Chapter 26: Leonardo’s POV
Ulost her.
I knew that the moment she refused to look at me in the hospital. It was all my fault.
Claire hadn’t told me that she was pregnant. I remember telling her after our wedding that she should get on contraceptives. I even took her to the doctor to obtain a prescription. The truth is: I wanted kids. I didn’t want them then but it was because of my responsibilities. I didn’t want to be an absent father. I never meant to give her the impression that I never wanted them at all.
I begged her to stay. I would’ve changed for her. Given her all the children in the world and be the husband she deserved but even I knew it wasn’t going to be enough. Claire lost our son. She held him a secret for so long and she did it out of fear. Fear that I didn’t want him when he meant so much to her. And someone took him from us – because of me.
She wouldn’t even come home with me. I entered the house alone. I sulked to my bedroom and waited by my phone, hoping she’d call. After a while, I lost hope until I heard Charlotte yelling for Elena. I go search for her after I continue to hear Charlotte yelling. I was in no mood to face anyone. Only Claire. As I searched for Elena, I found that she was helping Claire pack her things as Claire sat on the bed. She didn’t even let me know she was here.
I ask Claire to talk to me. My last effort at seeing if our marriage was salvageable. But Claire made it clear that she was done. I gave her the divorce papers and asked her my one last promise.
I watched as she walked out of the room, leaving me behind as I closed the door in defeat. I may have lost my wife before today but today I lost Claire, the love of my life and our son.
I sit in my bed after watching Claire get into the car and say her final goodbyes to Elena. I knew they were close and I can imagine how sad Elena must be. After a moment, I hear a knock
at the door.
“Come in” It must be Elena.
“Sorry Mr. Leo, Ms. Claire asked that I give you this and grab something from her nightstand.” In Elena’s hand, I see our wedding photo. The one we had just spoken about last night. She didn’t take it with her.
“You can put it on the nightstand, Elena. Thank you.”
“I didn’t do it for you Mr. Leo. I did it for her. Ms. Claire is hurting and she doesn’t deserve it.”
“No, she doesn’t.” I watch as Elena places it just as Claire had it. Where she should wake up and be able to see it every morning. Elena then opens Claire’s nightstand and sneaks something into her pocket as if I wasn’t allowed to see.
“Elena, what is that?”
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Chapter 26. Leonardo’s POV
“What is what, Mr. Leo?”
I reach my hand out and watch Elena pleads.
“Please Mr. Leo, I told Ms. Claire I would keep a secret. Only this one.‘
“Elena, I need to see what it is, I’m sorry.”
Elena hands me something wrapped in a hanker chief. I slowly unwrap it and see a pregnancy test dated a month before our anniversary and an ultrasound, Claire had known she was pregnant for over two months.
“This was in there the whole time?” I look up wide–eyed at Elena.
“Yes, I put it back just like Ms. Claire had it every time I cleaned the room.” Elena slowly reached for the test and carefully wraps it, putting it back safely in her pocket.
“You knew she was pregnant?”
“Yes, Mr. Leo.” She looked down in shame.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It was not my secret to tell. I am sorry.” Elena had a point.
“Did Claire know that you knew?”
“Yes, I tell her this morning after making her healthy breakfast.”
“Elena, who else knew that Claire was pregnant? I need you to tell me the truth. Someone intentionally killed our son today.” Maybe Elena could help me find out who did this.
“I know Claire told me, Jasmine and Jordan. No one else.”
That’s didn’t make sense. None of them had the means to harm Claire. It had to be someone who wanted to hurt me too and Jordan swallowed his pride to contact me about Claire’s well- being.
I needed to investigate this further.
