Page 23 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

“It’s something, huh?” Enzo said, crouching down beside her. “What do you think—better than Bunny’s racetrack?”

She giggled, shaking her head. “Bunny’s racetrack is the best!”

“Fair enough,” he said with a grin, standing and adjusting the cuffs of his blazer.

I watched the exchange silently, my nerves tangled in knots. Enzo looked completely at ease, like he belonged here. And the way Ava clung to him as much as she did to me made my chest ache.

We hadn’t taken morethan a few steps into the room before we were spotted. Dr. Taylor, the clinic director, made a beeline for us, her smile wide and welcoming.

“Summer! Enzo! So glad you could make it,” she said, clasping her hands together.

“Thank you for having us,” I said, forcing a smile.

“And who is this little one?” Dr. Taylor asked, leaning down to Ava’s level.

“This is Ava,” I said, resting a hand on her shoulder.

Dr. Taylor’s smile softened. “Well, aren’t you a cutie? Are you enjoying the party so far?”

Ava nodded, clutching Bunny tightly. “Uh-huh!”

“She’s been talking about this all day,” Enzo said, his tone warm.

Dr. Taylor’s gaze flicked to him, a glint of curiosity in her eyes. “It’s wonderful to see you here, Enzo. And with your family, no less.”

The word “family” made my stomach lurch, but Enzo didn’t miss a beat.

“It’s a special night,” he said smoothly. “We’re happy to support the clinic.”

Dr. Taylor nodded approvingly. “Well, you certainly look like the perfect family. I hope you’ll stick around for the program later—I’d love to introduce you to a few donors.”

“Of course,” Enzo said, flashing a polite smile.

As Dr. Taylor moved on to greet other guests, I shot Enzo a look. “The perfect family?” I hissed under my breath.

He shrugged, his expression unapologetic. “We’re playing the part, remember?”

“Right,” I muttered, shifting uncomfortably.

For the next hour,we mingled, greeting familiar faces and making polite small talk. Everywhere we went, people’s eyes lingered a little too long, their smiles a little too knowing.

“Summer, I had no idea you and Enzo were… involved,” one of the nurses said, her voice dripping with curiosity.

“We’re here to support Ava,” I said quickly, deflecting.

“Oh, of course,” she said, but her raised eyebrows told me she didn’t believe me for a second.

Enzo, for his part, seemed unfazed. He chatted easily with anyone who approached, his charm and confidence disarming even the nosiest of questions.

“You’re really good at this,” I said through gritted teeth as we moved to another corner of the room.

“At what?” he asked innocently.

“Pretending,” I said, shooting him a pointed look.

He smirked, leaning in slightly. “You’re not so bad at it yourself.”

I rolled my eyes, but my stomach twisted uncomfortably. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could keep up the act.

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