Page 9 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

She didn’t look at me again as she led Ava out of the room.

I stood there for a moment, watching them go. The resemblance wasn’t just physical—it was in the way Ava moved, the way she thought, the way she saw the world.

And as much as Summer wanted to keep me in the dark, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the truth was right there, just waiting to be uncovered.

5

SUMMER

Istared at the invoice in my trembling hands, my stomach sinking further with every line I read. The numbers blurred together, but the total at the bottom glared at me like a neon sign.

$18,750.

That was just the estimate for Ava’s surgery—not counting the follow-up appointments, therapy, or any potential complications. I’d known this wouldn’t be cheap, but seeing it in black and white made it all too real.

“Mommy, look!”

Ava’s cheerful voice pulled me out of my spiral. She was sitting on the living room floor, her knee propped up on a cushion while she built a tower with her wooden blocks. She’d been obsessed with them lately, creating castles, bridges, and entire cities.

“That’s amazing, sweetheart,” I said, forcing a smile as I set the invoice on the counter, out of her view.

“It’s a dragon castle,” she explained, holding up one of her toy figures. “This is the dragon who guards the treasure. He’s nice, though. He lets the princess visit the treasure whenever she wants.”

“That’s very kind of him,” I said, crouching beside her. I kissed the top of her head, inhaling the faint scent of baby shampoo. “You’re so creative, Ava.”

She beamed at me, her blue eyes sparkling, and my heart twisted painfully. She didn’t deserve any of this—the hospital visits, the surgery, the financial stress that was threatening to crush me. All she knew was that she had a “boo-boo” that Dr. Pearson was going to fix.

Dr. Pearson.

The thought of Enzo brought another wave of unease. He’d been asking too many questions lately, questions I wasn’t ready to answer. And now, with this enormous bill looming over me, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was making the right choice by keeping him in the dark.

“Mommy, are you okay?” Ava’s small hand rested on my arm, her face filled with concern.

I swallowed hard and nodded. “I’m fine, baby. Just thinking about grown-up stuff.”

“Like what?”

“Like how much I love you,” I said, tickling her gently until she giggled.

Her laughter eased some of the tension in my chest, but it didn’t solve anything. I couldn’t let her see me fall apart.

Later that evening,after Ava was asleep, I sat at the kitchen table with my laptop, staring at the hospital invoice again. I’d already checked my savings account, and it wasn’t anywhere near enough.

My job as a freelance graphic designer paid the bills, but barely. I’d been trying to pick up extra work, but clients weren’t exactly lining up to hire me.

I could apply for financial aid through the hospital, but that would take time, and Ava’s surgery couldn’t wait.

The other option was asking Enzo for help.

I buried my face in my hands, groaning softly. The idea made my stomach churn. He was already suspicious—if I asked him to cover the costs, it would only give him more reason to dig into our past.

But what other choice did I have?

The next day,I found myself back at the hospital with Ava for another pre-op checkup. She was chatting happily with one of the nurses while I stood by the reception desk, trying to muster the courage to bring up the financial situation.

I hadn’t seen Enzo yet, and part of me was grateful. The other part was dreading the moment he inevitably showed up.

“Summer,” a familiar voice said behind me, and I stiffened.

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