der graduate student-the kind of man who could discuss Proust and pour a perfect Scotch in the same breath. That collegiate charm was

et entered, she realized exactly how naive she'd been. Her br

bed it out in a crystal ashtray. His brow furrowed sli

ouldn't say no. I didn't tell you beforehand because I knew you'd overreact. You'd make it complicated, and Sera couldn't handle any more stress. She was already showing signs of sev

at him. "A mino

imself, jaw tightening. "

rial to your dead brother's wife without telling your own wife. You let the entire fami

against the armrest. "It's

st fathered

lastair's death destroyed Sera. She was a shell. This baby gave h

The silence stretched,

ery moment she'd been made to feel like an outsider in her own marriage. But if she starte

yes that held depths he'd never bothered to explore. The quiet devastation in her expression stir

uzzed again

nizable. "Hey. Yeah, I'm still at the house. Be there soon. You nee

ther chose it. She wanted to honor Alastair, but using his name directly felt like tempti

y back. Your brother's widow an

Lachlan's expression darken

ng him

so

n't

ut that's a technicality. This is about family. About legacy. About doing what'

calities. For instance-how exactly did you make the donation? Did you go to the c

ssed his face before he locked it down. "I told you. I had samples f

was smooth as glass. "I was

solutel

ith mock innocence. "I just asked a quest

tween Sera and me. This wasn't an affair. It was a medical procedure to h

" Jasmine ec

accusation. "Three years of marriage, and you've never once trie

unspoken words

a reason

ree years, and her womb had remained empty. Meredith called her a barren hen behind her back. The family whispered about her failure to