Page 83 of Loving the Greek Billionaire

Adonis climbed into bed with a yawn and a scowl. “When can I read books on my own?”

“When you can.” Rose pulled the covers up. “You’re already on your way to being a good reader.”

“I want to be better, like Nefeli.”

“I know, and you will be.” Rose smoothed his hair. She read him a book about monkeys and elephants. “Time for sleep.”

“Do you have to go?” Adonis’s brown eyes pleaded with her to say no.

“Yes,” she said softly. “I’m sure you’ll like the new nanny just as much as me.”

Adonis reached up and wrapped his little hands around her neck. “I love you, Rose. Please stay.”

Rose’s eyes pooled with tears. Leaving these children would be the hardest thing she’d done since burying her husband and stillborn son. “I love you, too.” She wiped the tears on his cheeks with her thumbs. “Song. Then bed.”

He nodded and settled back onto the pillow, keeping his brown eyes trained on her, one hand grasping hers.

She sang a lullaby and then kissed his forehead. “Night, Adonis.”

“Will you say goodbye?” his tiny voice asked.

“Yes. I’ll say goodbye in the morning.” She turned off the bedside lamp, letting the glow of the night-light fill the dark corners.

“Promise?”

“Promise.” She cracked the door and turned to head for Nefeli’s room. “Oh.” Nessa stood before her. Rose pressed a hand to her chest. “You startled me. I was going to put Nefeli to bed.”

Nessa smiled. “No need. Theo has her. I was hoping we could take a walk and have a chat.”

Rose twisted her ring. “It’s my last night with Nefeli. I wanted to tuck her in.”

“We won’t be long,” Nessa promised. “You can look in on her after.”

Wariness crept into Rose. She had a good idea of what Nessa wanted to chat about.

“Please,” Nessa said.

Rose could no longer avoid the conversation. “Sure.” She followed Nessa into the twilight and down a stone walk leading to the sand.

Rose braced herself, arranging her internal defenses for the lecture that must follow.

“I don’t know what happened between you and my son these past weeks.” Nessa held up her hand to stop words from coming out of Rose’s open mouth. “And I don’t need to know. I can see you’re both miserable at the present, and that’s enough information for me to figure out what has happened. I haven’t seen Leo this devastated since Nia died.” She looked at Rose. “And that’s what I want to talk to you about.”

Rose’s brow furrowed. This wasn’t the conversation she thought they were going to have. She’d expected something more along the lines of, “This is why you need to hear Leo out.” More of the mama-bear tactic.

Nessa continued. “Nia was Leo’s whole world. When Nefeli came along, he was overjoyed to expand his world to include her. And when they found out they were expecting Adonis, he was over the moon. Nia’s pregnancy was normal, and a healthy baby boy was born. They enjoyed a few precious hours of parental bliss before the complications set in. Nia started hemorrhaging internally. As this happens from time to time, the doctors were concerned but not unduly so. They set to work to solve the problem, but despite all their efforts and care, the specialists couldn’t pinpoint the source. Leo never left her side, unless he couldn’t be with her while a test was being run. Even then he waited by the door until she was done. Very quickly, it became clear that Nia would bleed out, despite transfusions and anything else the medical staff could do. Leo and Nia sobbed on each other’s shoulders when the doctor delivered the news.”

Unwanted tears filled Rose’s eyes as she pictured the scene. The hastily constructed, fragile walls around her heart splintered piece by piece.

“There Leo was with the joy of Adonis in one hand, and sorrow of Nia in the other. Torn in half.” Nessa’s voice caught, and she took a steadying breath.

“Once the hope that Nia would live was gone, Nia determined to make her last hours count. She spoke openly with Leo and all of us about her dreams for the future of their family, including Leo marrying again. She knew, as I do, and as I suspect you do, that Leo has a great capacity for love.”

Rose nodded at Nessa’s truthful words.

“He held Adonis in one hand and Nia’s hand in the other until she breathed her last and was gone.” Nessa’s voice was strained by the painful memories. “Leo was broken but didn’t blame Adonis for Nia’s death, as many a father has done before him, and as I feared he might.” She turned watery eyes on Rose. “It’s a terrible thing to lose a spouse, especially when your future together is stretched out before you full of possibilities.” She gripped Rose’s hand. “I believe you know something about that.”

Rose didn’t trust her voice, so she squeezed Nessa’s hand in acknowledgment. The pain of Leo’s loss coursed through her like her own, leaving a hollow void in its wake.

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