Chapter 3

Zoe lowered her head, unwilling to look at Sebastian.

"The baby... It's gone, isn't it?"

He hurried over and gathered her into his arms. "Zo, this is all my fault. I should never have let you go home alone. Cry if you need to, but please take care of yourself.

"The doctor said you have several broken bones and a ruptured lung. You need plenty of rest. We can have as many children as we want someday."

Her hand moved to her abdomen, empty now. Not even a week had passed between learning she was pregnant and losing the baby. Sebastian had taken such care of Yvonne's child, accompanying her to prenatal appointments, yet he'd been all too eager to stage a crash to make Zoe lose hers.

She closed her eyes, tears slipping from the corners to soak her pillow.

"I'm tired. Go home."

Instead, he sat in the chair beside her bed. "Get some sleep, Zoe. I'll stay with you. I'm not leaving you at a time like this."

Too drained to speak, she gradually fell asleep.

In her dream, she was back on the day Sebastian first told her he loved her. The tips of his ears were scarlet, and she felt herself being drawn into the depths of his eyes. Her cheeks burned, and her heart pounded, but then he was behind the wheel of a car, hitting her, sending her flying.

Her eyes snapped open, her heart hammering as though it might burst out of her chest.

"Yvonne, I have some things to deal with at the company over the next few days. Once they're sorted out, I'll come back to you and the baby. Come on, I'll be back soon. Don't let your imagination run away with you..."

Sebastian stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, soothing Yvonne over the phone. Every word struck Zoe's heart like a sharp stone. She closed her eyes again, pretending she hadn't woken, while tears slipped silently down her face.

Determined to cheer her up and help her recover from the grief of losing their child, Sebastian brought her balloon flowers every day. There was always a different gift, and whenever she mentioned wanting something to eat, he went to buy it, no matter how far he had to travel. Even during her IV infusions, he held the tubing in his palm to warm it.

His devotion was the envy of every doctor and nurse on the floor. Zoe alone remained unmoved. Since the day she'd regained consciousness, she hadn't spoken another word to him, spending each day sitting blankly in bed.

On the day she was discharged, Sebastian's heart ached at the lifeless look in her eyes. He'd done wrong by his Zo, after all.

"You must have been bored out of your mind in here. There's an auction today. Let's go get you out for a while."

She gave no response.

It was the first time he'd brought her to a public event like this. Uncomfortable under the scrutiny of everyone around them, she frowned and lowered her head as a burly man approached, leaning forward deferentially.

"Mr. Lawson, it's been a while. We've met before. I'm Zachary Lewis with Halcyon Entertainment."

Sebastian pressed his lips together and nodded.

"And this must be Mrs. Lawson. I've heard so much about you. Our agreement with the Whitmores expires this year, and I was wondering whether we might..."

"The auction's about to start, Mr. Lewis. Let's take our seats."

Brushing the man's hand aside, Sebastian led Zoe to the VIP section.

"What did he mean, Sebastian? Why did he say your wife was a Whitmore?"

She lifted her head, speaking for the first time in days.

"He probably mistook you for someone else. Take a look at the items up for auction, Zo. See if there's anything you like."

He changed the subject so easily. It felt as though a bullet had torn through her heart, leaving it raw and bleeding. Tell enough lies, apparently, and they stopped making you nervous.

The auction began with everyone's attention fixed on the stage. Every item was striking enough to draw the eye, but Zoe never once lifted her head. Her blank, lifeless expression unsettled Sebastian. Had Lewis made her suspicious?

They sat in silence, each preoccupied with their own thoughts, as the auction drew to a close.

"Our final lot is a necklace set with a thirty-carat ruby of the highest clarity. A ruby symbolizes lifelong devotion to one person. Bidding starts at thirty million!"

"Forty million!"

"Forty-five million!"

The bids kept climbing, soon reaching ninety million. Sebastian glanced at Zoe's still-cold expression and raised his hand, committing himself to outbid everyone.

"I'll take that necklace. Bid as high as you like. I'll pay double."

A collective gasp swept the room. Twice whatever anyone else offered. The stories about how Mr. Lawson doted on his wife were clearly true.

Beside Zoe, Sebastian whispered tenderly in her ear, "You're the love of my life, Zo."