n my office when I r

n my desk like he already owned it. "Congratula

scotch. It was barely noon, but I needed something to wash awa

feet off

here to offer my support during this difficult

ct. What d

aking sure you understand the situation. That baby needs to be bo

awa

guts. She's not going to make this easy. And if that baby is born after your divorce is final, if

to the majority s

his watch, mimicking my own nervous habit. "Clock's ticking, Julian. Bett

rained my scotch

buzzed.

to shared custody," I sa

aternity, push for court-ordered

wn my glass, staring at the city below. "

itchell wasn't paid to comm

convince her to give the marriage another chance, the inheritance is cl

pt Na

A father for her child. The

about one thing-the clock was ticking. In eight weeks, that baby would be born. I

ard," I said. "I need to know

ing I should have looked for years ago. Nadia Laurent. M

eyes. I scrolled back further, before our marriage. There she was laughing with friends, paint splattered on her face

ed happy

Relationships in Modern Society." I clicked it open, skimming the abstract. It was about arranged

the year before

rried me anyway. Because her father was dying and needed the

as asking her

ang. Unkno

nal. "This is Dr. Sarah Chen from Brookly

ned. "Is she al

I'm calling to inform you that she's been scheduled for an emergency appointment tomorr

oes tha

in her third trimester." Dr. Chen paused. "She mentioned you two are separated. I'm calling because if t

e baby is coming s

the appointm

ally asked me not to call you. But as the listed father, you h

seriously, and she didn't want me to know. Didn't want

n her coffee table, remembering the thre

an threatens a

who loses everyt

called after me, something about a meeting with the Tokyo in

pology, maybe. An offer to help with medical bills. Som

hour, staring at her window. What right did I have to s

. A text from a

my building. You're s

od at her window, phon

ut of t

arms crossed over her st

me," I said. "About

pale. "She h

t me come to the appointment tomorrow. Please. Not as your husband or

uld I tr

"I haven't given you any reas

pointment. You sit quietly, you don't make dem

ree

does your grandmother's will matter so much? You're alre

the way she looked at me, tired and pregnant and still so

ave," I said. "And wi

st slightly. "That's the sa