Novels by Excel Musei

OLIVIA'S POVFour days left.I'd been counting without meaning to. Every morning I woke up and subtracted one, like a countdown I hadn't agreed to but couldn't stop running.Damien had been different since the Emma conversation. Quieter. More present in small ways that were harder to ignore than grand gestures would have been. He made coffee in the morning and left a cup on the counter without saying anything. He came home for dinner instead of eating at the office. He asked Ethan about school and actually listened to the answers.I noticed all of it and told myself it didn't matter.Marcus called Tuesday afternoon. "The Portland clinic pushed the interview to Friday. Same time.""Fine.""Olivia. You sound different.""I'm tired.""Is he doing something? Pressuring you?""No. That's almost the problem." I moved to the bedroom and closed the door. "He's being decent. It would be easier if he wasn't.""Decent isn't enough. Not after everything.""I know that.""Do you? Because decent is

DAMIEN'S POVI called James at six in the morning.He picked up on the third ring, already awake. "This better be important.""Olivia's pregnant."A long pause. "How long have you known?""Two days.""How long has she known?""Three months."Another pause, longer this time. "She hid it for three months and you're only finding out now. Think about what that tells you, Damien.""I know what it tells me.""Do you? Because from where I'm standing, a woman doesn't hide a pregnancy for three months unless she's already decided the father isn't safe to tell." He exhaled. "What are you going to do?""I asked her to stay in New York. To give me a week to figure things out.""Figure what things out exactly?""Emma. The surrogacy. All of it."James was quiet for a moment. "I told you Emma was a problem. I told you eight months ago. You didn't want to hear it.""I hear it now.""What changed?""Ethan told me Emma said Olivia was only here for the money. She's been talking to my six year old, pois

OLIVIA'S POVMarcus called at seven in the morning."The clinic in Portland wants a phone interview Thursday. And I found a two-bedroom apartment near a good school district. Affordable, first month covered by the signing bonus if you take the job.""Send me everything.""Olivia." His voice shifted. "Are you okay?""He knows."Silence. Then: "How did he take it?""Calmly. Which was worse than anger." I moved to the window. The guest house lights were on. Emma was already awake. "He said he needed time to think.""That's not a no.""It's not a yes either. And I'm not waiting around to find out which way he lands." I pressed my forehead against the glass. "I need to be gone before he decides he wants custody out of obligation. I can't raise a child in a courtroom, Marcus.""If you leave before the contract ends, he could sue for breach.""Let him. I'll figure it out.""That's not a plan.""Thursday interview. Send me the apartment details." I hung up before he could argue further.I got

DAMIEN'S POVI found the crackers three days after our fight.A sleeve of saltines tucked behind the coffee maker. Another in the drawer next to the guest bathroom. I'd noticed them before and assumed she was stress eating, as Mrs. Patterson had mentioned. But now I looked closer.Ginger tea in the pantry. The kind marketed for nausea. Her usual coffee had been replaced with decaf for weeks. I'd noticed without registering it.I stood in the kitchen and did the math.The night of Catherine's anniversary. Four months ago.My stomach dropped.I went to find her.Olivia was in Ethan's room, listening to him read aloud. He'd started reading to her two weeks ago, small chapters from a picture book she'd bought him. I stood in the hallway and watched through the cracked door. Ethan's voice was careful, sounding out difficult words. Olivia corrected him gently without making him feel stupid.Three months ago, he hadn't spoken at all.I waited until she came out."I need to talk to you."She

OLIVIA'S POV Twelve weeks pregnant. The nausea had gotten worse, forcing me to keep crackers in every room. I'd started wearing looser clothes, claiming stress eating. Victoria knew the truth, but she'd kept my secret."Olivia, can we talk?"Emma stood in the kitchen doorway, perfectly put together as always."What about?" I asked, pushing away toast I couldn't eat."I wanted to discuss the transition. When your contract ends." She sat across from me. "Since Damien and I will be co-parenting the new baby, it makes sense for me to step into a more permanent role with Ethan too. Catherine was my sister. I'm from a blood family.""Ethan doesn't know you.""He will. I'm moving into the guest house next month. The surrogate is ten weeks along now. Everything's progressing beautifully."Ten weeks. While I was twelve weeks pregnant with Damien's actual child."Does Damien know you're moving in?""It was his idea. He wants me close for the pregnancy." Emma tilted her head. "Unless you have o

DAMIEN'S POV "Mr. Ross, the embryos are viable."Dr. Chen's words should have filled me with relief, but instead I felt hollow. Across the consultation table, Emma squeezed my hand, her eyes bright with tears."That's wonderful," she breathed. "Catherine would be so happy."Would she? I'd been asking myself that question for three weeks, ever since I'd signed the initial contracts. Catherine had wanted more children. We'd planned for three, maybe four. But she'd also been spontaneous, warm, nothing like this clinical process."We can begin the surrogate matching process immediately," Dr. Chen continued. "Given your preferences for health history and education level, I have three candidates who—""I need a moment," I said, standing abruptly.Emma's smile faltered. "Damien?""Just a moment." I left the room, heading for the hallway.My phone buzzed. A text from my mother: *How's Ethan? He refused breakfast again.*I dialed her number. "What do you mean he refused?""Exactly that. Olivi