Page 40 of Secret Baby's Second Shot

Ava wanderedinto the living room, holding her dinosaur and Bunny. “Mommy, can I watch a movie?”

“Sure, sweetheart,” I said, sitting up.

As she settled on the couch, I grabbed her blanket and tucked it around her. She smiled up at me, her eyes so full of trust that it nearly broke me.

I brushed a curl away from her face. “Ava, do you like spending time with Enzo?”

“Yes!” she said immediately.

“Why?” I asked softly.

“Because he’s fun,” she said, hugging her dinosaur. “And he’s smart. And he tells me cool stories.”

A lump formed in my throat, and I forced a smile. “I’m glad you like him.”

“I love him,” she said matter-of-factly, turning her attention back to the screen.

The words hit me like a freight train.

Later that night,after Ava was asleep, I sat at the kitchen table with my phone in front of me. Enzo’s name stared back at me, the screen glowing faintly in the dark room.

I wanted to call him, to tell him everything, but my hand hovered over the screen, paralyzed by fear.

What if I told him and he was furious? What if he couldn’t forgive me for keeping Ava a secret?

What if I told him, and it changed everything—for better or worse?

I let outa shaky breath and set the phone down.

Tomorrow.

I’d tell him tomorrow.

But as I turned off the light and headed to bed, I couldn’t shake the feeling that tomorrow might be too late.

20

ENZO

The clinic was quiet, a rare lull in the chaos of the day. I sat in my office, leaning back in my chair as I stared at my phone. I’d been meaning to call Summer all morning, but every time I thought about it, I stopped myself.

Something wasn’t adding up, and I needed answers.

Ava’s words from the museum replayed in my mind.“Mommy told me you liked castles when you were little, just like me.”

It wasn’t just that. It was everything—her fascination with puzzles, her quick mind, the way her laughter filled a room. She reminded me of someone I knew far too well.

Someone I couldn’t stop thinking about.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. I wasn’t the kind of person to jump to conclusions, but this felt different. Too many things were lining up, and I couldn’t ignore them anymore.

By the timeI arrived at Summer’s apartment that evening, my thoughts were racing. I knocked, my chest tightening as I heard the shuffle of footsteps behind the door.

“Enzo,” Summer said, opening the door with a mixture of surprise and hesitation. “What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk,” I said, stepping inside.

Her eyes darted toward the living room, where Ava was sprawled on the floor with Bunny and her new magnetic tiles. “Now?”

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