Chapter 4 - Marcus's Second Betrayal
Two days later, my son was breathing without assistance.
I should have been celebrating.
Instead I was staring at divorce papers.
Marcus stood beside the hospital window.
“Sign them.”
I looked up.
“You spent four months refusing to discuss divorce.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Why?”
Marcus rubbed his face.
“Because this isn't working.”
“That realization came remarkably fast after Nathan appeared.”
“Elena.”
“What aren't you telling me?”
“Nothing.”
“You're lying.”
He had always underestimated how well I knew him.
I looked at the papers again.
Then I saw the date.
They had been prepared three weeks earlier.
“You already planned this.”
Marcus said nothing.
“Who is she?”
His face changed.
That was enough.
“Oh my God.”
“Elena—”
“Who?”
“Her name is Chloe.”
I laughed bitterly.
“The same Chloe?”
He looked away.
The woman he had supposedly ended things with.
“You told me it was over.”
“It was complicated.”
“No. Tax law is complicated. This is simple.”
I pushed the papers toward him.
“You lied.”
“Elena, we were already separated.”
“After you cheated.”
“I made mistakes.”
“You made appointments.”
The door opened.
Nathan entered carrying two coffees.
He stopped.
“Bad time?”
Marcus looked at him.
“Perfect time.”
I wiped my eyes angrily.
Nathan set the coffees down.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
Marcus grabbed his coat.
“Ask your future girlfriend.”
Nathan's face hardened.
“Don't.”
“Don't what?”
“Talk about her like she's property being transferred.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“You've been waiting seven years for this.”
Nathan's voice stayed calm.
“No.”
“Liar.”
“I spent seven years hoping Elena was happy.”
Marcus glanced at me.
Nathan continued.
“Finding out she wasn't didn't feel like winning.”
Marcus had no answer.
He left.
Nathan waited.
Then he quietly asked, “Do you want me to go?”
“No.”
He sat.
For several minutes neither of us spoke.
Finally I asked, “Why did you really come that day?”
“You texted me.”
“Seven years, Nathan.”
“I know.”
“You could've called an ambulance.”
“I did.”
I blinked.
“What?”
“I called Mercy General while driving. Told them your name, your estimated arrival time and that you were in active labor.”
I stared at him.
“That was you?”
“Yes.”
“The nurse said somebody had warned them.”
Nathan nodded.
I looked down.
“Why?”
He seemed confused by the question.
“Because you needed help.”
“You didn't know anything about my life.”
“I knew enough.”
“What?”
He leaned forward.
“I knew Elena Vasquez was terrified and asked me not to let her face something alone.”
His voice softened.
“That was enough.”
My throat tightened.
“Nathan, I have a newborn.”
“I noticed.”
“I'm separated.”
“I noticed that too.”
“My life is a disaster.”
“You've always been dramatic.”
I stared at him.
Then laughed despite myself.
“Ow!”
“Sorry.”
“You did that intentionally.”
“A little.”
I became serious.
“I can't give you anything.”
Nathan nodded.
“Then don't.”
“What?”
“You don't owe me romance because I showed up.”
He stood.
“You don't owe me a relationship because I still care about you.”
My eyes lifted.
“You still care?”
He smiled faintly.
“Elena, I canceled a three-hundred-million-dollar acquisition meeting because you sent me one text.”
I stared at him.
“That seems financially irresponsible.”
“It probably was.”
I smiled.
He moved toward the door.
“Nathan?”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to hold Julian?”
He froze.
I had finally chosen the name.
Julian.
Marcus and I had chosen it months earlier, and despite everything, it still belonged to my son.
Nathan looked toward the bassinet.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
A nurse helped place Julian into his arms.
Nathan looked terrified.
“Support his head,” I said.
“I am.”
“You look like you're holding an explosive.”
“I've negotiated hostage situations that felt easier.”
“You've negotiated hostage situations?”
“Corporate ones.”
Julian opened his eyes.
Nathan stopped talking.
The room became very quiet.
“Hello again, little man,” he whispered.
Julian wrapped his tiny hand around Nathan's finger.
Nathan looked at me.
May you like
And for the first time since my marriage fell apart, the future didn't frighten me.
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