Page 97 of When Love And Destiny Collide

"Where did the computer sit?" Tyson asks.

I look around, trying to gauge where everything used to sit. "The counter would have been right here, with the computer on it, and connected exactly where the fire started."

"If that's the case," Tyson continues, "then it must have been an issue in the circuit."

"Could it have been prevented?" Adam asks. I can tell he feels responsible.

"It wasn't anything you or your contractor did wrong," Tyson says. "This was a perfect storm of circumstances—an unexpected electrical surge combined with a fault in a hidden circuit. The surge protectors did their job, but sometimes, things happen beyond our control. The wiring was safe, and the installation was solid; this is just one of those unfortunate events."

***

After Tyson leaves, I lean into Adam, and the tears I’ve been holding back finally spill over. “I blamed Marian,” I whisper, my voice cracking. “I really thought she had done this. Now I feel awful.”

Adam wraps his arm around me, pulling me close. “Lily,” he says gently, his tone soothing, “Marian made her own bed. No one can blame you for thinking the worst, especially after everything she’s done. Her behavior's been despicable. You had every reason to suspect her.”

I nod, burying my face in his chest, the guilt gnawing at me.

“Noah and Davey should be here with you,” he adds softly. “Noah would want to be by your side, helping you through this.”

"Especially now," Sam says, then suddenly freezes, realizing his slip. His eyes widen as he glances at me and back at Adam, mouthing, "Sorry,"before looking away.

Adam’s brow furrows. “What?” His deep voice is edged with concern. “Especially now? Why, especially now?”

I swallow hard, avoiding Adam’s gaze, feeling the weight of the secret pressing on me. Sam shifts awkwardly, knowing the truth is about to come out.

"I'm pregnant," I say softly, twisting the ring around my finger, watching the words hit Adam like a freight train.

“Ah, hell!” Adam exclaims, running a hand through his hair. “When? How? Ah, hell, never mind.” He turns to Sam, eyes narrowing. “And how do you know about this?”

Sam shifts uneasily. “I found out by accident," he explains. "I went to the bathroom before leaving their house one night, and there were a bunch of pregnancy tests in the wastebasket. I knew they weren’t Laila’s because we found out a couple—” He suddenly freezes mid-sentence, realizing he said too much again.

“Her too?” Adam shouts, then bursts into a loud, contagious belly laugh. “Remind me never to share any secrets with you, man!”

Sam glances at me and winks before a broad smile spreads across his handsome face. "It's going to be okay, Lily," he says gently, his voice steady. "Everything's going to be fine."

"Does Noah know?" Adam asks, eyeing me closely.

"No," I respond, a tinge of guilt lacing my words. "I found out the day before everything happened. I wanted it to be special, and I was prepared to tell him that morning. But then everything changed. I had to make the choice not to tell him. Marian had taken Davey, and Noah's focus can't be split between two places. It’s already hard enough being apart; I can’t add the stress of my pregnancy to everything already on his plate."

"That's understandable," he nods thoughtfully. "But even if I see where you're coming from, if I were him, I'd want to know. This is big news, Lily. It changes everything."

"It changes nothing," I say, my voice trembling as tears well up in my eyes. "He's still there, and I'm here."

***

My phone calls with Noah are heart-wrenching. He calls me every night, and without fail, I end up crying myself to sleep. Laila says it’s my pregnancy hormones wreaking havoc on my emotions, but I know it’s more than that. I miss Noah and Davey so much that it physically hurts. There’s this ache inside me that won’t go away until they’re back.

As soon as he landed in London, Noah immediately filed a report at the police station, citing Marian's abduction of their son.

"Abduction," he mutters over the phone. "The word tastes foreign and bitter. I never imagined using it in the same sentence as my son's name."

"Are you getting enough rest?" I ask, worry creeping into my voice as I pick up on the weariness in his tone.

"I'm trying, but sleep is hard to come by," he says, his voice heavy. "The local police have been helpful—they walked me through the process of filing an application with the Central Authority. I'm working with them and Bethany. There have been several meetings with the authorities already, and they need detailed information for the investigation. It literally keeps me up at night, making sure I have all my ducks in a row."

The line goes silent as we both remember the day we met. "Ducks in a row," he whispers, nostalgia lacing his voice. "Do you remember that day?"

"I think about it every night, Noah. That day changed everything. You and Davey transformed my life."

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