“About thirty percent success rate. And even if it works, it would likely only extend her life by a few months,” the doctor said with clinical detachment. “Think it over and let me know.”
After the doctor left, Leo leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. I hesitated, then gently touched his shoulder.
“She’ll be okay.”
He opened his eyes. A flicker of vulnerability, quickly masked.
“Let’s go eat.”
We ate at a small diner near the hospital in near silence. Finally, Leo broke it.
“I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”
“I came willingly,” I said, stirring my coffee.
“Is your ex still bothering you?” he asked.
“He called a few more times yesterday. I didn’t answer.”
“Do you need me to handle it?”
“No. I can handle it.”
I looked up.
“Your mom’s medical bills… if you need help, I have some savings.”
He looked surprised for a second, then shook his head.
“No. I can manage. Thank you.”
“Is your company doing okay?” I ventured.
“It’s a bit tight, but we’ll get through it,” he said briefly.
Silence returned. After lunch, he drove me back to the office. Before I got out, he stopped me.
“About this weekend. Do you really want to come for dinner? If you’re not comfortable, I can make an excuse.”
“I’ll go,” I said. “We can’t disappoint her.”
He nodded.
“Thank you.”
Back at the office, I noticed things on my desk had been moved. It was subtle, but I have a routine. I quietly checked my computer’s login history. Someone had tried to access my account and failed. I pulled up the security footage for my office area. During the lunch break, Rick Donovan had come in. What was he after? Before leaving for the day, I got a message from Maya.
“Chloe. Huge news. A friend of mine saw Alex out with the intern from your office, Lauren. They looked very cozy.”
Attached was a blurry photo. It was definitely Alex with a young woman at a café. My heart sank. Lauren was barely twenty, bubbly, and had always been a little too friendly with Alex when he visited. I’d thought he just enjoyed the attention.
“When was this?” I texted back.
“Last Friday. The day you were supposed to get your license,” Maya replied with an angry emoji.
No wonder he was a no-show. He was on a date with a college kid. I gripped my phone, my knuckles turning white. When I left the building, Alex was there, blocking my path. He looked worse than before, unshaven and haggard.
“Chloe, we need to talk,” he said, trying to stop me.
“We have nothing to talk about.”
I tried to walk around him.
“Just five minutes, please,” he begged, his eyes desperate.
I looked around at the curious onlookers and gritted my teeth.
“Over there.”
We moved to a quiet corner of the plaza.
“Chloe, I know I messed up. Give me one more chance,” he pleaded.
“For the intern?” I asked coldly.
His face changed.
“You know.”
“Last Friday. You weren’t at city hall because you were with her, weren’t you?”
He started stammering.
“No, it’s not what you think. We just had lunch, that’s all. Nothing happened.”
“A three-hour lunch? A lunch so important you forgot about getting married?” I shot back.
“I was stressed, okay? I needed to unwind.”
He reached for my hand.
“Chloe, I love you. Only you. That kid means nothing to me.”
I pulled my hand away, disgusted.
“You make me sick, Alex.”
“I’m a jerk. I know. I’m an idiot.”
He actually slapped his own face.
“But you can’t throw away three years of our lives over one mistake. You’re carrying my child.”
“I’ll handle the child,” I said coldly.
“Handle it how? Get an abortion or have it and let that other guy raise it?”
His voice rose.
“Watch your tone.”
“Why should I?”
He grabbed my shoulders.
“That is my child.”
“Let her go.”
