to her hands. "He doesn't

meant being invisible!" Dana grabbed Jasmine's shoulders, her grip fierce.

the papers. But before I file, everyone who too

a walking red flag. You deserve someone who actually

t need

'm finding you a lineup of gorgeous, emotionally ava

iled. "You make m

sored cyberattack when you were eighteen. You and King coordinated the whole thing. Without you, half the country's critical infr

warfare. At eighteen, Jasmine had been one of the sharpest offensive cybersecurity minds on the planet. She'd built a startup in college and exited with eighty million in f

d out, was a p

ana's voice gentled. "Wh

ife was still there, tiny and insistent. She could al

ed. "I'm

steady, but her eyes were bright. "I wanted this baby for three years. I prayed for it. But I'm not go

ow? About t

st on me. I did exactly what he did-used his genetic material without his consent. The

ercer this time. "Whatever you need.

ed, wiped her eyes, and tucked the pregnancy report into her bag. "

e wh

y from this marriage with so

ring down at the traffic crawling along the East River Drive. The room behind him w

ant every few minutes, drawn by something he couldn't name. The child was small and perfect, wit

That was the story. That was the

inens. "The nurses said Sera should rest now. You should go

m f

tone softened. "You've been so good to Sera

l that his twin had stepped into his life so completely-his home, his

dreamy as she gazed at the sleeping infant. "He's so beautiful. Al

n said quietl

al presentation. A reception. Introduce Damien to society pr

He's Alastair's son,

mportant thing is that we have a new generation. A futu

, her eyes fluttering open.

side immediate

found his sleeve. "Sta

suffocating silence settles over Jasmine

She tore it to tiny fragments and scattered the pieces like dead autumn leaves, erasing eve

tomach, throat tight with silent tears, a

more than anything. I trul