The other woman was ME

-

TER

Before the

bstract rendering of the villa's garden-twisting vines, shadowed paths, an open gate. She didn't know why she kept d

as still.

up for breakfast.

this-this absence-felt weighted. As if something had be

from her phone on speaker. "Tell me you a

ia said. "

nd... no

the edges of the garden. "I feel like I

f. "Are you okay, though?

ed. "It's t

shuffle of footsteps made Mia look up. A hou

nod. "Mrs. Voss has requested y

d. "The gr

he's wa

goodbye. Mia stood, breat

-

nhouse o

ng a pale linen dress and no makeup. She looked almost tran

she said wit

front of her. "I was to

ers are strange, aren't they? They thrive on neglect. Give them too much, they d

if she was sup

ntinued. "Before all of this. When I still b

ed. "Why di

te the fragility in her face. "Because I

tretched be

ake anything from yo

ied her. "

Whatever it is. I came here to do one thing-give you

above a whisper. "You're giving us a child, y

heart

him someone

t me anymore. He hasn't for years. And I thought... I thought if I could just

ed forwar

's falling

fr

g between the

t even break. It was the steadine

use you make people feel safe. Because you didn't come

hroat t

hem. I do love them. But I needed you to know-I see you

ly whisper,

in something between

l with what you carry. It's not just a l

-

Hayes

layered with glass and malice, Victor H

iny i

o close to be professional. A frame from a dista

ger assistant wait

or s

said. "No caption. Let the sha

-

e

ithout knocking. His face was pale.

ed to s

d, then lifte

ph

d. "Where did t

s forums and gossip columns. S

harply through h

nicking. Investors are calling. And Dr. Shaw is being pulled i

ood. "Whe

For now. But i

hand

n't just storm out. You need t

O," Damian growled

-

or Con

ng fingers holding her phone

hoto. The story. Damian. You

kn

d before she

his tie half-loose

she said hones

er but didn'

he said. "I'll issue a st

st the surrogate? That you've been professional this who

as s

d bitterly

etween them. "It do

eath c

l this," he said. "But I do. An

. Not with a press release. Not

met h

ng in love

nees we

't want this. I didn't plan it. But from the moment

s it feel like we're on opposite si

we are,

inally, he

vastation. A hand on her che

w how this e

red, "Neit

then-hard enough for

t time in days,

outside turned its

Woman Was "ME", tying together the emotional arc with a

-

torm

the villa

s wing, usually still by ten, hummed fai

t hem of her robe. The baby was restless-stirring more than usual

gallery overlooking the atrium. Lights from the chandeliers flickered again

w, she sa

ng old and abstract. He didn't move when she stepped in

ng to sleep ton

. "Not if the world's pla

hind her like wings. When she reached him, he didn't to

you told me how you feel... and then walke

adows under his eyes

. "For Elena. For the child. F

hing but yo

blin

f it," he admitted. "But I will

w clenched. "Even i

omething that wasn't quite guilt-bu

ispered. "That's what

e quiet until he

. Emergency. I'll say it's a smear campaign.

ded. "A

t them say what they want. As long as they don't tou

ed him. "

esit

ia said. "Abou

tched faintly. "Di

ll loves you. Even

what else Elena had said. M

woman," Mia

een pretending at marriage for so long

wn. "So what

dn't

s a billionaire, not as a married man, but as someone standing on the

took

use it m

ething inside h

-

nal

ry major outlet

The billionai

asn't the

or Hayes, nor the tabloids, but

s leak of h

ates. Her salary. The non-disclosure clause. Even

her ribs as she read it in t

uestions about boundaries, legality, and man

that, th

a source insid

-

eaking

drawing room that afternoon,

," she said.

said, but the doubt in

d now the world knows the cost of my womb. They're

sides. "I'll shut it all down

"You can't fix this

an t

d. "This... this isn't a love st

t her then, his

nding," he said. "Tell

w anymore. All I know is this child deserves better than two

at p

the one thing he

Just for a while

"You're

'm protecting myse

broke. "

if what we feel means anything... th

dn't

he held her back now, it would

let

-