I exhaled, pushing my empty plate aside. “But she and I learned to fight side by side. And I’m convinced it was fate that brought us together.” I paused, letting my next words carry the depth of my feelings.
“She is my one true love.”
Jack’s eyes lifted to mine.
“We’ve endured so much together,” I said. “And I believe we will always find our way back to each other.”
A wistful ache coiled through my chest, tightening with every breath. I missed Olivia. Fiercely.
I leveled my gaze at Jack. “She’s pregnant with our child. I must get back to her.”
Jack’s hands clasped beneath his chin, his eyes widening.
“Oh, my goodness! I’m going to be a grandfather.” His voice trembled with emotion, a mixture of joy and disbelief. “How exciting! I’m so happy for you both—my daughter finding love in another time, carrying a child, becoming a mother.”
His lips quirked into a smile. “I thought I lost her that night. But Lee kept reassuring me that everything would be okay.”
His eyes glistened with tears.
The wistful pang in my chest deepened into a throbbing ache. I would break if I thought about Olivia too long—her laughter, the warmth of her body beside mine.
I cleared my throat, forcing my focus elsewhere. “After Olivia and I left Ancient Rome, we traveled to the 19th century and learned about your late wife, Alina.” I hesitated. “Can you tell me more about your marriage to her?”
Jack’s smile faltered.
He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. Then, retrieving a handkerchief from his pocket, he blew his nose with a deep, weary sigh.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured.
He paused, gathering his thoughts. When he finally spoke, his words were deliberate. “My marriage to Alina was… a godsend. For me.” A shadow crossed his face. “But I don’t think I was anything more than duty and obligation to her.”
His fingers curled around the handkerchief. “Alina’s heart lay elsewhere. She held many secrets from me, always keeping her distance, never letting me get too close. She was a mystery even within our marriage.” His voice grew quieter. “And when Olivia was born, she became even more distant. Only after she was killed did I truly learn who she was—and why she sought me out.”
He sniffled and wiped his nose, shaking his head at himself. “Look at me. An old fool, still grieving a woman who never really belonged to me.”
His gaze dropped to the table, lost in memories. “I was in a dark place when I met Alina. She… saved me, in a way. But I know now she only sought me for her own reasons.” He exhaled, forcing a tight smile.
“But Alina gave me Olivia. And for that, I will be forever grateful.”
His grip tightened around the handkerchief. “She proved everything I had spent my life studying. She was a Timeborne—just like our daughter. But I didn’t know that until after she was gone. She never trusted me enough to confess her secrets.”
Jack’s smile faltered, his expression darkening. “Our marriage became rocky after Olivia was born.” His fingers fidgeted with the edge of his handkerchief. “Alina worked late, always searching for some ancient artifact. And she and Lee…” He exhaled. “They were always conspiring.”
His lips pressed into a thin line. “At first, I thought they were having an affair. They were so close. Always whispering, always slipping away together. But after she died, I learned the truth.” His hands clenched into fists. “Balthazar had her heart.”
He let out a bitter laugh. “I was just the man she felt bad for.”
I stiffened. He knew about Balthazar.
Leaning forward, I pressed my palms into the worn table. “You knew? That Balthazar was Alina’s lover?”
Jack shuddered. “Yes.” He sounded disgusted. “Horrible man. Despicable. I never met him—nor did I want to. But Lee told me everything.” His hands rubbed at his arms as if trying to chase away a deep, lingering cold.
“He told me Alina was in love with the darkness… that she couldn’t help herself. That’s why he killed her.” Jack’s throat bobbed with a hard swallow. “What she saw in him was beyond me.”
I watched him carefully, choosing my next words. How would he react if he knew the truth?
Would he buckle from the truth? Or would it ignite something darker?
