Page 66 of Unfaithful

"Think about it, Mr. Sterling. Call me on this number when you're ready."

He paused, his sharp gaze studying me like he was trying to gauge whether I'd break under the weight of it all.

"I'm sorry this is happening to you," he said, his tone quieter. "And I'm sorry to say this, but if the baby is really mine, I will fight for her. I'm not a man who abandons his blood."

I sat there long after Leo had gone, swallowed whole by the silence, drowning in the wreckage of my life. Regret clung to me, thick and suffocating, seeping into every corner of my mind. The air felt heavier with every breath; the walls pressing in, closing around me.

Had I been living a lie? Had I spent months clinging to a reality that had never even existed? My hands trembled as I stared blankly at the table, at the ghost of a life I thought was mine. The child I thought was mine.

If Leo was right—if Elsa had orchestrated all of this, then I hadn't just lost time. I had lost everything. And worst of all, I had lost Sara... over a lie.

It was probably hours, or perhaps only minutes until I could drag myself out of the room, remembering that Nancy and Elena were still waiting in my office. I walked there, but I didn't feel like my feet were moving even though I reached it, anyway.

And then I saw her. Elena. My child. The little girl I loved more than anything. The one I had sacrificed everything for.

Her tiny face lit up with a toothless grin as she nestled in Bobby's arms. Nancy sat on the sofa, her eyes fixed on them, watching Bobby with quiet concern, probably worried she might not hold her just right.

I felt as if my heart had been broken into pieces.

Would I ever get to hold her again? Would I get to watch her grow up, hear her first words, see her take her first steps? Or had I already lost her before I even had the chance?

I needed to act and I needed to act fast.

I turned to Bobby. "Can you drive Elena and Nancy home tonight?"

Both she and Nancy looked startled at my sudden request.

"I need to see Steve," I said, the plan solidifying in my mind, determination hardening my resolve. "And if I'm not there, I'm worried Elsa might try something. I need you to stay with Nancy. Make sure she and Elena are safe."

"Okay," she nodded slowly, still looking confused.

"You might need to stay the night," my voice tight with urgency. "I'm sorry to put you in this position, but I can't take Elena away."

Bobby met my gaze, understanding dawning in her eyes. She gave a small nod. "Okay. I understand."

"Thank you." My voice was quieter now as my eyes landed on Elena.

I stepped forward. "Give her to me. I want to hold her."

Bobby placed her in my arms, and in that instant, the world outside ceased to exist. The noise, the chaos that was my life, it all faded into nothing.

She was warm and light, fragile yet whole, a piece of me I never knew could exist outside my skin. Her tiny chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, her heartbeat syncing against mine.

I walked to the window, but my eyes weren't on the world beyond the glass. My world only belonged to two, and one of them was in my arms. My grip tightened just slightly as I leaned in, my voice a whisper meant only for her. A solemn vow. "No matter what happens, I will always be here for you. And you will always have a place in my heart."

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Sara

"I changed my mind. I'm not going," I huffed, letting out a squeal as Emma slathered an ungodly amount of concealer under my eyes.

"I do not need that much!" I protested, trying to wiggle away.

"Yes, you do," Emma said solemnly, dabbing at my skin with ruthless precision. "You're pale, and those dark circles? Under the club lights, you'll look less like a partygoer and more like an extra from The Walking Dead."

"I don't want to go," I pouted, crossing my arms like a stubborn child. "It's been ages since I've been to a club."

Emma gave me a look—the kind that said she had absolutely no sympathy for my whining. "Exactly. Which is why you're going. Polluted air, loud music, bad decisions. It'll be good for you."

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