Chapter 339
Marcia let out a piercing, hysterical scream, venting her rage and frustration. With Carmela out for the evening and Old Mrs. Atwater tucked away downstairs, she didn’t have to hold anything back.
That’s right.
She couldn’t keep this baby.
She snatched up her phone and hurriedly booked an appointment with the OB–GYN.
“What on earth is wrong with you, screaming like that at this hour p>
Carmela’s voice rang out sharply from behind the bathroom door. Marcia jumped, quickly tossing the pregnancy test into the trash, grabbing a handful of tissues to cover it, and switching off her phone’s screen before going to unlock the door.
“Mom, weren’t you at your dinner party? Why are you home so early p>
“If I hadn’t come back early, how else would I catch you having a meltdown p>
Carmela shot her a suspicious look, eyes raking over the bathroom mess. “What’s going on in here? You haven’t done something disgraceful again, have you p>
“Of course not,” Marcia replied smoothly, making something up on the spot. “I just heard some news about Elissa, actually. Did you know? She’s gotten really close with the Wilkinson family lately p>
“Then stay away from her!” Carmela snapped, terrified Marcia would drag trouble back to the Atwater family. She added a sharp warning: “You’d better behave yourself. If I find out you’ve done anything to embarrass us, you’ll regret it p>
“I know, I know! Don’t worry, Mom p>
Once she’d seen Carmela out of the room and closed the door, Marcia finally felt the cold sweat soaking through her shirt.
She reopened her phone, heart still pounding, and hastily canceled the OB–GYN appointment she’d just made.
If she went to the hospital, it wouldn’t take much for the Atwater family to put two and two together.
But…
This baby…
Marcia narrowed her eyes, an idea suddenly forming.
Maybe this bastard child wasn’t a burden after all.
Maybe it could be useful.
Frank sat alone in the cavernous living room of Vistapeak Gardens, staring up at the ceiling.
12:18
Chapter 340
Ever since he’d returned from Cresthaven, this had become his nightly routine.
The faint sounds that drifted down from upstairs were his only comfort. He clung to them, telling himself that Elissa wasn’t really that far away.
But Marcia’s words kept echoing in his mind:
Elissa was beautiful, accomplished–now that she was single, it was only natural that good men would try to get close to her.
Still, the thought left a tight ache in his chest.
She should have been his wife.
Lost in thought, Frank’s gaze fell on the brown envelope lying on the coffee table.
He still hadn’t figured out when–or if–he should tell Elissa the truth about what happened all those years ago. He was afraid that, now that she and Rowan had finally reconciled, the truth might be too much for her to bear.
But right now, he couldn’t think of any other way. The only chance he had to get back into her life was to tell her everything.
Give her the truth.
Help her get justice, no matter the cost.
After a moment’s hesitation, Frank picked up his phone and dialed.
Downstairs at Vistapeak Gardens, Elissa had just finished dinner with Rowan. She hadn’t enjoyed a single bite, and Rowan had noticed. As she hurried ahead of him, he reached out and gently took her hand.
“If I told you that I’ve regretted it… do you think it would make you feel any better p>
His voice was low and clear, with a note of gentle pleading.
He’d never admitted it to anyone before, but it was true.
There were so many nights he’d wondered–if only he’d been stronger, could he have protected her, kept her safe beneath his wing?
Elissa stopped in her tracks and looked up at him, finally voicing the question that had haunted her for years. “If you regret it, then why did you give up on me back then? Rowan, don’t you think I deserve an explanation p>
Chapter 341
She’d considered this explanation before.