Chapter 180 All That Matters Is the Birth of My Child
Caroline's heart lurched. Without thinking, she set her sketchpad on the nearby counter and rushed to Alexander's side.
"Don't move. Let me see."
Her voice was urgent as she reached for his injured hand.
Alexander startled at her sudden appearance. He immediately shifted to block the stove, terrified more oil might splash her direction.
"What are you doing down here? I told you to rest upstairs. The doctor said your pregnancy is delicate--you need to stay off your feet."
"If I hadn't come down, how would I have known my husband was trying to surprise me?"
Caroline ignored his protests. She gently grasped his wrist and pulled him toward the sink, turning on the tap and guiding his reddened hand under the cool stream.
"Just... be more careful next time. Seeing you hurt like this... it kills me."
Alexander felt heat rise in his chest, like some lovesick kid hearing those words for the first time.
He let her hold his hand, watching the focused expression on her face.
This was good. This quiet life was so good.
Her. This island. Their baby on the way. The people he trusted most at his side. It was enough.
He turned his hand over, threading his fingers through hers, his thumb brushing slowly across her knuckles.
"I'm fine. It's nothing."
His voice was low as he reached up with his free hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingertips trailing through the soft length of it.
"Did I scare you?"
"Yeah. A little."
Caroline nodded honestly. She turned off the tap, grabbed a clean kitchen towel, and carefully patted his hand dry before leaning down to blow softly on the red mark.
"Promise me you'll be more careful. Okay?"
"Okay. I promise, my private caretaker." Alexander couldn't help but smile.
He dried his fingers with another towel, then pulled her gently into his arms, his palm settling over the swell of her belly.
His hand moved in slow, tender circles.
Six months along now. He could feel the baby moving--active, alive.
The first time he'd felt it, both he and Caroline had been giddy with joy.
Now, every night before bed, they sat side by side waiting for the next kick, the next flutter.
Every movement made Alexander's heart race. And filled him with dread.
Three more months.
In three months, their child would be here.
Without realizing it, they'd already spent nearly five months on this isolated island.
Five stolen months.
But what happened after the baby was born?
The doctor had been clear: after delivery, they'd need to reassess Caroline's mental state and adjust her treatment plan.
They'd have to start weaning her off the hypnotic suggestion that she was Edith.
And as the treatment progressed, there was no telling whether Caroline's painful memories would resurface.
The thought that she might remember who he really was--what he'd done to her--sent a wave of uncontrollable terror through Alexander.
This fear was a hundred times worse than the first time he'd stared down the barrel of Linus's gun as a boy.
He was terrified.
Terrified she'd remember. Terrified she'd hate him. Terrified she'd leave. Terrified those eyes that once looked at him with love would look at him like he was her enemy.
"Alex?"
Caroline seemed to sense his silence. She pulled back slightly, tilting her face up to study him.
"What's wrong? What are you thinking about? Are you worried about me and the baby?"
Alexander snapped back to the present, shoving down the churning emotions. He forced a soft smile.
He pressed his forehead to hers, their breaths mingling.
"Don't overthink it," he murmured.
"I'm just thinking... you're going to be fine. Our baby's going to be healthy. That's all that matters."
Everything else--he didn't dare think about it. Couldn't let himself.
Caroline's cheeks flushed at the intimacy, but the worry didn't leave her eyes. "You looked awful just now. Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine. Probably just shaken up from the oil."
Alexander searched for a distraction, but his phone buzzed in his pocket before he could say anything else.
He pulled it out, his brow furrowing.
Liam.
He'd been swamped lately handling Neville Group affairs, barely keeping his head above water.
A sudden call couldn't mean anything good.
"I need to take this."
He spoke quietly to Caroline, releasing her and moving to the far side of the kitchen by the window before answering.
"Sir!"
Liam's voice was sharp with urgency.
"Mr. Armando Hamilton called. He's demanding you return to the Grandhaven estate immediately!"
Alexander's expression darkened instantly, his jaw tightening.
"Tell him I'm not available."
His tone was clipped.
"I've been handling company business remotely. He has access to all the reports and decisions. If it's work-related, we can do a video conference or handle it through documentation. If it's personal..."
He paused, his voice dropping lower, colder.
"My child is about to be born. That's the only personal matter that concerns me right now."
"Sir, I don't think you understand!"
Liam's voice grew more frantic.
"He knows where Mrs. Hamilton is. He said if you want to keep her safe--if you don't want her exact location and condition exposed to people who shouldn't know--you won't force him to come to you. He wants you back in Grandhaven. Now."
"What?!"
Alexander's pupils contracted sharply.
Ever since someone had used that strip of skin peeled from Charles's body to terrorize Caroline, Alexander had known there was a hidden watcher lurking somewhere in the shadows.
He'd only trusted his most vetted people to bring Caroline here. Even Felix had been thoroughly background-checked before being allowed to stay.
The information had been locked down tight. No one outside their inner circle knew Caroline had been moved.
Alexander had even deliberately leaked misinformation during the Neville Family's name change, letting the world believe Caroline was too ill to travel and was receiving treatment at a Grandhaven hospital.
Who the hell had leaked this?
Alexander's entire body went on high alert.
There had to be a mole--someone buried deep--or Armando wouldn't have gotten wind of this.
At least, for now, only Armando knew. No one else.