Chapter 14 - WHAT WAS LEFT
Daniel looked terrible.
Pale.
Bandaged.
Drugged.
Alive.
Amy stood in the doorway.
He opened one eye.
“You came.”
“You got shot.”
“So guilt brought you back?”
“Don’t push it.”
He smiled.
Then winced.
She walked closer.
Daniel looked at her left hand.
Still bare.
He didn’t mention it.
Good.
“How’s Vanessa?” he asked.
“Alive.”
“Ryan?”
“Also alive.”
“Evelyn?”
“Arrested.”
“Mom?”
Amy hesitated.
“Complicated.”
Daniel sighed.
“Of course.”
Amy sat beside the bed.
For a while, neither spoke.
Monitors beeped.
A nurse passed outside.
Daniel looked at the ceiling.
“I remember when we met.”
Amy frowned.
“You’re on morphine.”
“I can still remember.”
“You tried to steal my cab.”
“You stole mine.”
“I was standing there first.”
“You were looking at your phone.”
“I had my hand on the door.”
“You’re very aggressive about transportation.”
She laughed despite herself.
Daniel turned his head toward her.
“I missed that.”
Amy’s smile faded.
“What?”
“You laughing with me.”
“That didn’t disappear by accident.”
“I know.”
There was the phrase again.
This time she let it pass.
Daniel took a shallow breath.
“When did you find out?”
“About the baby?”
“Yes.”
“Thirteen weeks ago.”
He closed his eyes.
“And you carried that alone.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.”
He smiled faintly.
“Now you’re saying it.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
Silence again.
Then Amy said, “I don’t know if I can come back.”
Daniel nodded.
“I know.”
“I don’t know if I want this marriage.”
He swallowed.
“I know.”
“You hurt me without cheating.”
“I know.”
“You made me feel like asking for your time was selfish.”
His eyes filled.
“I know.”
“You trained me to accept crumbs and call it support.”
Daniel looked away.
Amy continued because she needed to finish.
“And I helped.”
He looked back.
“What?”
“I kept pretending it was okay.”
“That doesn’t make it your fault.”
“No. But it means I need to change too.”
Daniel was quiet.
“I don’t want to be the woman who waits five years before saying she’s miserable.”
“You shouldn’t.”
“I don’t want to raise a child who thinks silence is love.”
His jaw tightened.
“Neither do I.”
Amy reached into her purse.
Daniel watched.
She removed the ultrasound photograph.
The same one she had carried into the gala.
She placed it on the blanket.
Daniel stared at it.
His face crumbled.
Not dramatically.
Just slowly.
His mouth tightened.
His eyes filled.
He touched the edge with one finger.
“That’s…”
“Our baby.”
He started crying.
Amy had seen Daniel cry only twice.
At his father’s funeral.
And when Amy’s father survived surgery.
This was different.
He covered his face.
“I missed this.”
“Yes.”
“I missed all of it.”
“You did.”
“I’m sorry.”
Amy let him cry.
She didn’t rescue him from it.
After a while, Daniel whispered, “Boy or girl?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Do you want to know?”
“Yes.”
“Can I be there?”
Amy looked at him.
She could have said no.
Part of her wanted to punish him.
Then she remembered what she had told Daniel about Vanessa.
I don’t have to become cruel because someone was cruel to me.
“You can come.”
Daniel nodded.
“Thank you.”
“But we’re not going home.”
He went still.
“What?”
“I’m still leaving New York.”
“For how long?”
“I don’t know.”
He took that in.
Then surprised her.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yes.”
“No private investigators?”
“No.”
“No security team tracking my phone?”
“No.”
“No lawyers?”
“No.”
“No showing up because you think you know better?”
Daniel gave a weak smile.
“That one might take practice.”
“Daniel.”
“No. I mean it. I won’t.”
Amy nodded.
Then stood.
At the door, he called her name.
“Amy?”
She turned.
“If I get better…”
“You will.”
“If I actually change…”
She waited.
“Would you ever consider putting the ring back on?”
Amy looked at her bare hand.
Then at him.
“I don’t know.”
Daniel nodded.
“That’s fair.”
She started to leave.
Her phone rang.
Margaret.
Amy answered.
“What happened?”
Margaret’s voice shook.
“Amy, Blackwell’s board just made an emergency filing.”
“For what?”
“They’re claiming Daniel is medically unfit to run Harrison Freight.”
Amy turned back toward him.
May you like
Margaret continued.
“And they’re using the scandal to force a takeover vote tomorrow morning.”
