AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"But what with Elsa?" I prompted.
"Youwereandarescared."
"Of her?"
She placed a hand on my shoulder. "You’ve always been afraid of letting people in, afraid they’d end up hurting you. Your father blames me, says it's because I'm the same way—cautious, yet I keep making mistakes and trusting the wrong people."
A case in point was Bianca, Damian's ex-fiancée, and Emilia's older sister, whom Mom had thought of like a daughter. Bianca had cheated on Damian, and Mom never forgave her for that. She loved Emilia as we all did now, but Mom had treated her poorly when she and Damian first married. Mom hadn't forgiven herself for it, even if Emilia had.
Like mother, like son, I thought sadly. "I kept Elsa at a distance because of fear. I’m a total coward."
"Oh, stop beating yourself up for doing what comes naturally to you." She leaned forward, her eyes locking onto mine. "You need to figure out how to win her back. She's your wife and the mother of your child. I won't accept my daughter-in-law and grandchild not being part of this family."
Her words were a command, an order. But they also carried a hint of encouragement, a belief that I could fix this if I tried hard enough. "Any thoughts on how?" I asked, feeling a bit lost.
"Start by apologizing," she said bluntly. "Show her that you’re always on her side, that you're willing to be vulnerable. Be the man she fell in love with, the man who is capable of loving her back."
I took a deep breath, feeling the knot in my chest tighten some more. "I just found out that I love her. I have no clue what that really means."
"It means different things for different people," Mom stated, "For you, I think it means trust, and for her, it means someone she can rely on you, to put her first."
I arched an eyebrow. "How do you know what it means for Elsa?"
"I met her, and I'm not blind. She grew up with an asshole father who didn't put her first. Her mother is dead. She wants desperately to have a father for her child; but she also wants a husband who sees her as the most important thing in his life."
"She is," I remarked.
"Does she know?"
I shook my head.
"Tell her."
"Like I said, I don't think she'll believe me," I muttered.
"You've got your task cut out, son." Marcella's lips curled into a small smile. "I don't know how you're going to do it, but I believe you will make things right with my daughter-in-law."
"Why do you believe that?" I asked because I didn't.
She grinned. "I've never seen you fail at anything you truly wanted. I don't believe you'll let the love of your life slip away. This woman changed you, and the child she's carrying will change you even more—for the better, darling."
Chapter 31
Elsa
Itook an Uber to go to see my doctor for what the was called ananomalyultrasound performed between the eighteenth and twenty-second week of pregnancy.
The anticipation and anxiety meant that I sat nervously in the waiting room of the Hôpital Saint-Louis, my hands resting protectively on my growing belly.
Thierry and Dean had promised to be there, and I kept glancing at the entrance, waiting for them to arrive. Their support had been a comforting buffer against the uncertainty of my pregnancy and marriage.
I was about to text them in capital letters asking them wherethe hellthey were, whenmy husbandwalked into the waiting room.
He looked hesitant, his eyes searching mine for some sign of acceptance. I felt a surge of both relief and anger. Relief because I was glad he cared enough to come, and anger because I wasn't ready to forgive him for everything that had happened. Still, I managed a small nod, acknowledging his presence.
"Thierry and Dean told you," I accused. I'd give them a piece of my mind as soon as I was done with my checkup; even though my heart wouldn't be in it because a large part of me wasveryhappy to see Duncan.
"Yes,ma douce. But don't blame them for not being here. I convinced them to let me accompany you." He took a seat next to me. "How are you feeling? How's our baby doing?"
