He swore again. ‘That’ssix weeksago.’
Yes. Six long, lonely weeks. She ignored the traitorous thought.
‘And you didn’t once think it would be appropriate for me to know I had helped to conceive a child?’
‘I’ve explained that. After the way you spelled out your life’s plans, how could I think you’d want to know about this? It would ruin everything for you.’
‘That was not your decision to make.’
‘Given that I was the only one who knew about the pregnancy, it was precisely my decision. And I did itfor you. For your life, for your future, your family’s position in the country, for all the things you made so abundantly clear mattered most to you. Whyshould a meaningless fling lead to a lifetime of consequences for you?’
‘But it should for you?’
She floundered.
‘I—am not royal,’ she said after a beat. ‘I am not betrothed to some prince. I’m a free agent, and while being a single mum is definitely not what I had planned for my life, it’s not like I have other plans that this is getting in the way of.’ Her voice cracked a little, because she was so close to admitting how off the rails her life had become. The breakdown of her relationship with Christopher had shaken her off-track, and then not being able to find her father had made it all so much worse. She felt completely alone in life, and now she wasn’t. Her hand curved over her belly, connecting with the little lives in there.
‘Are you telling me this decision was purely altruistic? That no part of your choice came down to the fact you were insulted by my proposal that day?’
‘That was not a proposal, it was a proposition, and it was disgusting. But as angry as I was with you, that didn’t guide my decision-making.’
‘I don’t believe you.’
‘That’s your prerogative. It doesn’t matter. None of this matters.’
‘It matters a hell of a lot to me. You should have told me.’
She swallowed past a lump in her throat. ‘Well, would you like me to tell you something now, Octavio?’ She felt her sanity slipping. She felt the shock of that day all mounting up inside of her, forming a wall that was hard and cold yet cracking all over. ‘News that will really give you something to shout about?’
His nostrils flared. She knew she should stop, take a breath, try to calm down but her blood was firing at the unfairness of all this. How daredhebe angry withher? ‘The hospital directorinsisted on me getting a full check-up today.’ She stood then, needing to feel at more of a level with him. ‘I had my first scan.’
Something shifted in his expression. Emotion. Feeling.
‘I should have been there.’
‘Oh, yes, of course. Because that would have caused no scandal whatsoever.’ She rolled her eyes in a childish gesture that felt wonderful in that moment.
‘And?’ he demanded, voice like ice.
‘And what?’
‘The baby is fine?’
‘Oh, the baby is fine. In fact, both babies are fine,’ she snapped, almost maniacally now. ‘It’s twins,’ she added, and then she sobbed, lifting a hand to her mouth to stop the torrent of emotion from pouring out in a large wail.
Silence cracked around them but she barely noticed. She was shaking now, processing the truth of the scan, the reality that lay before her.
‘Well, then.’ His voice was low and silky, as though she hadn’t just told him they were going to havetwo babiesin a matter of months. ‘That makes our decision even easier.’
‘What decision?’ she asked, whirling around to face him. Did he think she was going to have an abortion? Her skin paled and she looked for something to grab hold of, landing on the edge of a large bronze pot.
‘There is no way on earth you are leaving the country whilst pregnant with my children, so forget about returning to New Zealand.’
She flinched. She hadn’t expected that.
‘Nor will my children be born under a cloud of illegitimacy.’
Her heart almost stopped beating; his words made no sense. ‘I—don’t—what are you saying?’
