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In the bedroom, the soft, warm light from the bedside lamp gently lit up the bed and Winifred’s face.
Her skin was smooth and glowing, and her expression was soft as she gently patted Rosalind’s back.
Rosalind murmured in her sleep, “Mommy.”
“Yes, Mommy’s here,” Winifred whispered. In these seven years, the one thing she never regretted was having Rosalind.
She felt it was the greatest gift fate had ever given her. Of course, fate had also taken something away.
Winifred unbuttoned her shirt and looked down at her flat stomach. The scar from her C- section was a faint, pale pink line. It was barely visible, yet even after seven years, it still stood out against her skin.
Late at night, when everything was quiet, she couldn’t help but wonder if her baby would have survived if she’d gotten to the hospital sooner.
If only she hadn’t fought with Felicia, hadn’t been shoved and hurt her stomach, hadn’t lost so much blood, her baby would still be with her.
Felicia had been using Claire’s name to squeeze money out of Simon and Vivian, getting Joanna a job at Pierce Group and sending her overseas to build her resume.
Claire had no idea what they had done. She had already deleted the video of Cheryl rummaging through her bag and stealing the cash.
She didn’t know how Felicia got her hands on that video or how she’d been using it to manipulate Simon and Vivian for years.
Claire always thought that whole mess was in the past. But she never imagined Jack and Felicia had been milking it all along, treating Simon and Vivian like cash cows.
Claire, who had once been the victim, had now become an accomplice, feeding off the situation just like the rest. She finally confronted Felicia about it.
Felicia jabbed a finger in Claire’s face and spat, “You’ve got the nerve to judge me? Didn’t you use all that mess to blackmail Humbert into dating a fat girl like you? Look at you now, dumped and alone!”
She added, “Jack and I have fed and clothed you for years. It’s about time you started paying
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us back. Jack, say something!”
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With that, Felicia shoved Winifred, making her stumble and crash into the edge of the table.
Jack said, “Claire, what can we do? To a major family like the Pierce family, this money is just a drop in the bucket.”
No one had any idea Claire was actually pregnant. To everyone else, she just looked like she’d gained a few pounds. Jack and Felicia didn’t care about her. They were too busy leeching off the Pierce family for every cent they could get.
It was the dead of winter. Wrapped in a heavy down jacket, she dragged her tired body out of Jack and Felicia’s place, only to collapse on the side of the road. A kind stranger ended up taking her to the hospital.
The one who performed her C–section was Miranda, Nina’s mom. By then, Claire had already passed out. She was pregnant with twins, but that night, one of them didn’t make it.
Alone in her hospital bed, Claire woke up and saw a photo Miranda had taken of the newborn baby boy. She cried until her eyes were swollen and red.
That night, she called Humbert, who was in Aurielia overseas. She dialed his number, but when he answered, she couldn’t say a word. After a few seconds of silence, she hung up.
She hated how Jack and Felicia had used Cheryl’s mess to blackmail Simon and Vivian. They were like maggots crawling out of the gutter, desperate to feed off the Pierce family. It made her feel too ashamed.
She hated herself, too. She thought Felicia was right. She had done the same thing to Humbert.
Claire figured losing her baby was karma’s way of punishing her for being so greedy.
Suddenly, it started to rain outside. A flash of lightning split the night sky, lighting up the whole room for a moment.
Pulling herself back to the present, Winifred ran her fingers over the scar on her stomach. She slipped out of bed, walked to the window, and shut it to block out the rain.
*****
By late August, Rosalind was about to start first grade.
Her kindergarten was directly connected to Sonisburg Elementary School, so Winifred took her to the hospital for a routine check–up and to pick up some medicine.
That day, Winifred happened to spot Humbert at the door to the consulting room.
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She had an appointment with Werner while Humbert was working in the next room.
They only saw each other from a distance, and Winifred didn’t even look his way before heading straight into Werner’s office.
When she stepped out of Werner’s office, Winifred noticed a well–dressed woman with a lunchbox walking into Humbert’s consulting room.
Winifred recognized her immediately. It was Yvonne Foley, the high school beauty queen. It made sense, though. There were always girls chasing after Humbert.
“Humbert, I brought you some lunch. My family owns a restaurant chain, and this is something our head chef made especially for you. I bet you haven’t had a proper meal with all the work you’ve been doing, right?” Yvonne said sweetly.
Humbert didn’t even look up from his computer, so Yvonne edged closer. “Thank you for treating my uncle. He’s feeling so much better now, all thanks to you.”
“Yvonne, so you booked an appointment just to see me, not because you actually needed a doctor?” Humbert said in a cold voice.
His eyes flashed with irritation as he looked up. “You’re wasting an appointment slot that could’ve gone to a real patient. Do this again, and Sonisburg General Hospital will ban you from booking for three months.”
“Uh… I…” Yvonne was taken completely off guard. She hadn’t expected Humbert to be so blunt, especially not with a classmate. “Humbert, I just… I just wanted to bring you lunch to say thank you.”
Humbert stood up and glanced at his watch. Yvonne was his last patient of the morning, and it was already time to clock out.
“Yvonne, I don’t have those kinds of feelings for you. Don’t waste your time here anymore,” he said, his voice flat and distant, as though she was just another face in the crowd. With that, he walked out of the consulting room.
Yvonne left, her face flushed with embarrassment, and she ran into a group of nurses at the station. They were whispering to each other.
“Seriously, how many girls have booked fake appointments just to chase after Dr. Pierce?”
“I’m dying to know what kind of girls Dr. Pierce even likes?”
“Hold
- up. Don’t tell me you have a crush on him, too?”
“Me? No way. I’m happy just admiring him from a distance. That guy’s totally untouchable.”
Winifred had left Werner’s office with Rosalind. After picking up their medicine from the pharmacy on the third floor, she took Rosalind’s hand and headed for the elevator.
Rosalind hated elevators. She had sensory sensitivities, so every time the doors opened, she’d eye the gap nervously, step in carefully, and clutch Winifred’s hand tightly. “Mommy, you have to hold my hand really tight, okay?” she said.
“I’ve got you, sweetie,” Winifred replied as they stepped into the elevator together. She stood close to Rosalind, holding her hand with one and gently resting the other on her shoulder.
Suddenly, Winifred caught a faint whiff of a cool, masculine cologne in the air. It was so subtle that it felt like invisible wings unfolding behind her, wrapping her in its scent.
The man who used to be closer to Winifred than anyone else was standing right behind her. She could almost feel his gaze burning softly against the back of her neck, sending a tingle down her spine.
In a place like this hospital, that clean, sharp scent was strangely captivating.
Maybe she was just too familiar with him, or maybe he really hadn’t changed in seven years. He’d always worn that cologne.
Winifred stared straight ahead as the elevator descended, gripping Rosalind’s hand tighter. Her other hand clung to the railing, her palm slick with sweat.
In her rush, Winifred’s heel caught in the gap as she stepped out, and she stumbled.
Suddenly, a hand shot out from behind, catching her by the waist. The thin summer dress did nothing to block the heat of his palm, and Humbert could feel her body tense up in shock.
Just a few seconds later, Winifred steadied herself, and Humbert let go.
Rosalind piped up, “Thank you, sir.” Tugging on Winifred’s hand, she asked, “Mommy, are you okay?”
Out of the corner of her eye, Winifred saw Humbert in an impeccably tailored gray–blue shirt, his tall, lean frame cutting a striking figure. He was every bit the well–dressed man.
She gripped Rosalind’s hand tighter and tried to move past him, but Humbert’s long legs, clad in black slacks, blocked her way, “Your daughter has got better manners than you,” he said in a husky and mocking voice.
Winifred was startled and lifted her eyes to meet his
gaze.
Humbert narrowed his eyes slightly. “So, what am I? The big bad wolf? Coming to eat you
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guys?” He wondered why she always ran with her daughter whenever she saw him. “Ms. Nelson, are you sure we’ve never met before?”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
