CHAPTER 13

Franco sat at his desk, eyes fixed on the pile of paperwork in front of him, though his mind was far away. The conversation with Athena had left him feeling like a stranger in his own life. He stared at the paternity test results in his hand, the weight of them pulling at his chest. He had thought that his world was already a house of cards, but now it felt like every card was slipping away.

A knock at the door broke his thoughts.

"Come in," he called, voice hoarse.

The door creaked open, and Harvey stepped inside, his usual confident demeanor replaced with something else—something harder, sharper.

"Franco," Harvey said, his tone measured. "We need to talk."

Franco didn’t look up, his gaze still locked on the test results. He didn’t need to look to know Harvey was there with his usual sense of entitlement.

"What is it, Harvey?" he asked, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

Harvey closed the door behind him and walked to the center of the office, folding his arms. "I’m not blind, you know. I see the way you’ve been acting."

Franco’s fingers curled around the paper, crumpling it slightly. "What’s your point?"

"You’ve been distant," Harvey continued, his eyes narrowing. "And I know why. Celine."

Franco’s gaze snapped to him. "What do you know about it?"

Harvey ignored the question, his posture becoming more aggressive. "I can see it in your eyes. You’re letting her get to you again, aren’t you?"

Franco remained silent, refusing to acknowledge it. He didn’t want to admit it, didn’t want to give Harvey the satisfaction of knowing how much it bothered him.

"Listen," Harvey said, walking closer to Franco’s desk, "I know you have history with her. But you’ve got to let go. You’ve got a family now. Athena needs you, and you need to focus on what’s in front of you."

The words stung more than Franco wanted to admit. He had spent the last few months telling himself the same thing: focus on Athena, focus on the baby. But the more he tried, the more he felt like he was drowning in a life that wasn’t truly his. Athena’s pregnancy, the lies, the uncertainty—it was all too much to handle.

Franco leaned back in his chair, his eyes closing as he exhaled sharply. "I don’t know what to do anymore."

Harvey stood there for a moment, watching him closely. Finally, he spoke again, softer this time. "You can’t keep looking back, Franco. The past is gone. Celine... she’s not the same person anymore. And neither are you."

Franco opened his eyes, meeting Harvey’s gaze. There was something unsettling about the way Harvey said those words—like he was speaking from experience. But Franco didn’t have the energy to question it.

"Maybe you’re right," he muttered. "Maybe I need to move on."

Harvey nodded, his expression softening. "You’ll get through this. You’ve got me and Athena. Don’t let Celine drag you back into her mess."

Franco said nothing. He couldn’t deny the guilt gnawing at him, couldn’t deny the feelings Celine had stirred in him since that fateful night they’d met again.

Harvey turned to leave, but then paused. "And Franco," he added, his voice cold, "if you ever cross me—if you let her come between us—you’ll regret it."

Franco’s heart skipped a beat, but he said nothing. Harvey had made his intentions clear. He was in this for himself, for Athena, for the future they could build together. Franco couldn’t afford to let Harvey see his vulnerabilities. Not again.

The Battle Within

Later that night, Franco sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the empty space beside him. Athena had gone to bed early, exhausted from the stress of the pregnancy, but Franco couldn’t bring himself to sleep. The silence in the room was deafening, and the doubts that had been creeping into his mind were now louder than ever.

He couldn’t stop thinking about the paternity test. He knew what it meant, but still, a part of him hoped he was wrong. He wanted to believe that the child growing inside Athena was his, but every instinct told him it wasn’t.

The way she’d avoided his gaze when he asked for the test—the way she’d acted so distant since that conversation—they all pointed to the truth. Athena had betrayed him.

And he had allowed himself to be blinded by his own pride.

Franco ran a hand through his hair, the weight of his own failure pressing down on him. He had tried to convince himself that things with Athena were fine, that their marriage could survive the lies and deceit. But it was all falling apart. And it wasn’t just Athena who had played a part in it—he had let himself get swept up in the chaos of Celine’s presence in his life.

He thought about the last time he’d seen her, the way she had looked at him with that cold, indifferent gaze. There was no love left in her eyes, no trace of the woman he had once known. But there was something else there—a quiet understanding, a silent recognition that they both knew exactly what they had done to each other.

He stood up abruptly, pacing the room. He needed to see her again. He needed answers.

The door to the bedroom creaked open, and Athena stood there in her robe, her expression filled with concern.

"Franco?" she asked softly. "Are you okay?"

He stopped pacing and turned toward her. The sight of her—the woman who had once been his rock—only served to deepen the ache in his chest.

"I need to talk to Celine," he said, his voice rough. "I need to see her."

Athena’s eyes widened, a flicker of fear crossing her face. "No, Franco. Please don’t do this. We can work through this. We’re going to have a baby together. You promised me you’d be there."

Franco took a step toward her, his face hard. "I don’t know if I can keep that promise anymore, Athena. Everything’s falling apart. I don’t know what’s real anymore."

Tears welled in Athena’s eyes, but she didn’t say anything more. She simply nodded, retreating back into the darkness of their bedroom, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Franco stood there for a moment, feeling the weight of the silence settle over him. He had no idea what he was doing anymore. He didn’t know if he was trying to save his marriage or if he was running back to a ghost from his past.

But one thing was certain: Celine still had a hold on him.

Celine’s Response

The next morning, Celine received a message from Franco.

"Meet me at the old place. We need to talk."

She stared at the message for a long time, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as her heart raced. She hadn’t expected to hear from him again, especially not after everything that had happened.

But something inside her told her that this conversation would be different.

She stood up, her mind already racing through the possibilities. Was this just another manipulation? Was he coming to beg for a second chance? Or was he ready to finally face the truth?

She grabbed her coat and walked out the door, determined to find out.

The Old Place

Celine arrived at the small café where they had shared so many memories—both good and bad. Franco was already there, sitting at a table near the window, his eyes fixed on the street outside.

She took a deep breath and walked toward him, her steps measured, calculated.

"Franco," she said quietly.

He looked up, his gaze hardening when he saw her. "You came."

Celine sat down across from him, her posture cold, guarded. "You wanted to talk. So talk."

Franco took a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. "I’m not sure where to start," he said, his voice strained. "I’ve spent the last few months trying to fix everything, trying to make things right with Athena... but I can’t shake this feeling that I’m lying to myself."

Celine leaned forward slightly. "What do you mean?"

Franco met her gaze, his eyes filled with uncertainty. "I think Athena’s baby isn’t mine."

Celine’s breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, she couldn’t find her words.

Franco continued, his voice shaking. "And I need to know if she’s lying to me, or if I’ve been living in a fantasy all along."

Celine’s chest tightened as the weight of his words hit her. This wasn’t just about his marriage anymore. This was about everything they had lost, everything that had been broken between them.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Franco’s eyes darkened. “You don’t need to be sorry. I’m the one who’s messed everything up.”

And in that moment, Celine realized that no matter how much they tried to move on, their past would always be a shadow between them.