Chapter 92

Morgan picked Loren up from the hospital with a mix of joy and concern. Although he was thrilled about the birth of their daughter, he knew he needed to be honest with Loren about their situation. He didn’t want to give her false hope that his return meant a revival of their relationship.

On the way home, the car was engulfed in a heavy silence. Loren, eager to leave the hospital and return to her life, felt the tension in the air. The baby slept peacefully in her car seat in the back, oblivious to the unease surrounding the adults.

Morgan drove with his attention solely on the road, avoiding eye contact. His silence was a way to preserve calm and avoid a difficult conversation he wasn’t ready to have. Loren, in turn, watched him through the rearview mirror, trying to decipher what he might be thinking. Uncertainty and anticipation mixed within her as she wondered what was going through Morgan’s mind.

As each minute passed, the silence seemed to deepen, making the atmosphere more tense. Loren tried not to dwell on what the silence could mean, but she couldn’t help but wonder if he was thinking about how to make things easier for her or if he was simply absorbed in his worries.

When they arrived home, Morgan carefully opened the back door and helped Loren out of the car. With gentle attention, he went around to remove the baby from the car seat. Loren walked slowly, playing the perfect role of someone just recovering from childbirth.

Upon reaching the front door, they were greeted by the house staff, who were ready to assist. One of them immediately offered support, helping Loren up the stairs one step at a time. When Juan, one of the household staff, came down the stairs, he offered a shy smile to Loren and said, "Congratulations on the baby, ma’am. We missed you."

Loren, noting Juan’s intent to offer special favors, responded politely but distantly, "Thank you for your kindness. You’re a great employee. All of you are."

After these words, Loren continued up with the help of the maid, while Morgan followed behind, carefully holding the baby’s car seat. The atmosphere was a mix of formality and effort, with Loren struggling to regain normalcy and Morgan focused on ensuring everything went smoothly for the new phase that was beginning.

Once in the bedroom, Loren lay down on the bed with the maid’s help, who had carefully prepared the space. The baby’s crib was placed next to the bed, and Loren looked at it with a satisfied smile, commenting that everything was very beautiful. She thanked the maid for preparing the space. The maid nodded in acknowledgment and left, saying she was available for any future needs.

Morgan gently placed the baby in the crib, taking care not to wake her. After ensuring she was comfortable, he prepared to leave the room. Loren, observing him, asked where he was going. Morgan replied that he needed to handle some issues and would be back soon.

Loren, visibly worried, asked him to stay with her. She held his hands, seeking comfort in his presence. Morgan, with a gentle look, said he wouldn’t be long and tried to gently withdraw his hands from hers. Despite Loren’s concern, Morgan needed to deal with pending matters and was determined to respect both of their spaces and needs.

Morgan left the room, leaving Loren alone. The feeling of abandonment made Loren angry. Feeling frustrated and lonely, she grabbed her phone and decided to call Nick, as it had been a while since they last spoke.

She dialed the number with determination, hoping that talking to Nick would offer some relief and distraction from the helplessness she was feeling at that moment.

“Hi, Nick,” Loren began.

“Hi, did something happen?” Nick asked.

“No, just the usual. Your brother left me alone; he’s not going to change. Maybe he’ll never forget Laura’s ghost. That will always haunt us,” she said with a sad voice.

“Don’t worry about that. Laura is home; her whole family is here. She doesn’t want to see Morgan. When I told her your baby was born, she didn’t even care.”

“If I were you, I wouldn’t boast so much, Nick, because when it comes to these two, everything is predictable. He was willing to almost die for her.”

“Forget it. Morgan will never bother Laura again; he knows he lost. We’re married; that’s a reality he’ll have to accept. Enough about Morgan. I’m sure you didn’t call me for that, so tell me what’s up, because I had to make up something to leave the house to talk to you.”

“I miss you, Nick. I know you don’t want to be with me because of this little one, but I need to relieve myself. I’m so full; I need to unwind, and only you know how to help me.”

“I’ve told you before not to refer to Laura like that; she’s my wife, whether you like it or not.”

“I don’t want to argue, Nick. I need you here. It’s not just about sex; you’re the only one I can talk to about everything.”

“I don’t know if I can come over. I don’t want to leave Laura alone at home; my son could be born at any moment.”

When Loren called Nick, she was expecting some comfort or distraction, but the conversation quickly turned tense. Hearing Nick mention that Loren’s child could be born at any moment, Loren laughed disdainfully and said, “What child? Stop fantasizing. Her child isn’t yours. You’ve created this perfect family narrative, thinking you’re going to be a father, but that life isn’t yours. Please, stop!”

Loren’s words hit Nick with considerable weight. He felt the impact of her reaction, realizing that his idealized view of the situation was far from reality. Loren was making it clear that he needed to face the truth about his place in Laura’s life.

“Why are you so cruel, Loren? I always ask myself that. You already have Morgan in your grasp, you’ve had the long-awaited baby, and still, nothing makes you happy. We always end up back at the starting point, where you keep trying to come after me. Why?”

“Because we’re the same, even if you say otherwise, Nick. We both suffered at the hands of the ruthless Dom Morgan. His choices hurt us and left us behind, so nothing makes me happy because your brother still owes me.”

“If I were you, I’d take the chance and make it work. Maybe you won’t get another chance. I don’t want to waste what I have now. Laura is my wife, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make her happy. And yes, I may not be the father of this child, but he’s still my nephew; he has my blood. A child who’s not guilty of my brother’s sins. I’m going to tell you what I’ve been saying for ages, and you don’t understand: don’t call me but let me fix my life, and you do the same.”

Before Loren could respond, Nick quickly hung up, making it clear that he didn’t want any ties with her. On the other end of the line, Loren, angry, threw her phone away and said, “You’ll pay for this too, Nick. No one turns their back on me.”