Page 70 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

After Ava fell asleep,Enzo came back into the room, his face set in a determined expression.

“We need to talk,” he said, pulling a chair close to mine.

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak.

“You don’t need to worry about the money,” he said firmly.

“What?” I asked, blinking at him.

“I can cover the costs,” he said. “I’ve been saving for years, and I have more than enough to make sure Ava gets the best care possible.”

“Enzo…” I shook my head. “I can’t let you?—”

“You can and you will,” he said, cutting me off. “I didn’t offer before because I knew you’d refuse. That’s why I thought the foundation was the better option. But I won’t let you carry this alone.”

Tears streamed down my face, guilt clawing at my chest. “But your reputation?—”

“I don’t care about my reputation,” he said, his voice softening. “Summer, none of that matters. Ava matters. You matter.”

His words brokesomething inside me, and I collapsed into his arms, sobbing.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered. “For everything—for lying, for dragging you into this?—”

“Stop,” he said gently, holding me tightly. “You’ve done everything right. You’re a mom fighting for her child, and there’s nothing to apologize for.”

I nodded against his chest, his steady heartbeat grounding me.

“We’ll get through this,” he said, his voice full of conviction. “Together.”

37

SUMMER

The fluorescent lights of the hospital room felt harsh against my tired eyes. Ava was curled up in her bed, Bunny tucked tightly against her chest. Her breathing was soft and even, but every rise and fall of her little chest reminded me of how fragile she was.

I sat in the chair by her bed, my fingers trembling as I scrolled through my phone, searching for anything—grants, loans, fundraising options—that might help.

“Summer,” Enzo’s voice was calm but firm as he stepped into the room.

I didn’t look up. “I’m trying to figure this out, Enzo. There has to be something?—”

“There is,” he interrupted, walking over and gently taking the phone from my hands. “Me.”

I froze, my chest tightening. “Enzo, I can’t?—”

“Yes, you can,” he said, crouching in front of me so we were eye level. “I told you, you don’t need to worry about the money.”

“But it’s not just the money,” I said, my voice breaking. “Your career—your reputation?—”

He reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “None of that matters, Summer. Not if it means we lose Ava.”

Tears welled upin my eyes as I looked at him. “You’ve worked so hard to build your career, Enzo. I don’t want to be the reason you lose everything.”

He smiled softly, shaking his head. “You’re not going to lose me, and I’m not going to lose everything. The hospital board might be annoyed, but they’ll see this for what it is—a family doing whatever it takes to save their child.”

“And if they don’t?” I whispered.

“Then I’ll deal with it,” he said firmly. “But right now, my priority is Ava. She needs us, Summer. She needs you, and she needs me.”

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