"Boss! How bad is it? The doctor's coming!" Nick shouted.
"Get... everyone... out..." Kholod whispered.
"Boss—"
"That's... an order..."
"Yes..."
After Nick left with the others, only Kholod, Leo, and I remained. Leo was crying in his crib.
"Kholod..." I leaned down, pressing my forehead to his. "Hold on... please hold on..."
"Noelle..." His hand touched my cheek. "Don't cry..."
"I don't care!" I cried harder. "Kholod, you can't die... Leo needs you... He's your son! Yes! He's your son! You can't abandon us... I..."
I haven't forgiven you yet.
Light flickered in Kholod's eyes, then faded.
"Noelle..." His voice was barely audible. "Tell Leo... Daddy loves him..."
"You tell him yourself!" I yelled. "Kholod Morozov! You stay alive!"
His hand fell limp.
His eyes slowly closed.
"NO—!" My scream tore through the room.
Something ripped apart in my chest at that moment. The wall I'd spent over a year building crumbled to pieces.
Chapter Forty-Two
Kholod
When I opened my eyes again, the first thing I saw was Noelle's bloodshot eyes.
She was leaning over the bedside, her hair disheveled, tear tracks still fresh on her cheeks. When she saw me wake up, she froze for a moment before intense joy flooded her eyes.
"You're awake..." Her voice was hoarse and thick with tears.
"Noelle..." I tried to reach for her, but my arm was tethered to an IV line. My throat felt raw and my voice came out raspy, but I had to confirm what I'd heard before losing consciousness. "Leo... he's my child, isn't he? Not Lorenzo's, right?"
Her body went rigid. She lowered her gaze as fresh tears fell, then gave a barely perceptible nod.
"Yes."
That single word seized my heart like a vice, squeezing until it nearly spasmed.
"Really?" My voice trembled. "You're not lying to me?"
"I'm not lying to you." She lifted her head, tears blurring her vision. "Kholod, Leo is your son."
Heat flooded my eyes.
I had a son.
