Page 56 of The Baby His Secretary Carries

“He’s back to his old self. He only knows that you’re receiving necessary treatment and that’s why I’m here.”

“What about work? I feel like I’m keeping you.”

“I’m working.” He held up his phone. “Valentina is overseeing our three musketeers. We’re managing.”

He could have at least pretended the place was falling apart without her.

“Gio—” She hesitated, not sure she wanted the answer, but she had to ask. “Why are you here?”

“If I were in hospital, where would you be?”

By his side, if he would let her, but that was because she loved him. Did that mean...?

“You heard your mother. I’m only allowed to stay if I let you nap. Go to sleep.” He’d patted her calf and moved to the chair in the corner.

A few days later, he came in after Alexandra had left and said, “I keep thinking about that day on the yacht, when she was so shocked to see you. You never kept in touch after she placed Libby with you?”

“No. I was sad about that, but it was a painful time for her. Please don’t judge her for pretending she lost her memory. If I had some of her memories, I’d want to forget them, too.”

“I don’t.” He pushed his hands into his pockets, cheeks hollowed with reflection. “When we were on the plane, I overheard your mother tell Libby that Alexandra’s parents are very wealthy and influential. That if they learned about her, they might destroy Patricia’s career and make an attempt to take custody of Libby.”

“They wouldn’t win. Libby’s birth father agreed to the adoption and even set up a trust for her, but they would put everyone through hell. Mom’s practice would be impacted, which would be the point, given what I know of them,” Molly said dourly.

“They sound delightful. We should introduce them to my parents.” Gio curled his lip in contempt.

“When Sasha came to stay with us, I was really jealous of her. She was like you. She never had to think about money. That’s not an insult,” she said as his expression stiffened. “It’s a fact. But as I got to know her, I realized she was deeply unhappy. She made me realize that having enough is enough and that I was lucky to have a mother who loved me. That’s why she wanted to place Libby with us. She knew we would love her in a way she had never been loved herself. And we love Libbysomuch.” Hot tears pressed into her eyes, her love for her sister was so big inside her.

“I know.” He caressed her arm. “You don’t owe me explanations. We can talk about this another time if it’s upsetting you.”

“No, I really need it off my chest because I couldn’t tell you before.” She covered where his hand sat on her upper arm. “I always believed that Sasha had had this one dark spell in her life and that she had made the best of it by giving both her baby and herself the best chance at a fulfilling life. Then I saw her on the yacht and she was miserable. She wanted a baby so badly and her body was betraying her. She had given us such a precious gift. I had to do the same for her.I had to.”

“I won’t pretend I didn’t struggle to understand it,” he acknowledged somberly. “Especially when I thought you were doing it for money. My baggage put a dark spin on that.”

“I know.” She swallowed a lump in her throat. “I hated lying to you about that.”

“It didn’t fit with who I believed you were. You’re ambitious, but if money motivated you, you’d be married to me right now. You have a soft heart, but you’re not so soft you don’t know how to say no. I spent a lot of time questioning whether I could even trust my own judgment. That’s why I went to see your mother. I was certain I was missing something and I was.”

He hadn’t come to see her afterward, though, once he knew the truth. Why not?

Rafael had arrived at that point and Gio stepped out.

Rafael never stayed long. He only asked how she was feeling and glanced at the reports on the baby’s vitals, then offered to bring anything she needed.

“Rafael, I’m worried about you and Sasha,” Molly blurted, because it was genuinely eating at her.

“You’re forbidden to worry,” he reminded her dryly. “Alexandra and I want this baby very much. We’ll do whatever we have to, to give our child a good life, including reconcile our differences. I know I speak for her when I say we’re equally sorry this pregnancy is costing you so much. I don’t know how I’ll ever make that up to you. It eats at me every day, so, please, don’t worry about me on top of it. I’ll expire from guilt.”

Until these daily visits, she hadn’t really gotten to know Rafael. He was still aloof, but he sometimes offered these small glimpses that reassured her a human lurked behind the iron wall he presented to the world. That helped her see why Sasha had fallen for him. Molly only wished the pair would find their way back to each other before this baby arrived.

Who was she to talk, though? She was terrified to ask Gio point-blank what his feelings for her really were.

When Rafael left a few minutes later, she heard him speak to Gio in the hall. It sounded like Rafael had said, “So you do care.”

Gio’s response had been too low for her to hear. By the time he came back into her room, he was on the phone with Nelo and asked her if she recalled some detail about a contract. From there, the day wore on in its glacial fashion.

Every day was one minute at a time. For those ten days, Molly felt as though her life had stopped altogether. Or rather, that her life became focused on “life” in its most elemental sense—on the life inside her.

Then the decision was made for both of their sakes that the baby should be delivered by cesarean section. Molly was prepped for surgery and everyone gathered in her room. Since she was having a full anesthetic, no one would go into the theater with her.

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