of the city outside, but it did nothing to soothe the storm raging inside her. She felt drained,

sidelong glances, Serena's mocking smile, Lucas's cold, penetrating gaze. She

h. She froze, pressing a hand to her abdom

s dark eyes narrowing at her posture. "You look pale," he ob

haky and unconvincing. "

e her chest tighten. "You don't look fine," he said softly, but his

gaze swept over her carefully, assessing every detail. Then he paused. "You're.

to ignore the symptoms, but there was no escaping his scr

n, almost imperceptibly, his lips curved. "Perhaps I

Effects? You mean

u. You're stronger than most, but eve

d? Or calculating something else entirely? She d

dictable moods. But the nausea persisted, subtle at first, then more persistent. She brushed it off as stress after all, who could blame her? She was

glass of water that the truth began to sink in. Lucas caught her

mixture of alarm and something

ssing a hand to her forehead.

to fatigue." He guided her to the couch, sitting beside her

dmitted, feeling a wave of

gaze fixed on her. Then, quietly,

conceal it, to ignore the symptoms, to pretend that nothing

pregnant," she confessed fina

d, his eyes darkened, and he leaned back, processing the information. "P

e," she said quickly.

. "Do you understand what this means?" His voice was low, dangerous, filled

.. it doesn't change who I a

ing," he repeated. "Because now, everything you do... every decision, every step, every move you m

ight of reality pressing down on her.

ce. "Time," he repeated, almost to himself. "I can give you time.

ishing if anything, it had sharpened, honed by obsession, by pride, by the knowledge that she carried h

range, forbidden hope. Maybe, just maybe, this child could be a bridge an uns

ht, Evelyn found a note sli

ou more closely than ever...