Page 49 of All for her Forgiveness

"Deep down in my heart, I know I didn't, although I can't recall that night yet, but how am I going to prove it?"

"You haven’t remembered everything, then?"

"No. Only up until the moment I was telling you I was going to move to New York. I remember you saying you would follow me."

"And I did, but I stayed at a distance, thinking you were okay."

"I only trust you and Delores. The only two people in the world I'm sure love me."

"And your son, darling. He will grow up and understand what a wonderful mother he has."

"I don't want to talk about this here and risk Hades overhearing and exploiting my weakness," I murmur. "But it terrifies me to know that there's a good chance that, just like it happened to me, King will grow up without his mother around."

Hades

I wake up at the moment Kennedy says, "I only trust you and Delores. The only two people in the world I'm sure love me."

"And your son, darling. He will grow up and understand what a wonderful mother he has."

"I don't want to talk about this here and risk Hades overhearing and exploiting my weakness, but it terrifies me to know that there's a good chance that, just like it happened to me, King will grow up without his mother around."

I feel the warmth of King's hand wrapped around my finger, but I don't move, both because I don't want to embarrass Kennedy by making it clear that I heard the conversation, and because having him holding me calms my inner hell a little.

Only when they fall silent for nearly a minute do I open my eyes.

I look at Kennedy, who doesn't immediately meet my gaze, instead looking at Ernest. He strokes her hair, and the mother of my heir leans into his touch.

"I only trust you and Delores. The only two people in the world I'm sure love me."

"I don't want to talk about this here and risk Hades overhearing and exploiting my weakness, but it terrifies me to know that there's a good chance that, just like it happened to me, King will grow up without his mother around."

"I'll take you home," I say, more abruptly than I intended, getting up, although at this moment the anger I feel is directed at myself.

"Don't worry about it, Mr. Kostanidis," Ernest replies.

"It's not up for negotiation, Ernest. I'm ensuring my son's wellbeing."

Kennedy looks at me, seeming fully awake now. When I entered the room over an hour ago, she had dozed off with King in her arms. I put him in the crib and went back to the bed. I spent a long time watching her sleep and had to force myself to move away because the desire to touch her was too intense. I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep until her voice woke me up.

"As for that, I'll authorize the DNA test to make sure," she says.

"It's just a formality. I know King is mine."

"How can you be so confident based on a birthmark?"

"Because it's been in our family for generations. Besides, he looks just like me. Why do you still doubt it? Hasn't your memory come back? You should remember everything by now."

I see her cheeks turn very red, not sure if it’s because I was too direct or because Ernest is present. Maybe a little of both.

I didn't mean to embarrass her, just to seek the answers I still don't have. Although, after thinking about it a lot, everything seems to suggest that Odin's theory is right. But how does Kennedy fit into this story? I was drugged, but she, I assume, wasn't, so she must know what happened. How we made King.

"Not entirely. I remembered only until Mrs. Vina and . . .” She stops talking, and I see tears welling up in her eyes as she turns her head away from me. "I only remember up until I left New Orleans. Now, please excuse me and, if possible, call the nurse? I need to change. I want to go home."

"I'll wait in the hallway."

"If you can, ask the nurse to bring the DNA kit as well. I asked her this morning how it would be done, and she explained the procedure to me more or less."

I nod and leave the room without looking at either of them.

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