d eyes but a no-nonsense de

an' s furious face to Ava' s pale one. "You' re her husband?

open, meeting the nu

hose expression was a mixture

uickly, trying to sit up.

his gaze fixed on Ava'

alking about, A

en. I just... I ate something that disagreed

but Chloe' s incident was

your fault, you know. If yo

provoke he

d you pus

re cameras in the ha

s. I believe Chloe. She wouldn' t lie." He crosse

, a weary resigna

t apologize for some

r I' ll make your life even more

in the air, ug

s. She was tired.

e had to pro

. "I' ll apologize. Ju

apitulation, a flicker of something – doubt? – in

ood

ning heavily on a cane she clearly didn' t ne

apology. "I' m sorry, Chloe, if

lace handkerchief. "Well, I suppose I acc

a a curt nod. He helped Chloe into

s alon

– a brief, mandated rest – t

ise for Ethan' s "devotion" to Chloe, who w

to Miss Vance. He' s

d her that special

us was inward, on the tin

r' s instructions, eating well, res

ospital observation, she' d had a fin

ed the baby was de

question that mad

dren with different women... how simil

oximately 25% of their DNA, the same as if they shared one parent. In terms of appearance... it' s possible they could bea

slowly. It

n loose, comfortable clothes, she nearly c

alid, was being pushed in a

meeting you here. I' m just getting a final check-up. You

e tonight," Chloe continued, her eyes gleaming. "Just

mmand, thinly veiled. Ethan nodded in

, a glass of water in her hand

eld court, regaling the group with

every word, his

a spectator, detached, her

ggested a game of

spun, lan

ose "

loe' s asked the question, he

the person you love

p. All eyes were on her. Ethan'

her expression c

iled f

voice clear and stea