"Amanda's End"Jane's POVWe had been home from the hospital for three days, and I was starting to feel like maybe everything would be okay. Emma was sleeping well, eating well, and Christian had been nothing but helpful and respectful. He stayed at his hotel but came to the villa every day to help with the baby."She's so perfect," I said, looking down at Emma as she slept in my arms."She really is," Christian agreed from the chair across from me."Christian, thank you for being so patient with me.""Thank you for letting me be here.""I'm still scared.""Of what?""Of trusting you. Of letting you back into my life completely.""I understand.""Do you really?""Yes. I hurt you badly. It will take time for you to trust me again.""It might take a long time.""I have all the time in the world.""What if I never fully trust you again?""Then I'll spend the rest of my life proving that you should."Victoria was in the kitchen making dinner when we heard a car drive up outside. Christian
"A Fragile Peace"Jane's POVI had been holding Emma for three hours, and I couldn't stop looking at her face. She was so small and perfect, with tiny fingers that curled around mine and dark hair that was soft like silk. Every time she made a little sound, my heart felt like it might burst with love."She's so beautiful," I whispered to her. "You're so beautiful, Emma."Victoria was sitting in the chair next to my hospital bed, tears in her eyes."Jane, she looks just like you did when you were born.""Does she?""Yes. The same dark hair. The same little nose.""She has Christian's eyes.""She has both of your eyes."I looked over at Christian, who was standing by the window. He hadn't said much since Emma was born. He just stood there watching us with this look on his face that I couldn't read."Christian, do you want to hold her?"He turned to look at me, and I could see tears in his eyes."Are you sure?""Yes.""You don't have to let me hold her.""I want you to hold her.""Really
"The Labor"Jane's POVI woke up at three in the morning feeling like something was wrong. My back was hurting badly, and there was a sharp pain in my stomach that came and went. At first I thought it was just the baby moving, but the pain kept getting stronger."Victoria," I called out, but my voice was too quiet.I tried to get out of bed, but another wave of pain hit me so hard that I had to grab the bedpost to stay standing."Oh no," I whispered. "This can't be happening."I was only thirty-six weeks pregnant. The baby wasn't supposed to come for another month. But the pain in my back and stomach was getting worse, and I was starting to feel scared."Victoria!" I called louder.I heard footsteps in the hallway, and then Victoria opened my door."Jane? What's wrong?""Something's happening.""What kind of something?""My back hurts really bad, and I'm having pains in my stomach."Victoria turned on the light and looked at me with worried eyes."How bad are the pains?""Bad. They co
"Amanda's Trap"Christian's POVAfter Jane was released from the hospital, I felt more worried than ever. The doctor had said stress could endanger the baby, but I couldn't bring myself to leave Italy. I was staying at a hotel in Florence, driving to Jane's villa every day to make sure she was okay.I was sitting in the hotel lobby reading the morning newspaper when I saw something that made my blood run cold. On the front page of an Italian gossip magazine was a photo of Jane sitting in her garden, crying. The headline was in Italian, but I could understand enough to know it was bad."American Woman Hiding Pregnancy Scandal in Italy"I grabbed the magazine and read what I could understand. It talked about Jane being mentally unstable. It said she was unfit to be a mother. It said she was hiding from her husband because she was having a breakdown."This is impossible," I said to myself. "Who would do this?"I bought every magazine and newspaper I could find. The story was everywhere.
"Tensions in Italy"Christian's POVAfter Jane told me to leave her house, I couldn't bring myself to go back to my hotel. I sat in my car outside her villa, watching the windows, making sure she was safe. The memory of catching her when she fell kept playing in my mind."She could have been seriously hurt," I said to myself. "She could have lost the baby."I couldn't stop thinking about what would have happened if I hadn't been there. Jane lying at the bottom of those stone stairs. Jane bleeding. Jane losing our baby while I was thousands of miles away."I can't leave her alone," I said. "Not when she's carrying my child."The next morning, I saw Victoria come out of the house and walk toward the village. This was my chance to talk to Jane without Victoria interfering. I got out of my car and walked up to the front door.I knocked softly, hoping Jane would answer."Jane, it's Christian. We need to talk.""Go away.""I'm not going away.""I told you to leave.""I can't leave.""Yes, y
"The Near Fall"Jane's POVAfter Amanda's visit to the market, I felt shaken and upset for days. Victoria tried to comfort me, but I couldn't stop thinking about what Amanda had said. That Christian would always come back to her. That I was living a fake life in Italy."Maybe she's right," I said to Victoria one evening as we sat on the terrace."About what?""About this being temporary. About me running away from real life.""Jane, you're not running away. You're protecting yourself.""Am I? Or am I just postponing the inevitable?""What inevitable?""Having to face Christian and Amanda and all the mess I left behind.""You don't have to face anything until you're ready.""What if I'm never ready?""Then you're never ready.""Victoria, I can't hide in Italy forever.""Why not?""Because it's not real. This isn't my real life.""It can be your real life if you want it to be.""Can it? Because I feel like I'm pretending. Like I'm playing house in a foreign country.""Jane, you're build