Lucas
I was in my study at the villa, the late afternoon light slanting through the tall windows, when Cynthia appeared. I didn’t hear her come in, but just the soft click of her heels on the marble floor.
“Lucas…” she whispered, voice tight, almost fragile.
I set the documents I was reviewing aside. “What is it?”
She sank into one of the high-backed chairs, hands clasped tightly in her lap. “The IVF… it failed,” she said, her words trembling.
I froze. Not because I wasn’t expecting a challenge, but because I’d never seen her break like this.
“Cynthia…” I softened, taking a careful step closer. “It’s not your fault. These things… they happen. Dr. Leighton said it could. We can try again.”
She shook her head, tears threatening. “Try again? Lucas… I can’t go through that heartbreak a
