Chapter 4

Three days before I was due to leave, I got a message from the director of the private clinic. The pediatric cardiologist I had asked him to contact was in the city for one day only and was willing to examine Sabina's son.

The baby's records suggested a congenital heart defect. Subtle enough to miss at first, serious enough to become dangerous if treatment was delayed.He could see the baby on the day of the christening, if Sabina agreed.

No matter what had passed between us, the child had done nothing wrong. This one last thing, and whatever I owed the Varesis would be over.

I went to Sabina's sitting room and told her the doctor was available.

Her face darkened at once. "What is this supposed to mean?" she snapped. "You look at my baby once and suddenly decide there's something wrong with him?"

"It's not that," I said. "He specializes in congenital cardiac defects. It would only be a follow-up."

Before I could finish, she snatched the porcelain cup beside her and threw it. It shattered against the cabinet behind me.

"Easy for you to say. Do you think a doctor like that comes because you make one phone call?" Her voice sharpened. "You can't have children of your own, so now you're trying to put illness on mine? First you wanted to ruin his birth, and now you're cursing him too?"

Sabina burst into tears right on cue, clutching the baby to her chest.

The door flew open, and Valen strode in, his face dark with fury. He didn’t ask what happened. He went straight to Sabina, pulled her behind him.

"Have you lost your mind?" he said coldly. "She's barely recovered, and you're already tormenting her over the child. If you can't act with basic decency, then stay away from her."

There it was. Anything Sabina did was devotion. Anything I did, malice.

I gave a short, bitter laugh. "If you don't want to go, forget it."

I should never have tried.

The christening took place as planned.

The family chapel was filled with white flowers and candlelight, every pew crowded with relatives, associates, lawyers, and enough press to ensure the photos would circulate by morning. Above the entrance hung a portrait of Valen and Sabina with the baby between them, painted to look softer and happier than reality had ever been.

Whispers began before the ceremony.

Would the abandoned wife appear?

Would she make a scene?

Would Valen have her removed?

Inside, Valen stood at the front in a dark tailored suit, one hand resting lightly on the cradle. As the service neared its end, his eyes kept drifting to the doors.

He was waiting for me.

Waiting for jealousy, pleading, some final humiliation he could take as proof I still belonged to him.

At the appointed moment, the priest raised his voice.

"It is time for the child to be baptized and entered into the Varesi family register. Let the father and the mother of record step forward."

Sabina gathered the baby in her arms, flushed with pride, and turned toward Valen, waiting for him to place the Varesi signet medallion beside the child and sign the register with her at his side.

That was when the chapel doors opened.

A ripple moved through the room. Every head turned, eager for scandal.

But it wasn't me.

It was a courier in a dark uniform, breathing hard, one hand still on the door.

"Sorry," he said, straightening. "Urgent delivery."

He walked down the aisle under the stare of the entire room and stopped before the altar.

"Which of you is Mr. Valen Varesi?"

Valen's face darkened. "I am."

The courier held out a red document case. "This was left by Ms. Nerina Vale. She said it had to be delivered before the child was entered into the family record."

A faint laugh went through the chapel.

Valen took the case with open contempt. "Of course. She couldn't stay away entirely."

Sabina smiled behind her hand. "Even from a distance, she still wanted to be part of it. How touching."

The courier only shrugged. "She told me to say it was the most appropriate gift she could send."

A flicker of smugness crossed Valen's face as he flipped the latch open before everyone.

"At least she finally understands her place—"

The words died.

Inside lay a sealed legal packet stamped by the city registrar and the Varesi family council.

Valen pulled out the first page, unfolded it, and went still.

It was my formal withdrawal from the Varesi family registry. My resignation from the foundation. My filed petition for dissolution.

Before anyone could speak, a second document slipped free and drifted onto Sabina's dress.

Valen bent automatically to pick it up.

It was a prenatal report from a private Geneva clinic.

Patient: Nerina Vale

Gestation: 4 weeks

Fetal status: twins

All the color left his face.