“She’s scared,” Natalie said quietly. “She already lost her husband. She’s terrified of losing her son.”
“That doesn’t give her the right to treat you like that,” Gran said.
“No,” Natalie agreed. “But it makes her human.”
Her phone rang.
Carter.
“My mother just left, didn’t she?” he said.
“How’d you know?” she asked.
“Because she just called me furious that you refused her money,” he said. “Natalie, I’m so sorry. I had no idea—”
“It’s fine,” she said.
“It’s not fine,” he insisted. “She had no right to—”
“Carter, stop,” she said, exhaustion bleeding through her voice. “Your mom is protective. I get it. But I’m tired. I’m tired of defending myself. Tired of proving I’m not after your money when all I wanted was to tell you about our baby.”
“I know,” he said.
“Maybe she’s right,” Natalie said quietly. “Maybe I don’t belong in your world.”
“Don’t say that,” he protested.
“Why not?” she asked. “It’s true. I’m a translator from Brooklyn. You’re a billionaire. Your mother offers me money to disappear. The press calls me a gold digger. My best friend betrayed me out of jealousy. What kind of life is that for a kid?”
“A life with parents who love them,” he said. “That’s what matters.”
“Is it?” she whispered. “Because right now it feels like loving you is the worst decision I ever made.”
Silence.
“You… love me?” he asked.
The words were out before she could stop them.
“I have to go,” she said, panicking. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“Natalie, wait—”
She hung up.
She dropped the phone like it burned and tried very hard not to think about the truth she’d just accidentally confessed.
The DNA results came back three days later.
Carter was at her apartment within an hour, envelope in hand, Benjamin and Jasmine trailing behind him.
“What are they doing here?” Natalie asked, eyeing the teenagers.
“We want to be here,” Benjamin said. “When you open it.”
“As a family,” Jasmine added. “If that’s okay.”
Despite everything, Natalie’s chest warmed.
“It’s okay,” she said.
They gathered in the tiny living room—Gran in her armchair, the kids on the couch, Natalie and Carter side by side.
Carter held the envelope like it contained a bomb.
“Whatever it says,” he began, “I want you to know—”
“Just open it,” Natalie said. “Please.”
