Chapter 7
Dominic tried to use the twins next.
That was the last remaining weapon.
He looked toward the pale-blue blankets, then softened his face.
“Audrey, don’t do this here. Think about the babies.”
The manipulation was so familiar I almost missed it.
He had brought divorce papers into the NICU.
He had brought Natalie.
He had told me I had nothing.
But now I was the one not thinking about the babies.
Charles saw my face.
“Do not answer him.”
Dominic snapped, “She is my wife.”
Charles replied, “She is my granddaughter.”
Natalie whispered, “And those are his children.”
Dr. Cole turned toward her.
“They are patients.”
The word cut cleanly.
Patients.
Not leverage.
Not heirs.
Not bargaining chips.
Tiny patients.
Protected first.
Grace stirred in my arm.
One little hand slid free from the blanket.
Her fingers were impossibly small.
I touched them with my thumb and almost collapsed from love.
Dominic had looked at those fingers and seen legal strategy.
That was when grief turned into something colder.
I looked at him over my daughter’s head.
“You brought her here.”
His jaw tightened.
“Audrey—”
“You brought your pregnant mistress into the NICU where our premature children are fighting to breathe.”
Natalie’s face flushed.
Dominic looked at the staff.
He knew how it sounded.
Good.
Let it sound like what it was.
Charles’s phone buzzed once.
He glanced at it.
Only once.
Then looked back at Dominic.
Something in his expression made Dominic go still.
“What did you do?” Dominic asked.
Charles did not answer.
That frightened him more than any answer could have.
Natalie touched Dominic’s sleeve.
“Dominic.”
He shook her off.
Just slightly.
Enough for her to feel where she stood now.
Not beside him.
May you like
In the blast radius.
Read the full story 👉 Dominic tried to hide behind fatherhood, but Audrey named exactly what he had done in front of the NICU staff.
