Chapter 14 Cautiously Optimistic
I stay at the hospital longer than I probably should.
The nurses have already started the first round of treatment. I watch the IV drip slowly, sending the experimental medication into my mother's veins.
Dr. Reeves finds me sitting in the chair beside her bed, holding her hand while she sleeps.
"Ms. Sterling," he says gently from the doorway. "You should go home. Get some rest. The first forty-eight hours are critical, yes, but she needs to sleep. And so do you."
I look up at him. "Is she going to be okay?"
He hesitates, and I can see him choosing his words carefully. "I'm cautiously optimistic. The treatment is aggressive, but your mother is stronger than she looks. We'll know more in the next day or two."
Cautiously optimistic.
I turn those words over in my mind. They're not a guarantee of anything. But at least they're something.
"Thank you," I whisper.
Dr. Reeves nods and leaves me alone with her again.
I sit there for another hour, just watching her breathe. Eventually, I force myself to stand. I kiss her forehead, careful not to disturb the oxygen tubes in her nose.
She doesn't wake up, but her fingers twitch slightly in mine, like some part of her heard me.
I walk out of the hospital and the car I came with is waiting exactly where I left it, the driver already opening the door for me before I even get there.
"Mrs. Michael," he says, nodding politely.
The name still sounds strange. But I slide into the back seat anyway and let him close the door behind me.
The drive back to the penthouse takes exactly forty minutes. I spend the entire time staring out the window, watching the city.
By the time we pull up to the building, exhaustion has settled deep into my bones. It isn’t just physical tiredness, though my body aches from the day. It's the mental exhaustion coming from worrying throughout the day.
When the doors finally open, I step into the apartment and just stand there for a moment.
There are sounds coming from deeper in the penthouse.
I follow the sounds to the living room and find two housekeepers, I don't know their names dusting the already spotless furniture and straightening throw pillows that don't need straightening.
One of them notices me and immediately stops what she's doing.
"Good evening, ma'am," she says, giving a small respectful nod.
"Good evening," I reply. "Is Caius around?"
It's too late before I can think about how strange it sounds. Calling him Caius. Not Mr. Michael. Not sir. Just... Caius.
The housekeeper shakes her head. "No, ma'am. Mr. Michael left about an hour ago."
My stomach sinks a little. I wanted to thank him again. In person this time, not over phone. I wanted to look him in the eye and tell him what it means that my mother is alive right now because of him.
But he's already gone.
"What about Leo?" I ask.
"The young master is in his room with Mrs. Michael," the housekeeper says. "Would you like me to let them know you're home?"
Mrs. Michael. Caius's mother.
"No," I say quickly. "No, that's fine. Thank you."
I don't want to deal with Caius's mother right now. So I escape down the hallway to my room. The second I close the door behind me, I let out a heavy sigh.
I kick off my shoes and let them fall wherever they land. I close the heavy curtains, blocking out any light coming in. Then I collapse onto the bed fully clothed and sleep takes me immediately.
\~~~
When I wake up, the room is dark.
I fumble for my phone on the nightstand, squinting against the brightness of the screen.
7:47 PM.
I slept for hours.
There's a knock on the door.
"Lia?" It's Caius. "Are you awake?"
I sit up too fast and my head spins. My mouth tastes like I've been sleeping for days instead of hours.
"Yes," I reply, my voice rough with sleep. "Come in."
The door opens slowly, and Caius steps into the room.
He's changed since I last saw him. Now, he's wearing dark jeans and a simple black t-shirt that somehow makes him look younger.
I'm not sure I like it. It's easier when he looks like the untouchable CEO. Makes me remember that this is just business.
"Sorry to wake you," he says, staying near the door like he's not sure if he's allowed to come further. "But I need to talk to you about something."
My heart stops.
Those words are never good.
"Okay," I say slowly, swinging my legs off the bed and trying to smooth down my hair. I can feel it sticking up in different directions.
He steps into the room but leaves the door open slightly.
"I have to leave town," he says. "There's a contract negotiation in Boston. It's a major deal for the company, one I've been working on for months. I need to be there in person."
"Okay," I say, trying to process this. "When do you leave?"
"Tonight." He glances at his watch. "My flight leaves in two hours."
Tonight. As in right now.
"How long will you be gone?" I ask.
He runs a hand through his hair, messing it up even more. "Two days. Maybe three if the negotiations drag on longer than expected." He pauses, watching me carefully. "I know the timing isn't great. With everything that just happened with your mother, and Leo, and the custody evaluation—"
"It's fine," I interrupt, standing up. "Your company needs you. I understand."
And I do understand. Intellectually, at least. He's the CEO of a massive corporation. He has responsibilities. The world doesn't stop just because we signed a marriage contract.
"Leo will need to be taken care of," Caius says. "Are you comfortable handling that on your own? I can ask my mother. She offered—"
"No," I say, way too fast.
His eyebrow rises slightly, and I can see the question in his eyes.
"I mean... it's fine," I continue, trying to sound more reasonable. "I can take care of Leo. We'll be fine together."
"Are you sure?" He's still watching me intensely. "He can be... challenging. Especially at night. And if Catherine calls or decides to make another surprise visit..."
"I'm sure," I say firmly. "It's just two days. How hard can it be?"
The corner of his mouth twitches. "You'd be surprised."
"I'll manage," I say, crossing my arms. "Besides, isn't this what you're paying me for? To be Leo's mother figure?"
He flinches slightly. The words seem to strike a chord.
"Right," he says quietly. "Of course."
An awkward silence settles between us.
Finally, Caius breaks it. "I've left some numbers on the kitchen counter. My assistant and Dr. Sara—Leo's pediatrician. In case of any emergency."
"Okay."
"There's also a credit card in the top kitchen drawer," he continues. "Use it for groceries, or if Leo needs anything. Toys, clothes, whatever. There's no limit."
"Okay," I say again.
"And if Catherine calls..." he starts.
"I'll handle it," I interrupt. "I know what to say. I know what we're supposed to be. I won't mess this up."
He looks at me for a long moment.
"I know you won't," he says finally.
I don't know what to say to that. So I just nod.
He turns to leave, his hand already on the door handle, when I hear myself speak.
"Caius?"
He stops and turns back. "Yes?"
"Thank you," I say, and this time I mean it completely. "For what you did today. For my mother. She's alive right now because of you."
"Get some rest," he says quietly. "I'll call when I land."
Then he's gone, pulling the door closed behind him.
I sit back down on the bed and listen to his footsteps fade.
He's gone. Or rather, will be gone soon.
And I'm alone in this massive penthouse with a four-year-old child I barely know, pretending to be someone I'm not.
\~~~
The next morning, I wake to sunlight filtering through the curtains.
I grab my phone from the nightstand and check the time. 6:23 AM.
The penthouse is completely quiet. No sounds of traffic from below. No voices or footsteps or signs of life.
Just silence.
I lie there for a moment, staring up at the ceiling, trying to remember the last time I woke up like this. Without a blaring alarm. Without an immediate crisis demanding my attention. No boss calling at six in the morning with an urgent task.
Just... peace.
Almost immediately, I hear the sound of a car engine.
It's faint but I hear it. The sound is coming from directly below.
I frown and slide out of bed. I move to the window and carefully pull back the curtain, just enough to look down.
A black town car is pulling into the private garage.
My heart starts to pound in my chest.
Is Caius back already? Did something go wrong with the deal? Did he change his mind?
But then the back door opens, and I know immediately that it's not him.
Because a woman steps out.
Even from up here, I can tell she's beautiful. Tall and slim with long dark hair. She's wearing a white dress that probably has a designer name I wouldn't recognize, and even her posture screams money and confidence.
She says something to the driver, laughing, her head thrown back like she doesn't have a care in the world.
Then she turns toward the building entrance.
I get a clear view of her face, and my breath catches.
She's not just beautiful. She's stunning. The kind of stunning that doesn't belong in a penthouse but on magazine covers and red carpets.
My stomach drops immediately.
A woman like her has no business here.
So who is she?
And why does she have access to Caius's private garage?