The wooden gate to the yard was kicked open.
The crash jolted through me and the book slipped from my fingers, hitting the ground.
Gavin stood in the doorway, radiating hostility. His eyes were webbed with red, his suit wrinkled beyond recognition, every trace of his usual composure gone.
His gaze locked onto me and Connor, then dropped to the slight swell of my belly.
“Eudora.”
His voice was raw, scraped down to gravel.
“So this is where you've been hiding.”
Connor shot to his feet and stepped in front of me, guarded.
“Gavin. What are you doing here? You're not welcome.”
“Get out of my way.”
Gavin shoved Connor aside and strode toward me.
After the first jolt of panic, I steadied myself quickly.
This was always going to happen.
I gripped the armrest of the rocking chair and stood, meeting his eyes calmly.
“President Delgado graces us with his presence. To what do I owe the honor?”
He stopped a few steps away. His gaze traced my face, hungry, lingering on my brows and eyes before fixing on my stomach.
“The baby's mine?”
“No.”
I didn't hesitate.
“It's Connor's.”
Something fractured behind his eyes. He grabbed my shoulders so hard I winced.
“You're lying! A month ago you were still in my bed! How could it be his?”
“You have such a short memory, President Delgado.”
I let out a cold laugh.
“I said I wanted a child. You told me I wasn't worthy.”
“You wouldn't give me one, so I went to someone who would.”
“Connor doesn't look down on where I come from. He's happy to step up as the father—why wouldn't I let him?”
“Shut up!”
Gavin's eyes were blood-red, a cornered animal lashing out.
“Get rid of it. Come back with me.”
“On what grounds?”
I shook his hands off.
“Gavin, we're done. Who I have a child with is none of your business.”
“Eudora! Don't push me!”
He ground the words through his teeth.
“I can make the Harding family disappear from Kingsford by tomorrow. Believe that?”
“You wouldn't dare!”
Connor charged forward and drove his fist into Gavin's face.
Gavin staggered back, blood threading from the corner of his mouth.
But he didn't so much as glance at Connor. His eyes stayed locked on me, and in them flickered something I had never seen before……pleading?
“Eudora, stop this. Come home with me.”
“The baby……if you insist on having it, fine. But it's mine. It has to be mine.”
The irony nearly choked me.
Everything I'd begged for and been denied, he was now offering up freely, now that I no longer wanted any of it.
“Too late, Gavin.”
I looked him in the eye and said, word by word：
“I don't love you anymore.”
