Page 49 of Savage Obsession

Something in his tone makes my stomach clench. "What is it?"

He doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he reaches for my hand, threading his fingers through mine. His touch is warm, steady, but there’s something in his expression that has me stiffening.

"Yelena," he says carefully, his voice controlled but laced with something raw. "The night of the attack… you lost a baby."

The words hit like a gunshot to the chest. I flinch, my breath catching in my throat as if I’ve been physically struck.

I blink. Once. Twice. Trying to make sense of a world that is tilting on its axis.

"What?" The word is barely a whisper.

Aithan’s hold on my hand tightens, but I yank away as if burned. My pulse thunders in my ears.

"No," I shake my head, pushing away from him, from the bed, from the room, from this awful reality he’s just forced me into. "No, that’s not possible. I—I didn’t even know I was pregnant!"

"I know," Aithan says, his voice strained. "Neither of us did."

A sharp, cold breath rushes out of me. My hands shake violently, curling into fists as anger and grief slam into me all at once. "And when were you planning to tell me?" I spit, my voice cracking. "How long were you going to let me walk around in ignorance?"

His jaw clenches. "The doctor wanted to tell you, but I told him to wait. You were too weak, and I—" he swallows hard "—I didn’t want you to go through this on top of everything else while your body was still healing."

"You decided that for me?" My voice is high, disbelieving.

I push off the bed, needing space, needing air. The walls are closing in, suffocating me, crushing me under the weight of what I’ve just learned.

I lost a baby.

Our baby.

The sob escapes before I can stop it. A ragged, heart-wrenching sound that tears through me. I cover my mouth, but the grief is relentless. My knees buckle, and before I can collapse, Aithan is there, catching me, pulling me into his arms.

I don’t fight him this time. I don’t have the strength to.

My fingers clutch at his shirt, my body shaking violently against his as I break down completely. "I didn’t even know," I whisper through my sobs. "I didn’t get a chance to—" My voice cracks, unable to finish the sentence.

Aithan presses his lips to my temple, holding me close, his own breath unsteady. "I’m sorry,agápi mou.I’m so damn sorry."

The grief swallows me whole, and I let it. Because at this moment, there is nothing else.

The past one month has been a blur of silent grief and quiet strength. Aithan has barely left my side. He’s been my shadow, my anchor—never pushing, never demanding, just there. It’s the only reason I’ve managed to crawl out of the darkest pit of my sorrow. Every time I felt like I was slipping, drowning in the weight of my loss, he caught me. Held me. Grounded me.

Alina has been here too, never straying far, always watching me with those knowing blue eyes that mirror my own. My twin, whom I've shared almost everything in my life with, has left everything to be right here. And I can tell she feels my pain as if it’s her own. But today, she’s leaving. Viktor is coming to discuss some things with Aithan and will take the opportunity to escort her home.

I stand in the bedroom, watching Alina zip up her suitcase. The sight of her packing twists something deep in my chest. I should feel relief that she’s going back to New York, back to the familiarity of her life. But instead, I feel something else—something heavier.

Alina looks up, her expression unreadable at first, but then she softens. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?” she asks, her voice quiet but firm. "Even if it's for a few days?"

I know this question has been burning on her tongue for days. I knew it was coming.

I let out a breath, walking to the window and pulling the curtain back slightly. Outside, the Philadelphia skyline stretches before me—this is my city now. My home.

“There’s no need for that,” I say, turning back to her.

Alina tilts her head, her long black waves falling over her shoulder. “Why? Because Aithan says so?” There’s no malice in her voice, just genuine curiosity.

I shake my head. “Because I say so.”

She studies me for a moment before slowly walking over. Standing toe to toe, she looks into my eyes, searching for cracks, for doubt. “You don’t have to act tough with me, Yelena. I know you.”

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