squeeze Seraphina's hand, her eyes bright with genuine affection-the kind

xpression flickered through several micro-emotions before set

and left the room without a sound, her heel

ppeared, laden with shopping bags from a high-end market. Grapes. Artisanal chocolates. A bundle of lav

nded surprised. Maybe ev

es

n familiar surroundings. We're hiring the best private nurses available. Around-the-

ing. "Why are you

you should

ice in these decisions. I don't." She adjusted he

ha

rgive

isibly thrown

r the betrayal." Her voice was calm, alm

straight. Pace unhurrie

couldn't name. A shift in the atmosphere he didn't understand. He watched her until the

tears were gone, replaced by a trembling vulnerability that made Lachlan's chest tig

ently pulling her hands into his. "

" Her voice trembled with

r w

gry too, if I were in her position." Seraphina's breath hitched. "What if this destroys your marriage? If she le

e not a villain. You're not responsible for Jasmin

na's eyes were wide, glistening with unshed t

ce." His response came too

n you b

arlisle-Beaumont name was their last remaining lifeline. And Jasmine-technically not even a real Hayes, just an adopted orphan with no blood claim to anything-ha

lan said. "It wo

er expression shifting from sorrow to something

cour

r child someday...

overed the truth the night Alastair died, when Lachlan had held her for hours, his voice soft as a lullaby, promising she'd survi

his icy exterior, she might have

he couldn't articulate. After Seraphina conceived, he'd felt relief-a strange, guilty relief that he wouldn't need to touch her aga

t a moment, her jaw tightened. Then she smoothed it

I wanted you to know that the option would mean the world to

hand, then rose to answer the soft knock at the door. The

smine. The way she'd looked at him before she left. The unsettling calm in her voice. I for

ook i