Page 3 of Cayden

“Claudine. I saw the two of you cuddled together in a corner of the room. In front of my eyes. What are you doing behind my back?”

“I refuse to grace that with a response,” he had told her coldly, “Claudine is a friend.”

“She is a woman you were sleeping with in the past!”

“Years ago, before I met you. You are being unreasonable and paranoid.”

“Am I? Are you falling out of love with me? Is that it? I am unable to give you children and you are thinking of getting rid of me, I know it.”

He had simply stared at her in frustration. “Go back home, Blair, do whatever the hell you want. I cannot do this again. You have been nagging me about so-called affairs and worrying yourself sick because we are childless for now. The doctors said to give it time…”

“I am thirty! And we have been trying for years. Five miscarriages…!”

“Darling…”

“No!” She shook her head. “I know you have regrets. I know what you and your family are saying. You should have married someone else, and they are probably right.”

“I had no idea that you could read minds now.” His voice had turned icy. “I love you, whether you believe that or not, is entirely up to you.”

*****

Shaking herself to disperse the memories, she stared at her father. “I am trying IVF. It is the main reason I came back before they did. I have been meeting with a specialist and am going ahead with it. Two years ago, I implored Cayden to freeze his sperm, and he did. I am meeting with the doctor tomorrow to start the procedure.”

“Without telling your husband.”

“Yes. I have seen his face each time that it was confirmed that I was pregnant and the way he looked when I lost each and every one of them. He is not even trying…,” her hands fluttered. “We have not been together physically for the past three weeks and I… You think he is with someone else.”

“Our love life has been hectic, passionate, unbelievably so.” She linked her fingers together, the tea forgotten.

“You continue to have doubts about our love for each other, but from the very moment we met…,” a smile touched her lips. “I remember it like it was yesterday. The tiny café in the middle of the busy Venetian street. I was coming out and he was going in and he stopped and stared at me.

I was going around him when he took my hand and insisted on buying me an espresso. I had no idea who he was at first and was annoyed at his arrogance. But he was so funny and sweet, and I admired his fluency in the language.

It was two days before I knew he was Cayden Caruso.” She shook her head. “I tried to break it off and he would not let me.” She stared at her father. “I love him, daddy…,” she had unconsciously reverted to her childhood name for him.

“You don’t know him the way I do. To the rest of the world, he is the former playboy and entitled heir to the wine industry, but to me, he’s just Cayden, a man who makes me laugh, who has insecurities about taking over the business, one who loves toplay and tease me when we’re alone. I know he loves me and this not having a baby, is getting to both of us.”

“But keeping something as significant as IVF from him. Isn’t that going to drive the wedge even deeper?”

Her heart quaked at that. She had introduced the subject to him several times and he had been against it.

“Absolutely not. It is dangerous and unstable. If it cannot happen naturally, then so be it.”

“I don’t know!” She picked up her cooling tea and took a sip. “I don’t care. I want this and whatever happens, will happen. Hopefully, he will come around when he realizes I am pregnant.” She took a deep breath. “I need this, daddy, more than you will ever know.”

Reaching out a hand, he touched hers. “Honesty and communication are two especially crucial factors in a marriage.Whatever your mother and I faced, we always had that to fall back on.” His expression was sober.

“I wanted a nice churchgoing young man for you, one who would appreciate your value, your worth. You have married into an immensely powerful family.

Outwardly, you are polished and sophisticated, but I know my daughter and know the inside of you. I often see you in the magazines, on the internet and sometimes I am proud and say to myself that this is my daughter, rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous.”

He rubbed her hand absently. “But most of that time is spent wondering if you are happy. That is what concerns me the most. Your mother and I were in love until the day the Lord took her from me. I want that to be your legacy, the focal point in your marriage. I want love to be able to conquer all, be the epicenter of your lives together.

But, most of all, I would like to see you and your husband move into somewhere aside from that sprawling mansion where everyone lives.

Give yourselves some much-needed privacy. I know you have an entire wing to yourselves, but the family is still there, and you do not need interference in your union. It has to be just the two of you and the Lord.” His brows creased. “And I pray you will find your way back to coming to church. Even if it is just you alone.”

She nodded. “I have been thinking about that. Coming back and attending services.”

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