His Last Surprise

nship with Ethan Haye

ie, not a sent

afted, showing me in a hotel r

nd my indie game devel

a tech project man

oe, my younge

had a chronic illn

, she go

day by da

affled by the

as cr

childhood best f

tect now, succe

ok ch

in, thanks to his m

de, a constant, un

s my

didn't

di

ld went

y deepest grief, Liam

protect me, to

andoned by Ethan, s

aid

years

h Liam was calm,

oting, s

d to hea

onths pregnant wit

nthouse felt l

tine hospit

t a private

nd angry. Liam'

married to

den by a large

was a snarl I'

s lungs had to be available, Ethan. Chloe n

od ran

she never found out. So Chloe could be happy with you, undisturbed

life with

her, m

child I carr

d flying to my mouth

felt lik

gs then, small th

ep my hair long and dark,

s exa

solicitous. I' d thought he was just

of Chloe' s medical fundrai

nto place with s

s a

s death, or

for

found sense of inj

d, his ch

the father of my b

hysical thing, t

on formed, h

am I felt unwell, neede

licitous,

ic, far from our

ed an ind

t me, eight months

at. My heart was breaking,

ered, shocked l

ed to talk

stare

ecision,"

edure wa

a mirror of the

was over, I

vice, I dressed, I

things

facility, I arranged for

ll, perfec

. Liam'

hot on my cheek.

ive, ornate gift box for

preserved fet

ordered a realistic pr

ion had to

at evening, all s

ling?" he asked, his

ow. He suspe

trange against my ski

ut his hand o

night," he murmured,

h was re

ay slightly.

now, knowing what I knew. He did

I said, probing, my voice caref

ile. "Just looking forward to

meant nothing,

recent "happiness" – Chloe was

man I had trusted, l

was a shield, but

because Chl

, were just collateral damage i

he said, beaming. "I have a su

, so blissfully unaware of the

rprise wa

le, a strained

too, Liam," I said. "

s low, almo

he'd been tr

esented him with the

ight, practiced. "Open it on the baby's

pleased, u

ror it contained, was min