for him.
“Security! Where’s security?” he called, as if she were nothing but a nuisance.
Just then, Shirley, watching the chaos, piped up, “Hey, where’s Nelly? Has anyone seen Nelly?” She made sure to sound innocent, but her real motive was clear: under no circumstances would she let them pin this mess on Effie.
Nelly?
Mrs. Butler’s eyes narrowed, a glint of realization flickering there. She remembered now!
There’d been someone calling Irving at the office lately, always about “work,” supposedly a designer. Even when Mrs. Butler had answered, that woman had been all warmth and cheer, calling her “sis” like they were family.
She hadn’t suspected anything at the time.
But now…
“Nelly. Where is Nelly?”
Her gaze darted toward Irving’s office.
At that moment, Nelly, seeing everyone’s attention fixed on Mrs. Butler, tried to slip away unnoticed.
“Slut!”
Mrs. Butler lunged, grabbing a fistful of Nelly’s hair before she could escape.
Nelly screamed and stumbled to the floor. “Let go of me!”
Mrs. Butler snarled, “You home-wrecker! Seducing my husband and still have the nerve to yell at me? You must have a death wish!”
Nelly tried to fight back, but Mrs. Butler, despite her age and pregnancy, was heavy and furious-pinning her like a boulder so she couldn’t move.
Thankfully, security finally rushed in and pulled Mrs. Butler away.
“Irving Butler, you’ll get what’s coming to you! Cheating on me while I’m carrying your child! You’re disgusting!” Mrs. Butler shrieked.
Irving’s face was stone cold. “Are you done? Or do you plan to keep this up until I lose my job?”
As if doused with cold water, Mrs. Butler fell silent, her rage quickly draining away. Then, suddenly, she clutched her stomach, pain etched across her face.
“My stomach… something’s wrong…”
Effie was nearest. Without thinking, Mrs. Butler grabbed her hand.
Effie’s brow furrowed. She moved quickly to support Mrs. Butler. “Come on, let’s get you to the hospital.”
Mrs. Butler looked at Effie, her eyes full of confusion and emotion. Her lips parted, but for a moment, no words came.
“Why… why are you helping me?”
Just earlier, she’d accused Effie of being the other woman-surely Effie must be furious.
Effie replied quietly, “Even if I were angry, this isn’t the time. Your baby is innocent.”