I turn to her. “I thought you said you weren’t pregnant.”
She shrugs, her eyes are already glistening with tears.
“For real?” My voice cracks. “Are we really pregnant?”
“Yes, we are,” she whispers.
I broke.
Hiding my face in her neck, I let the tears fall. She holds me, shielding me from the world. When I can finally breathe again, I turn her gently, hugging her from behind, both hands flat on her stomach.
My baby is in there.
Our baby.
I looked up to see our families, our friends watching, moved and smiling. And in that moment, I swear I would never let anything come between us again.
But I needed to clear the air—everything.
I leave Izzy with Alice and Mom, her laughter soft in the background as I walk away—but my heart isn’t at peace yet. Not until I bury one last demon.
My eyes lock on Morris across the yard. He knows. I can see it in the way he straightens up when he notices my approach.
One final piece of that damn picture story still lingers like poison in my bloodstream. I need it out—now.
I don’t even hear Sebastian come up beside me, but his voice is dry and amused. “You seem ready for war.”
“Kind of.” I flash a grin, but it’s forced. Tense. There's a pressure in my chest I can’t shake.
“Hey, where are you two heading?” Derek asks.
“I’m not sure.” Sebastian shrugs, “But I'm ready.”
“Whose ass are we kicking today?” Derek smirks.
“Not sure yet,” I mutter, stalking toward the back door. Sebastian falls into step beside me. So does Derek.
“I got some photos a while back. From one of the bodyguards I hired when I was on a mission.” My fists clench. “Izzy with a man. Looked like she was flirting. It turned my fucking world upside down.”
Derek’s brow furrows. “Why the hell would he send them to you?”
Sebastian cocks a brow, “Were they even real?”
“What they were giving up wasn’t true.” I exhale sharply, the memory slicing through me like a fresh wound. “But, at that moment, it looked real. And it tore through me. I hate myself for even letting that doubt crawl into my mind.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Sebastian stops, disbelief etched across his face. “Nathan—Isabel adores you. Venerates you. Anyone with eyes can see that.”
“I know. That’s the thing. So why the hell send them to me?” My voice rises, frustration boiling beneath the surface. “If it was for money, or the press, or even blackmail—Izzy’s the bigger name. Hell, she’s the lawyer. She’d be the bigger target.”
“Blackmailing a damn lawyer?” Sebastian scoffs. “That’s next-level stupid.”
“I don’t care about the logic. I just want to know why. I want the truth. No more shadows.”
“I don’t think it was made on an impulse.” Derek finishes his beer in a gulp, “I mean, if he knew you were on a mission, it seems something planned.”
Sebastian narrows his eyes. “The guy who took the pictures—is he still working for you?”
“I don’t know.”
