Chapter 5

Just before Whitney was wheeled into the emergency room, she saw Nola sitting quietly on a bench in the hallway.

Her body had grown even more translucent.

Whitney suddenly came to her senses and pleaded with the doctor.

"Please, I'm begging you. Save my baby."

As soon as she finished speaking, everything went black.

When she opened her eyes again, all she saw was the stark white ceiling of the hospital room.

She turned her head and saw Lennox sitting beside her bed.

He gently tucked the blanket around her, his touch carrying a tenderness she hadn't felt from him in a long time.

"You should have told me I was the baby's father."

Tears welled up in Whitney's eyes without warning.

"I've contacted a better team of specialists for your mother, and she's now on the latest generation of imported medication."

Whitney's tears stopped instantly.

She knew Lennox too well.

Whenever he spoke in that tone, it usually meant he was leading up to something.

Sure enough.

"This baby," Lennox said, looking her in the eyes. "Get rid of it."

Whitney stared at him in disbelief. "Why?"

"Nona's pregnant too, you know that."

“What does her pregnancy have to do with my baby?”

"Word got out that she was pregnant right after her divorce. If her ex-husband's family finds out, they might try to take custody of the baby."

Lennox took her hand. "So I'm planning to announce publicly that she's carrying my child."

Whitney watched his lips move. She heard every word he said, yet somehow, she couldn't make sense of them.

"We can have another baby. Once we've helped Nona get through this, we can try again. There's still time."

Whitney's tears fell in heavy drops, splashing onto the back of Lennox's hand.

Her voice hoarse, she said, "Lennox, let's get a divorce. You can marry her and openly be the father of the child she's carrying."

Lennox's expression darkened. "I'm not getting a divorce. I'm only doing this to make up for what I owe her."

Whitney wanted to ask him what he possibly owed Winona.

She'd dumped him to marry a rich man and walked away with half his fortune in the divorce. How had she come out on the losing end?

So who, exactly, had wronged whom?

Whitney clutched her lower abdomen protectively, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.

"Lennox, do you know? Our baby is a girl. She has big eyes, with lashes that flutter when she blinks. Her nose is like yours, and her mouth is like mine. She's so adorable, she—"

"Whitney!"

Lennox raised a hand to cut her off, a trace of weariness in his voice.

"You're only four weeks pregnant. You can't tell the baby's sex yet. And right now, it's just a lifeless embryo."

"No! She's not!"

Whitney jerked upright in bed, the sudden movement yanking the IV needle from the back of her hand. Blood welled up from the puncture wound.

"She called me Mommy! Her voice was so soft and sweet. Please believe me, Lennox. Don't abandon her."

Lennox closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, all the warmth in his gaze was gone.

"If you cooperate, you'll always be Mrs. Graham. Once Nona gives birth, I'll send her and the baby away, and things will go back to the way they were between us. But if you refuse to cooperate—"

He got to his feet and walked to the door.

"Your mother will be moved out of her private room and into a general ward today, and all her imported medication will be discontinued."

"Don't you dare hurt my mommy!"

The hospital room door flew open, and a tiny figure rushed in and shoved Lennox.

Nola barely came up to his thigh, yet she spread her arms wide and stood protectively in front of Whitney.

Lennox frowned. "Whose kid is this?"

He gestured toward the door, and a bodyguard immediately came in to drag her away.

Whitney jumped out of bed barefoot and pulled Nola behind her, shielding her.

"Don't touch her."

Lennox looked at Whitney and muttered, "You've lost your mind."

He walked to the door and stopped without looking back.

"You have one day to think it over. Until then, stay here and rest. Don't go anywhere."