The Conspiracy of Baby-Switching novel Chapter 14

“It’s okay.” I take his hand in mine and lift it to kiss his fingertips. “We can work out this dating thing together.” I smile softly.

“I can’t marry you.”

I frown. “Well, we just got together.” I chuckle. “Who knows what will happen?”

“I know.” His jaw ticks as it clenches, his eyes hold mine. “I am to marry an Italian girl.”

“What?” I drop his hand.

“My heritage is very important to me. It is expected that I deliver a strong bloodline; my children’s first language to be Italian.” He thinks for a moment before adding, “I need an Italian wife.”

I step back from him, the sting from his words cuts like a knife.

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs. “I…” He pauses. “There is no excuse for my selfishness last night.”

“It’s the twenty-first century, Gabriel. Why would you think that you need to marry an Italian?” I snap as my anger rears her ugly head. “Because I want to, Violet,” he snaps. “Because I want to.” His silhouette blurs.

“So…last night…” I screw up my face in tears. “Meant nothing?”

“It meant everything,” he whispers, his nostrils flare. “It was a gift that

we gave to ourselves. One that I will hold dear forever.” He pushes the hair back from my forehead. “You will never be forgotten.”

And I feel it coming, the pain, like a tidal wave, as my heart shatters into a million pieces. I turn and march up the hall to the bedroom. I rush into the bathroom and see my clothes folded neatly on the chair, and I put my hands over my mouth and sob. When he folded these…he knew.

He knew that we never stood a chance, all along. He knew.

I thought resigning had given us a solution to our problem, but I had no idea what was really going on in his head.

He doesn’t care at all, he never did.

My god.

I’m such a lovesick fool.

I just need to get the hell away from him.

I throw on my dress and shoes and rattle through my handbag for a pair of sunglasses. I put them on and walk back out.

His eyes hold mine. “Violet…” he whispers as he reaches for me.

“Don’t fucking touch me,” I whisper. I march to the elevator and push the button.

He stands quietly behind me, unsure if I’m about to take a swing at him.

The elevator doors open and we ride to the basement in silence.

With my dark glasses on he can’t see my tears, but the lump in my throat hurts so bad as I try to hold them in.

Once in the basement parking lot, he strides in front, and I follow him as pieces of my heart drop onto the concrete like confetti.

He gets to a black fancy car and the lights flash twice as he pushes the button. I don’t even know what kind of car it is, only that it’s cold.

Like him.

We drive to my place in silence, and I pray to god that he’s going to change his mind once we get there.

How could he not, we are meant to be together.

He pulls the car to the curb outside my building, and we sit in silence.

“Violet…” he whispers. “Don’t hate me.”

I close my eyes, verging on a full meltdown. “Goodbye, Gabriel.” “Goodbye,” he whispers.

I can’t even see him through the tears, but I know I need to get the hell out of this car before I start to beg for his love. I would give anything…

I get out and slam the door and as I walk up the steps, I hear his sports car roar up the road, he didn’t even wait until I got inside.

I sob my way through the foyer and into the elevator. After the best night of my life came the worst day in history. He’s gone.

The mover loads the last box onto the truck and pulls the door down. “That’s the last of it.”

“Thanks.” I smile.

“I’ll see you in Greenville tomorrow?” he says.

“Uh-huh.” I step back from the truck. “Drive safe.”

“I will.”

I watch on as the truck pulls out into the traffic and I look up the road.

He’s not coming.

It’s been seven days since Gabriel dropped me home, and for some reason, I thought he’d come back. In the back of my mind I hoped that it was going to be a fairy-tale romance, where the hero comes back at the last second to declare his love.

But he’s not.

I still suffer from my affliction; I miss him every day.

I haven’t spoken a word to Gabriel Ferrara, he never called, and I couldn’t bring myself to talk to him now, even if I wanted to.

He broke something between us that can’t be repaired.

I wear my diamond bracelet all the time, I will never take it off.

It is my most prized possession, and as messed up as it is, knowing that he did care makes me feel a little better.

I hope he suffers too.

I sit on the side of my bathtub and stare at the stick in my hand.

“Please be negative, please be negative.”

I’m late, and I shouldn’t be because I was on the pill.

With my heart in my throat, I watch as two lines light up, and I put my hand over my mouth in shock.

No…it can’t be.

I do another test and get the same result.

Oh my god…no, this can’t be happening.

How? I was on the pill. My mind rolls over the last few months.

Oh…the antibiotics for my sore throat, was that it?

It has to be.

Gabriel’s words from that morning come back to me, loud and clear.

It was a gift that we gave to ourselves.

Did he know?

I put my hand over my stomach and look down at myself…a baby.

What the….

I’m having his baby.