Chapter 3 - ECHOES OF THE PAST
The guest suite in the east wing was larger than Marisol’s entire apartment. Daniel had insisted they stay, carrying Celia up the curved staircase himself while Marisol followed, numb and overwhelmed.
That night, after Celia finally fell asleep in a bed meant for royalty, Marisol found Daniel in the library. He was sitting in the dark, a glass of untouched amber liquid in his hand, staring into the unlit fireplace.
"She sleeps with that elephant every night," Marisol said softly from the doorway.
Daniel looked up. The shadows made him look older, the ruthless billionaire replaced by a man mourning lost time. "I missed her first steps," he said, the words heavy with grief. "I missed her first words. I didn't get to hold you when you gave birth. Who was there, Marisol? Who held your hand?"
"A nurse," Marisol admitted, stepping into the room. "And my mother on speakerphone. It was a snowstorm. The city was shut down."
Daniel closed his eyes, his grip on the glass tightening until his knuckles turned white. "I should have been there. I should have found you. I hired private investigators, but you changed your name on the lease, dropped out of NYU... you vanished perfectly."
"I was a structural engineer," she offered with a small, sad smile. "I know how to dismantle things so they can't be rebuilt."
"And now?" Daniel stood up, closing the distance between them. He didn't touch her, though the air between them vibrated with the urge to do so. "Can we rebuild this?"
"I don't know who you are anymore, Daniel," Marisol said honestly. "I knew the man eating cheap ramen. I don't know the man who was about to marry Fiona Greer."
"Fiona was a merger," Daniel said dismissively. "A corporate alliance my board practically arranged. I didn't love her. I haven't felt anything resembling love since a catering waitress told me I looked like I lost a fight with a glass of Merlot."
May you like
Marisol’s breath hitched. The memory was too sharp, too painfully sweet. "Daniel, we can't just pick up where we left off. I'm your housekeeper. You have a reputation, investors, a life that doesn't have room for a scandal like this."
"To hell with the investors," Daniel said fiercely. "To hell with the reputation. You are the mother of my child, Marisol. You are the only woman I have ever loved. We are doing a DNA test tomorrow to make it legally bulletproof, and then I am giving Celia my name. And if you'll let me, I'm going to spend the rest of my life proving that I'm a man worthy of both of you."
