Chapter 14 - ARIELLE TAKES OFF HER WEDDING RINGThe legal separation filing became public within days.
Arielle hated that.
Private pain transformed into headline:
ARIELLE WESTBROOK WALKS AWAY AMID LOVE-CHILD SCANDAL
She called attorney.
“Can we stop them calling it love child?”
“No.”
“Can we sue everyone?”
“Also no.”
Arielle sighed.
Life contained inconveniences even money could not fix.
She attended a foundation lunch without wedding ring.
Photographers noticed.
Questions shouted.
“Mrs. Westbrook, is Dorian the father?”
“Did you push Cambria?”
“Are you divorcing?”
Arielle answered none.
Inside, another woman approached.
Older.
Margot Sloane, Cambria’s aunt.
Arielle braced.
Margot whispered:
“She’s lying about something.”
Arielle looked.
“Which part?”
“I don’t know.”
“But I’ve seen this before.”
Margot explained Cambria’s pattern.
At twenty-three, Cambria became involved with engaged man.
When he tried leaving, she claimed pregnancy.
Turned out chemical pregnancy? Need careful; maybe actual early pregnancy with uncertain paternity? Better not repeat. Margot said she implied pregnancy but then said miscarriage before verification. Rumor. No proof.
Arielle refused to build case on gossip.
Margot appreciated.
“Good.”
Then gave factual item.
Cambria had called her four weeks earlier.
Said:
“If Dorian doesn’t choose me after this, I’m done protecting him.”
What was “this”?
Unknown.
Could refer pregnancy.
Could refer gala.
Timing before gala by one week.
So pregnancy possible known before confrontation.
Meaning Cambria approached Arielle already knowing she might be pregnant.
That made her words more strategic.
He’s not yours anymore.
She believed pregnancy would force choice.
Then deliberately fell.
She intended humiliation before announcement.
Arielle asked:
“Why tell me?”
Margot looked sad.
“Because I love her.”
“And loving someone doesn’t mean helping them hurt others.”
That sentence surprised Arielle.
Maybe someone in Cambria’s family understood boundaries.
Later, Marisol found clinic record? Can't access medical illegally. She could confirm public parking or photo only. Natalie had image because Julian's shared calendar perhaps. Better no private medical records.
Julian admitted accompanying Cambria to clinic.
He said she told him appointment was for “hormonal issue.”
He waited outside.
He did not know pregnancy until later.
Did he think baby could be his?
After dates, yes.
He asked Cambria.
She told him:
“No. Dorian.”
Why so sure?
Cambria said she and Dorian had sex September 3.
Again.
This became central factual dispute.
Dorian denied.
Cambria asserted.
Need evidence.
Building footage showed Dorian entering 10:14 and leaving 10:40.
Twenty-six minutes.
Could include sex.
Dorian claimed argument.
How prove?
Cambria’s apartment smart lock and elevator only.
Maybe text she sent Julian at 10:31: "He's here and refusing to touch me" or something. That's later twist. Need preserve.
Natalie searched lawful message backups from Julian devices. Found Cambria message September 3 at 10:37:
Dorian came. He still acts like touching me would destroy his precious marriage. Men are pathetic.
Arielle stared.
Timestamp while Dorian inside apartment.
That strongly supports no sex that night.
Then next at 10:49:
He left. I hate him.
This was huge.
Natalie said:
“Julian saved everything.”
Because he was terrible at deleting.
Arielle almost laughed.
Different kind of incompetence.
This undermined pregnancy claim.
Cambria told Julian that Dorian refused to touch her.
Then later told Dorian baby was his.
Maybe conception from earlier? June too early based on dates.
Thus likely Julian or another.
Arielle sent screenshots to Dorian’s attorney.
Dorian saw.
His expression not relief first.
Betrayal.
He had wronged wife for woman who now attempted paternity lie.
But Arielle reminded:
“Do not make yourself victim before remembering what you did.”
He nodded.
Correct.
Then Dorian did something surprising.
He contacted Cambria politely.
I will not discuss relationship. For child’s sake, I am asking once more for paternity testing whenever medically appropriate. I will cover costs and respect privacy. Until then I will not publicly claim or deny fatherhood.
Cambria replied:
A real man wouldn’t need test.
Dorian:
A responsible man does when dates are disputed.
No insult.
No anger.
Growth.
Cambria blocked him.
Then posted photo of Arielle without ring, caption indirectly:
Some women know when they’ve lost.
Arielle saw.
Smiled.
Cambria still thought marriage was competition.
Arielle knew better.
She had not lost Dorian to Cambria.
Dorian lost Arielle through his own choices.
May you like
The person who understood that distinction would eventually heal.
The person who didn’t would keep fighting ghosts.
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