Chapter 79

“Sophia?” he murmured, almost inaudibly, but the silence amplified his words.

I reflexively stepped back. I had waited for this day, for this moment with all my might. Yet, now that he was here, I wanted to flee, to pretend I’d never seen him.

But I had. And he had seen me.

Gabriel shook his head, opened his mouth, then closed it. “You… hospital… labor rooms… what?” His voice was strained.

I inhaled deeply. Words failed me. I stood silent.

I gulped as he slowly approached.

“You’ve… you’ve gained weight,” he murmured. “You’re on the OB/GYN floor, coming from the labor rooms…”

Yes, genius, I thought. I don’t need to explain.

“You…” Gabriel paused, his voice breaking. His exhaustion was evident, even through his crisp black suit. His sunken, red eyes and messy hair betrayed sleepless nights. “You were pregnant?”

I nodded. “Yes, I told you.”

“No, you didn’t!” he accused, his eyes hardening, his voice filled with anger.

His anger quickly subsided, replaced by disbelief. “You were pregnant.”

I nodded.

“M… mine?”

Tears welled, but I just nodded.

He inhaled sharply.

“Do you want to meet them?” I asked gently.

“Them?” he asked. “It’s twins?”

I nodded, pursing my lips to suppress a smile at the thought of my little ones—a girl and a boy.

“I… you…” Gabriel was speechless, but nodded.

“Come,” I said, turning and walking, assuming—hoping—he’d follow. He did, all the way to the NICU.

He flinched at the sign, his confusion evident. If he had questions, he didn’t ask them.

Luna’s eyes widened in shock. She gasped, then quickly rose, stumbling out, muttering, “I’ll give you some space.”

I offered a small smile, concealing my wish to be anywhere but alone with my ex-husband. But he was the father of my children, and I wouldn’t deprive them of him.

Gabriel stared intently at our daughter in her incubator, his eyes wide. “Aurora,” I said, “I named her Aurora.”

“Aurora,” he repeated, mesmerized. “Can I… may I hold her?”

I nodded. Hospital policy limited handling of the babies in the NICU to minimize germ exposure.

I helped open the incubator and gently placed Aurora in his arms. His trembling hands and fearful expression were unmistakable.

“She’s so beautiful,” he murmured, his gaze fixed on her. “Just like…”

He trailed off, leaving the thought hanging in the air. Just like whom?

I picked up Alex as Gabriel gently lowered Aurora. The movement woke her, and she frowned at him.

“She doesn’t like me,” Gabriel said, horrified. I resisted the urge to smile. He wouldn't get a smile from me—not now.

“She’s a baby. She may not like anyone yet.”

“I bet she doesn’t frown at you.”

“That’s because I feed her.”

Gabriel’s frown mirrored Aurora’s.

Ignoring him, I placed Alex in his arms, my hand brushing his, igniting a familiar burn. “Alex,” I said.

“Like Alexander?”

“No,” I said, scrunching my nose. “Just Alex.”

“He’s… bigger.”

“I had a complication,” I explained softly. “He grew larger than she did.”

“But she’ll…” His question faded.

“She’ll grow,” I finished. “She’s okay.”

“He looks like me.”

“A carbon copy,” I smiled at my sleeping son.

Aurora’s cry interrupted us, and I quickly stepped back. We aren’t a family, I reminded myself.

“I need to feed her,” I said, clearing my throat.

His brows furrowed in confusion, then understanding dawned. “Oh… OH.” His eyes darted to my chest, and I squirmed under his gaze.

“Can you wait outside?” I asked.

He didn’t show any hurt, simply nodding. “Can I take him?”

I nodded. “I have a room. You can wait there.” I pointed to my room, and he nodded, leaving.

The moment he was gone, my composure crumbled. I wanted to cry, but I had to tend to my daughter.

She fed and fell asleep within ten minutes.

Their daytime sleep amazed me; at night, they were wide awake.

I returned Aurora to her crib, asking Luna to watch her, then went to my room.

Gabriel sat on the couch, cradling Alex, staring at the sleeping infant.

I cleared my throat to get his attention.

“They’re… I don’t know what to say,” he breathed.

I crossed my arms. “Why are you here, Gabriel?”

“What do you mean, why am I here?”

“Why are you here now?” I retorted, sitting across from him.

He looked as though he was trying to suppress a scoff. “I came for you. You disappeared.”

“You mean after you sent me divorce papers and slept with Lily? I’m sorry I didn’t wait around to see you two marry.”

Gabriel blinked. “What?”

“You know, Lily… your ex,” I said, emphasizing the obvious.

“I know who Lily is,” Gabriel said coldly. “Why would I sleep with Lily?”

“You didn’t?”

“No!” The offense in his tone was palpable.

“Well, I’m sorry I assumed you slept with her when I called and she answered, mentioning you were asleep beside her.”

“Sophia, what the f*** are you talking about?”

I winced. “Can you not curse around the babies?”

“They don’t understand anything yet.”

“You really want the F-word to be one of the first words your son hears from his dad?”

“I spoke to him plenty when you weren’t there,” he muttered, rising. “I’m going to keep him back there. Is that safe?”