Chapter 2 - The Bride in the Hospital Hallway
Vanessa recovered quickly.
She always did.
“That email is fake,” she said.
Her voice was calm, but one hand was crushing the fabric of her wedding dress.
Adrian looked up from the documents.
“Your employee number is on it.”
“Someone copied it.”
“Your digital certificate is attached.”
“Then someone stole it.”
Adrian looked at me.
I could see the question forming.
Not whether Vanessa had done it.
Whether I had known long enough to destroy his wedding on purpose.
“I found the records four months ago,” I said.
Vanessa pointed at me.
“There. She admitted it.”
“Admitted what?” I asked.
“That she waited.”
“I was seven months pregnant and fighting a lawsuit your fiancé financed.”
Adrian flinched at the word fiancé.
For the first time, he seemed to remember the cathedral.
The guests.
The wedding.
The life he had left outside.
Vanessa stepped toward him.
“We need to go back.”
He didn’t move.
“Adrian.”
“My daughter is here.”
“You don’t know that.”
He turned so slowly that Vanessa’s face changed before he spoke.
“What did you say?”
“I mean legally.”
She forced a smile.
“You need testing.”
Adrian walked to the bassinet.
The baby opened her eyes.
Gray-blue.
The same shade as his.
His hand hovered above her blanket.
He didn’t touch her.
“She has my eyes.”
“Newborn eyes change,” I said.
He looked at me sharply.
“You don’t get to keep doing this.”
“Doing what?”
“Talking like I’m a stranger.”
“You are.”
His jaw tightened.
That hurt him.
Good.
But the satisfaction lasted only a second.
My daughter shifted and started to cry.
Adrian froze.
I lifted her gently.
“Hey,” I whispered. “It’s okay.”
Her cries softened against my chest.
Adrian watched me with an expression I couldn’t read.
Then he made his first real mistake.
“I’m taking her.”
The room went still.
Even Vanessa looked surprised.
“You’re what?” I asked.
“She’s my daughter.”
“You met her five minutes ago.”
“I have rights.”
“You also have a wedding.”
“Forget the wedding.”
Vanessa’s face went white.
“Adrian.”
He didn’t look at her.
That was when she snapped.
“You can’t throw everything away because Emma showed up with a convenient baby.”
Adrian turned.
“Convenient?”
Vanessa’s mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
A nurse entered, followed by hospital security.
“Mr. Carter,” the nurse said, “you need to leave.”
“I’m her father.”
“You’re upsetting the patient.”
“I said I’m her father.”
“And she said you’re not authorized to be here.”
Adrian looked at me.
I held his gaze.
“Leave.”
His pride fought with him.
For a moment, I thought he would make a scene.
Then his phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
His father.
Adrian answered.
“What?”
A man’s voice shouted loudly enough for all of us to hear.
“The board just received a notice claiming Emma controls forty-one percent of Carter Holdings.”
Adrian stared at me.
I gently rocked our daughter.
His father continued yelling.
“Tell me it’s a lie.”
Adrian lowered the phone.
His voice was barely audible.
“Emma.”
I said nothing.
“How much of my company do you own?”
I finally smiled.
May you like
“More than you.”
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