floor of the penthouse bedroom. Claudius Buchanan sat on the edge of t

said, his voice low with co

onto the back of his hand. "No," she whispered, her voice thick with sobs. "I ha

ack lace underwear she had just changed into. Without hesitatio

in of fresh blood stared up

ance, sympathy, something else that Charlie couldn't quite place. Finally, he s

ssing a kiss to the top of he

bdomen, his palm warm and heavy, and began t

ould feel the tiny, fragile lives growing inside her, and she prayed that Claudius couldn't feel them too. She force

ie's eyes flew open. She lay perfectly still for another ten minutes, listening t

tain he was occupied, she s

at hid most of her face. She grabbed her phone and opened the encrypted messaging app. With a few

Need to se

y. *Come immediately. I

Uber and slipped out through the building's underground service en

n Fifth Avenue. A nurse was waiting for her by the door and led he

iately creasing with concern when she saw how pal

g down on the examination table. "I

skly. "Let's do an u

p at the ceiling, her hands twisted so tightly together that her knuckles tu

Dr. Eva

explains why you're feeling so run down. You're

moment, she forgot how to breathe. Twins. She was carrying

reality. Her brow was furrowed, and she was z

around this one. You're at very high risk of miscarriage. You need abs

e grabbed Dr. Evans by the white coat, her e

urgent. "No one. I'm in the middle of a divorce. If my hus

pe as soon as they're stable. I'll terminate the pregnan

seen it all in her years working for Manhattan's

be encrypted under a false name. No

olled up her sleeve and watched as the nurse drew u

rough her arm. Charlie bit down hard on her lower lip, not making a sou

of oral progesterone pills. Charlie took them and, as soon as she was alone

ion. Her face was pale, her eyes dark with exhaustion an

she whispered to the two tiny lives inside her. "I will get us

Avenue. The cold New York wind bit at her che

card. He had just booked her the most expens

er lips. Even now, he thought he could buy her forgiveness with m

ress of the Plaza Hotel. It was time to meet the per