Page 85 of The Billionaire's Betrayal
Lunch was pleasant, relaxed, and after discussing this and that, I finally decided to announce the big news to my mother.
"Eva is pregnant; we're going to be parents."
And then, it was an explosion.My mother began to cry and laugh at the same time.
"Oh, my darling, I'm so happy for you!That's wonderful!"
I smiled, amused by her excessive reaction as she hugged me.
"Are you happy?"
"Yes, even if I can't really process it yet.I'm waiting for the first ultrasound to truly internalize it."
She then told me what she had felt when she was pregnant with me, how she already talked to me, eager to finally hold me in her arms.She continued by reassuring me about fatherhood.
"Your father also had trouble realizing it at first, but as soon as he saw you, he loved you instantly."
A comfortable silence stretched between us, charged with shared memories.
"I need your help," I told her after a moment."But you mustn't talk about it to Eva.It's a surprise."
I saw her eyes light up with curiosity, and she nodded enthusiastically.She raised a solemn hand, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
"Fiat silentium, fiat oblivio," she said, looking serious.
I burst out laughing, surprised by her reply.I didn't remember that my mother could be so funny.She had just repeated the oaths that my brothers and I made when we were children, whenever we promised to keep a secret.
As I looked at her with amazement, she lowered her voice slightly, as if still hesitant to fully confide:
"I decided to follow your advice.I've been seeing a psychologist for several weeks.It's doing me good."
I nodded, a smile of relief and pride on my lips.This was a huge step forward!Knowing that she was beginning to rebuild herself warmed my heart.Perhaps she would finally manage to break out of the depressive spiral that had so weighed her down.In any case, I wished it for her with all my heart.She deserved to find her light again.
***
I had just closed the door after the delivery man left when Eva came out of the shower.As she timidly approached me, I placed the takeout containers on the coffee table before unpacking them.I had ordered Korean fried chicken, knowing how much she loved it.We ate on the couch like in the old days, she sitting beside me.The meal was delicious, and Eva ate with appetite.She seemed more relaxed and serene.A strand of hair slid across her face and, without thinking, I reached out to tuck it behind her ear.But she abruptly pulled back, as if my simple touch burned her.
"No," she said in a tense voice.
The rejection froze me in place.My God...Did I disgust her that much?Did she hate me to the point of no longer tolerating the slightest contact?Is that why she slept in the guest room and not beside me?I didn't even try to mask the pain that crossed my face.Eva looked away, replacing the strand herself with a trembling hand.A tense silence stretched between us, charged with everything that was no more.
"I saw you do the same thing for Audrey," she whispered in a painful voice."You were in the meeting room, your hand lingered on her face in a slow caress...That's when I realized you had feelings for her."
A tear slid down her cheek, and my heart broke once again.
Because of my mistakes, I had tarnished our expressions of love.Because I had squandered my tenderness without thinking, the woman I loved now refused to let me touch her.
When you distribute your tenderness too freely, it loses its value.
Did I have to give up this gesture because I had used it too carelessly?No, I refused to believe that all was lost.I would make her forget my mistakes; I would build new memories for her, more beautiful, more pure.
"I wish I could go back in time," I whispered, my voice hoarse."I wish I hadn't destroyed the best thing that ever happened to me.But that's impossible.However, I promise you one thing, Eva...From now on, you will be the center of my world.And you will remain so.Forever."
52.I believe in you
EVA
I had just returned to the penthouse when the doorbell rang.Intrigued, I opened the door.Judith de La Tour stood on the threshold.
