Chapter 4 - THREE HEARTBEATS
Julian felt as if someone had punched him.
“What are you saying?”
Victoria shook her head.
“I’m saying Claire came into St. Matthew’s carrying your child.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew?”
“I found out that night.”
“How?”
“My father’s security team saw her.”
Vale snapped, “Victoria.”
“Oh, don’t pretend you were protecting anyone but yourself.”
Julian rounded on him.
“What did you do?”
Vale’s voice stayed controlled.
“Claire arrived in critical condition.”
“Why?”
“She had been in an accident.”
Elena went pale.
“What kind of accident?”
Vale looked at her.
“A car hit her.”
Elena stepped back.
Julian noticed her breathing change.
“What happened next?”
Vale hesitated.
Victoria answered.
“She went into emergency surgery.”
“And?”
“The baby was delivered.”
Julian stared at her.
“A boy or girl?”
Victoria’s expression changed.
A strange softness crossed her face.
“A girl.”
Something broke inside Julian.
He had a daughter.
Or had had one.
“Where is she?”
Victoria looked away.
“I don’t know.”
Julian grabbed a chair and threw it across the room.
The twins screamed.
He stopped instantly.
Regret hit him.
He crouched.
“Hey. Hey, boys. I’m sorry.”
Leo clung to Elena harder.
Julian stood again, quieter now.
He looked at Victoria.
“You knew I had a daughter and never told me?”
“I knew Claire claimed the baby was yours.”
“Claimed?”
“She didn’t have a DNA test in her purse, Julian.”
“You could have told me.”
“And destroy everything?”
“What everything?”
“Our marriage!”
Julian laughed in disbelief.
“You thought hiding my child would save our marriage?”
Victoria’s voice cracked.
“I was giving birth to your sons while your dead girlfriend was downstairs giving birth to your daughter!”
Elena suddenly gasped.
Everyone turned.
She was holding her head.
“Elena?”
She stumbled.
Julian caught her.
“I see lights.”
“What?”
“Red lights.”
She squeezed her eyes shut.
“A doctor.”
Vale’s face changed.
Elena whispered, “He said the baby was healthy.”
Victoria looked at her father.
“Dad.”
Elena’s breathing grew faster.
“And then…”
She gripped Julian’s arm.
“A woman came in.”
“What woman?”
“I can’t see her face.”
Victoria began backing toward the elevator.
Julian saw her.
“Don’t move.”
Elena opened her eyes.
They were filled with terror.
“She had a blue coat.”
Victoria stopped.
Julian looked at her.
The night the twins were born, Victoria had worn a blue cashmere coat over her hospital gown when photographers later captured her leaving the private wing.
Julian remembered the pictures.
He remembered complimenting the coat.
Now Elena whispered, “She took the baby.”
Victoria shook her head violently.
“No.”
“She took her.”
“No!”
“And she told the doctor…”
Elena covered her mouth.
Julian waited.
“What did she say?”
May you like
Elena stared straight at Victoria.
“She said, ‘My husband can never know she existed.’”
