Chapter 2: The Woman He Never Forgot

My fingers tightened around the ultrasound pictures until the edges dug into my skin.

Twenty minutes.

That was all I had before Kilan walked through the front door.

I climbed the stairs on unsteady legs, every step feeling heavier than the last. Once inside our bedroom, I pulled open the bedside drawer and carefully slipped the envelope beneath a stack of books.

Hidden.

For now.

"I'll tell him after dinner," I whispered to myself.

The words sounded weak even to my own ears.

I walked to the mirror and stared at my reflection.

My face was pale.

My eyes were swollen from crying.

No amount of makeup could hide the fear staring back at me.

I splashed cold water across my face before reaching for a simple navy-blue dress. It was elegant without trying too hard.

Kilan preferred understated.

Not that he'd ever said it.

I'd simply learned his preferences over the years.

The sound of a car pulling into the driveway echoed outside.

My heartbeat stumbled.

He's home.

A few seconds later, footsteps crossed the foyer downstairs.

Measured.

Confident.

Familiar.

The bedroom door opened without warning.

Kilan stepped inside, already loosening the knot of his charcoal-gray tie. His tailored suit fit him perfectly, making him look every bit the billionaire everyone admired.

He glanced at me only briefly.

"You're not ready?"

"I am."

My voice sounded strangely distant.

His gaze lingered on my face for a moment longer.

"You don't look well."

The concern in his voice caught me off guard.

"I'm fine."

"You've said that twice today."

I blinked.

"You called the house?"

He nodded while placing his watch on the dresser.

"The security guard mentioned you'd been sitting in the driveway for almost an hour."

Of course he had.

An awkward silence settled between us.

This was it.

Tell him.

Just say it.

"Kilan..."

He looked up.

"I need to tell you something."

Before another word could leave my mouth, his phone vibrated.

He glanced at the screen.

For the first time all day...

I saw his expression soften.

Not dramatically.

Just enough for me to notice.

He answered immediately.

"Hello."

A woman's voice drifted faintly from the speaker, though I couldn't make out the words.

Kilan turned slightly away.

"I'll be there soon."

A pause.

"No, it's fine."

Another pause.

"I said don't worry."

His tone was gentler than the one he usually used with me.

The call ended.

He slipped the phone into his pocket.

"We should go."

I swallowed the words I'd been about to say.

The babies would have to wait.

Again.

The drive to the Hart estate passed in silence.

Rain clouds gathered overhead, turning the evening sky silver.

I sat in the passenger seat, stealing glances at Kilan's profile.

One hand rested effortlessly on the steering wheel.

The other tapped lightly against it whenever he was thinking.

I'd learned all his little habits over the years.

How he preferred black coffee.

How he skipped breakfast when work became overwhelming.

How he never slept more than five hours.

How he frowned whenever something bothered him but refused to talk about it.

I knew everything about him.

Except whether there had ever been room in his heart for me.

"We'll only stay a couple of hours," he said suddenly.

I nodded.

"Grandfather wanted everyone together."

"I know."

Another silence.

"Kilan."

"Hm?"

"If..."

The question lodged in my throat.

"If something unexpected happened..."

He glanced at me briefly before returning his eyes to the road.

"What kind of unexpected?"

I looked down at my clasped hands.

"Nothing."

He didn't press further.

Maybe he thought I was nervous about seeing the family.

Maybe he simply wasn't interested.

Either possibility hurt.

The Hart estate was glowing with warm lights by the time we arrived.

A butler opened the front door before we'd even reached it.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hart."

Inside, familiar voices drifted from the dining room.

Grandfather Hart spotted us first.

"There you are."

Despite his age, his smile remained warm and genuine.

Unlike everyone else in the family, he had never made me feel like an outsider.

He walked over and gently squeezed my shoulder.

"My dear, you've lost weight."

"I'm fine, Grandpa."

"You don't look fine."

Before I could answer, Kilan spoke.

"She's been feeling under the weather."

Grandfather's eyes immediately filled with concern.

"Have you seen a doctor?"

My heart slammed against my ribs.

"I..."

"She will if she doesn't improve," Kilan answered before I could.

I forced a smile.

"I'll be okay."

Grandfather didn't seem convinced.

"Sit."

He guided me toward the dining table.

"I'll have the kitchen prepare something lighter for you."

The simple gesture nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Someone cared enough to notice.

Across the table, several relatives exchanged curious glances.

I ignored them.

Over the years, I'd learned to survive whispers.

The dinner had barely begun when the front door opened again.

Conversation stopped.

Every head turned toward the entrance.

High heels clicked against polished marble.

Then she appeared.

Long chestnut hair.

A cream-colored dress that looked effortlessly expensive.

Confident posture.

The kind of beauty that drew every eye in the room without asking for attention.

Sophia Bennett.

She smiled.

"I hope I'm not late."

The room seemed to hold its breath.

My gaze instinctively shifted toward Kilan.

His expression changed.

Shock flashed across his face...

followed by something softer.

Something warmer.

Something I'd spent three years desperately wishing he'd look at me with.

"Sophia."

He actually smiled.

Not politely.

Not out of obligation.

A real smile.

One I'd never been able to give him a reason to wear.

She walked straight toward him.

"It's been a long time."

"It has."

For a second, neither of them spoke.

The silence between them said more than words ever could.

Grandfather cleared his throat.

"Sophia."

She turned toward him with another charming smile.

"It's wonderful to see you again."

"You've grown."

"I hope that's a compliment."

A few people laughed.

I couldn't.

I felt invisible.

Sophia finally looked at me.

Her smile remained perfectly polite.

"You must be Lisa."

I stood.

"It's nice to meet you."

"We've actually met before."

I frowned.

"We have?"

"You probably don't remember."

She tilted her head.

"You were sixteen."

My chest tightened.

That was the year I'd moved into the Hart family home.

Sophia's gaze shifted to Kilan.

"I used to come over all the time."

"I remember," he said quietly.

Of course he did.

She laughed softly.

"I disappeared without saying goodbye."

"You left for Paris."

"I had to."

Their conversation flowed effortlessly.

Shared memories.

Inside jokes.

Years neither of them had forgotten.

I stood beside my own husband feeling like a guest.

A servant appeared beside Sophia.

"Miss Bennett, may I take your coat?"

She handed it over before looking around the table.

"I've missed all of you."

Then her eyes landed on Kilan once more.

"This place hasn't been the same without you."

Without thinking, my hand drifted to my stomach beneath the table.

Two tiny heartbeats.

My babies.

Our babies.

Yet somehow...

I had never felt more alone.

Grandfather watched the exchange in silence.

His expression slowly hardened.

He looked from Sophia...

to Kilan...

then finally to me.

Something unreadable flickered in his eyes.

As everyone took their seats, Sophia smiled brightly and said the words that made my blood run cold.

"I'm back for good."

And judging by the way Kilan looked at her...

I wasn't the only one whose life had just changed.