Alexander stopped beside me. His eyes flicked to Ray, his gaze cold, lingering far longer than necessary—as if he was silently sizing him up, questioning his purpose here.
“I heard the news,” Alexander said. “And I knew I had to come down here myself to make sure you’re okay.”
I blinked at him, stunned. “You did what?” The words slipped out in a panicked whisper as my eyes widened and my heartbeat stumbled into a chaotic rhythm. “What exactly did you hear?”
No. No. He can’t find out like this. Not now. Not here. All I’m asking for is a little time—just a little more time—for Ashley to get better, for the chaos to settle, for me to gather the courage to tell him. Is that too much to ask, Mother Nature?
“That Soya’s daughter has been hospitalized,” Alexander replied, finally pulling his
