I Took the Money and the Quadruplets Chapter 15

I Took the Money and the Quadruplets Chapter 15

Eventually, the absurdly expensive meals and gifts were either distributed to my delighted neighbors or collected by the local security patrol.

Before long, it seemed everyone in Carmel knew that a ridiculously wealthy Texas ex-husband was living next door, staging a daily vigil for his ex-wife.

TMZ got photos, of course. The headline read: TEXAS OIL HEIR STAGES DAILY DOORSTEP VIGIL FOR EX-WIFE.

The internet was thoroughly entertained.

One day, my old Mercedes refused to start, and my prenatal appointment was in less than an hour. Just as I was about to call for a car, a black Range Rover pulled up beside me.

The window rolled down. It was Liam.

“Get in. I’ll take you.”

“No.”

“Ava,” he frowned, “you can’t be late for your appointment.”

I wanted to refuse. But in the end, I got in the car.

We drove in silence.

When we reached the private clinic, he insisted on coming in with me. I thought about it for a moment, and then, to my own surprise, I let him.

In the examination room, the lights dimmed. The doctor applied the cool gel and placed the probe on my stomach.

The screen lit up with a grainy, black-and-white image.

Several tiny, flickering shapes appeared.

“They’re all doing beautifully,” the doctor said cheerfully. “Four healthy fetuses. All vital signs are strong.”

Four.

I turned to look at Liam.

This man, who commanded boardrooms and moved markets without a flicker of emotion, had tears welling in his eyes.

He stared at the screen, utterly speechless.

“This is…” His voice was a raw whisper.

“My children,” I said calmly, then paused for effect. “Four of them.”

His head snapped toward me, his face a storm of emotions.

Shock, wild joy, a retroactive fear, and a regret so profound it was almost a physical presence in the room.

“Ava…” He grabbed my hand, his grip desperate. “I’m sorry. I am so, so sorry.”

He said it again and again, his tears falling hot on the back of my hand.

I looked at him, and for the first time, a crack appeared in the wall I had built around my heart.