Althea POV:
My voice, when it finally came out, was a flat, emotionless drone. "Fine," I said, the word a rasp in my throat. "Name him Lily. But on one condition."
Hudson's smile faltered, replaced by a cautious curiosity. Ashli, still in the background, nursing the baby, looked up, her eyes narrowed, sensing a shift.
"What condition?" Hudson asked, his voice wary.
"Our Lily," I said, my gaze fixed on him, my voice piercingly cold. "My daughter. My first child. She will have a proper burial. A gravestone. With her name, Lily, and mine. And her father's." I let the words hang in the air, a silent accusation. "If this new child bears her name, then my Lily deserves to be acknowledged. Properly. No more delays."
A flicker of something-a brief, almost imperceptible shadow of guilt-crossed Hudson's face. It vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual self-serving logic. "Althea, I... I understand. I truly do. But it's been a difficult time. We can discuss this later, when things are calmer." He tried to reach for my hand, but I recoiled before he could touch me.
Before he could continue his pathetic excuses, a violent crash erupted from the hallway outside. It sounded like a body hitting the polished marble floor. My head snapped towards the door.
The doors burst open. Ashli, her face contorted with rage, stumbled into the room, two nurses futilely trying to restrain her. Her arm was bleeding, a nasty scrape from the fall. "Let me see my baby!" she shrieked, her voice raw and desperate. "You can't keep him from me!"
Barrett Gregory, a thunderous expression on his face, followed close behind. His hand was raised, his fingers red and bruised, clearly having just struck Ashli. He pointed a trembling finger at her. "Get out!" he roared, his voice booming through the sterile hall, echoing in the room. "You are a disgrace! A loose woman tainting my family name!"
Hudson, startled by the sudden chaos, jumped up, his face pale with alarm. He fumbled with the baby in his arms, almost dropping the tiny bundle before thrusting it carelessly back into the bassinet. His eyes, wide with a familiar, selfish fear, darted between his furious grandfather and the screaming Ashli. He didn't even glance at the newborn, his supposed son. He just ran. Without a thought for me, or for the child in the bassinet, he rushed to Ashli's side, throwing his arm around her protectively.
"Grandfather, no!" he cried, shielding her from Barrett's wrath. "She's just had a baby! She's hurt!"
I watched, a bitter, hollow laugh bubbling up in my chest. He was ridiculous. Pathetic. He loved her. He always had. All his grand pronouncements of love for me, his promises of loyalty, they were nothing but empty words, designed to string me along, to keep me compliant.
Ashli, still gasping, clutched at Hudson, her eyes now gleaming with a fresh, cunning light. "It was my idea," she choked out, her voice raspy, yet strangely defiant. "The naming. To honor Lily. To bring the family closer." She sobbed, leaning heavily on Hudson. "I only wanted to help. To heal the wounds."
It was a performance. A truly disgusting one.
Barrett, his eyes still blazing, finally noticed me. His gaze softened, a flicker of genuine concern replacing the anger in his stern features. He saw the clipboard still clutched in my hand, the untouched birth certificate. He saw the faint bruise blooming on my cheek from where Hudson had accidentally elbowed me in his scramble to save Ashli. His jaw clenched.
"Hudson Marks!" Barrett's voice was low, dangerous now. "Look at what you've done! Are you truly so useless, so utterly devoid of sense?"
Hudson flinched, a flash of fear and remorse in his eyes. But before he could respond, Ashli let out a piercing shriek and collapsed in Hudson's arms, her eyes rolling back in her head.
Hudson cried out, his fear for Ashli overriding everything else. He scooped her up, ignoring his grandfather's furious glare. "Ashli! Ashli, what's wrong?" He turned to leave, Ashli limp in his arms, the baby in the bassinet completely forgotten.
"Hudson! Where do you think you're going?" Barrett roared, stepping forward to block his path. "Are you abandoning your family? Your wife? Your child?"
