The evening was cool and the sky overcast, a shade of gray that seemed to fit the mood of the moment. Ava and Robert stood outside the tall gates of Emma’s house, her words hanging between them like a thick fog. Robert had been led to believe Emma was deceiving him, but now he understood the truth, or at least part of it.
“I hope this truth makes you feel better now,” Ava’s voice was quiet but resolute. “Daniel and Emma are only in a relationship based on a contract. Emma just wants to help Daniel acquire something from his family, and in return, Daniel’s been helping her too. Her mom shouldn’t know that she’s pregnant with your child. Someone older than her… she’d be devastated, especially now that she’s lying in bed, sick and fragile.”
Robert didn’t respond right away. He let her words
