Chapter 91

At those words, Clifford's head snapped toward him, his gaze sharp and intense. "What did you say?"

Killian's scalp prickled. Clifford's reaction made him wonder if he'd misspoken, if he should have left out the 'what if.'

He tried to backtrack. "I was just asking hypothetically. Don't overreact."

“Don't make that kind of hypothesis,” Clifford said, his tone cold and final.

Killian's eyelid twitched. It seemed Clifford was vehemently against Latisha having a child.

"Alright, my mistake,” Killian said with a weak smile. It was clear now that Latisha's decision to hide her pregnancy had been the right one. He couldn't understand why any man would be so opposed to having his own child.

Latisha had been caught in the rain the night before, and by midnight, a fever had set in. She spent the entire day in bed, too weak to move. No one even knew she was at Lambert Manor until a maid entered her room for routine cleaning that afternoon and found her.

The maid pulled back the covers and gasped, startled to find someone in the bed.

"Latisha?"

Latisha's eyes fluttered open. Seeing the maid's frightened face, she pushed herself into a sitting position.

"What are you doing here?" the maid asked.

Latisha tried to sign an explanation, but seeing the confusion in the maid's eyes, she gave up and typed on her phone instead.

[I'm staying here for a few days.]

The maid finally understood. "Oh, I see. Is there anything you need?”

Latisha typed again: [Could you get me some fever medicine, please? Thank you.]

"Of course. Please wait a moment."

The maid put down her cleaning

supplies and left to get the medicine.

Latisha pressed a hand to her

forehead fer hand was as hot as her skin, so she couldn't tell how high her fever was, but the dizziness and headache were all too familiar.

The maid returned quickly with pills and a glass of warm water. After taking them, Latisha slept for several more hours. When she woke again, it was evening. She had sweated through her clothes, but the fever had broken.

She went downstairs and heard Renata's voice. She was cooing at the baby in her arms, her face glowing with the gentle joy of new motherhood.

When she saw Latisha, she paused, clearly surprised to see her still there. A fake smile spread across her face. "Latisha, you didn't go home last night?"

Latisha shook her head.

The maids' gossip immediately flashed through Renata's mind, and her smile faltered. "Why the sudden decision to stay here?"

*I needed a change of scenery,* Latisha signed.

Renata's eye twitched.

A change of scenery? She could have stayed anywhere. Why here?

She kept the thought to herself, not wanting to make baseless accusations that could damage her own relationship with Santino.

"How long are you planning to stay?"

*I'm not sure. Maybe a couple of days.*

Just then, Santino walked in. Catching sight of him out of the corner of her eye, Renata's smile returned.

"That's a good idea,” she said, her voice loud enough for him to hear. "You need to rest and recover, especially after... what you went through with the baby."

The words were meant as much for Santino as they were for Latisha. What man would still be interested in a woman who'd had two abortions? He'd have to be out of his mind.

Santino, however, showed no reaction. He walked in calmly, dressed in his usual stylish, unconventional suit, his wavy hair falling around his face. The familiar unwavering smile was in place as he went straight to Renata's side.

He sat down and gently stroked the baby's cheek. “Was he good today?"