Chapter 10 - Christian Came to Say Goodbye
Christian entered carrying flowers.
White roses.
My favorite.
I hated that he remembered.
He closed the door.
No Gabriel.
No Sabrina.
Just us.
I was back in the original room by then, publicly “awake” but pretending memory gaps.
Christian sat beside me.
“How are you feeling?”
“Confused.”
He smiled sadly.
“That's normal after trauma.”
The word normal sounded obscene.
I let him touch my hand.
He believed I still knew nothing.
“We should postpone the wedding.”
I stared at him.
“Why?”
“Your recovery comes first.”
Perfect fiancé.
Beautiful concern.
I almost admired the performance.
Then I asked:
“Who is Sabrina?”
His face changed.
Barely.
“Who?”
“Leo mentioned her.”
Lie.
But effective.
Christian leaned closer.
“Genevieve, you've been through something terrible.”
There it was.
Not denial.
Question my cognition.
“Maybe I dreamed it.”
“Probably.”
He kissed my knuckles.
I looked at the man I had slept beside for five years.
“Christian?”
“Yeah?”
“Were our babies yours?”
He stopped breathing.
I hadn't planned to ask.
The words simply arrived.
His expression told me everything.
“You shouldn't be thinking about that right now.”
“Were they?”
He stood.
“Who has been talking to you?”
There.
His concern evaporated.
I said nothing.
He moved toward the door.
Then stopped.
“If Gabriel is filling your head with things, remember he forged documents against you.”
True.
“And Sabrina?”
“She lies when scared.”
Also possibly true.
“And Lawson?”
Christian froze.
I watched his shoulders.
Not fear.
Hatred.
Interesting.
“You need to stay away from Lawson.”
“Why?”
“Because he ruined everything.”
That was not what I expected.
Christian blamed Lawson.
For what?
He left without answering.
Minutes later, Gabriel entered.
Christian had just fired him.
Then Sabrina called.
Christian had taken Leo.
Not violently.
He picked him up from preschool using his legal parental authorization.
Legally, Christian was listed as father.
Biology didn't matter to the school.
Sabrina was hysterical.
“He said he's taking Leo somewhere safe.”
I stood too quickly.
Pain forced me down.
Gabriel caught me.
“Where would he go?”
Then his face changed.
“Evelyn.”
Christian wasn't running from us.
He was running to his mother.
Why?
A message arrived from an unknown number.
Photograph.
Margaret Cole.
Alive.
Sitting in Evelyn Prescott’s living room.
Beside Leo.
Underneath:
Everyone you want is here.
Come alone if you want the truth.
May you like
Signed:
Evelyn.
