Page 119 of A Sinful Gravity

My stomach cramped violently. I clutched my abdomen, throat tight, every breath tasting of blood.

Heavy footsteps thundered down the hall. Fast.

The studio door slammed open.

I looked up. Cassian. Red-rimmed eyes, shirt collar open, hair windswept and wild.

When he saw me, he froze.

"Laila is my daughter." His voice was sandpaper rough, eyes glacial. "Isn't she?"

I stared at him, trying to speak, but my throat closed around the words.

"You hid this from me for six years." He took a step forward, voice breaking. "Six years. You made me miss all her firsts. I wasn't part of anything. I knew nothing."

I drew a deep breath, forcing my voice steady.

"Because I didn't know how to tell you," I said. "When I left six years ago, I didn't know I was pregnant. Didn't find out until London. By then, I hated you too much to want any connection."

Pain flashed in his eyes. "Luna, you can't deny me the right to be a father because of my mistakes."

The words shattered my guilt. Absurd laughter bubbled up. "Let you be her father? So you could take Laila back to the King family, lock her in that soul-eating dynasty, turn her into another cold-blooded heir machine like you?"

"You know I wouldn't—" His voice rose.

"I don't know!" I cut him off, eyes stinging. "You didn't believe me. You hurt me. When I stood outside that doorpregnant with your child, I heard you say—say I disgusted you, that you wanted to escape this house. How could I trust you?"

His face went white.

The studio was quiet except for his ragged breathing and distant piano notes from another room.

He staggered back, temple vein bulging. "What about after you came back? We've spent all this time together. Can't you see I've changed?"

"I came back for the performance. I didn't think—" I stopped, breathed deep. "I didn't think you'd become this. Didn't think you'd be so good to Laila. Didn't think you'd—"

"I'd what?" He stepped closer.

"Make me waver." My nails bit into my palms. "I admit it. I've been wavering lately. Maybe I should've told you. But I was scared."

"Scared?"

"The way you were when we first met again... I was afraid you'd take her. Afraid you'd become that controlling man again."

Cassian seemed beyond hearing. He grabbed my shoulders hard, then loosened his grip when I gasped.

"How could you not give me one chance? How could you be so... selfish! Laila is my daughter, too!"

I looked into his eyes—fury, hurt, betrayal, deep confusion.

Thinking of everything I'd borne, bitterness washed over me. I'd chosen to raise Laila alone—Cassian didn't know. But I couldn't control my anger now.

Cassian didn't have to shoulder any responsibility. He enjoyed total freedom. Sat on massive wealth, never worried about groceries, medical bills, or car repairs.

While I counted every last penny even on good days. Missed being with Laila because of endless small crises.

And now, after learning all this, his first reaction was defending his rights, not thinking about how hard these years had been for me.

My chest tightened. I wrenched free. "You think this was easy? I flew to London with a belly, gave birth alone, and dragged her everywhere by myself. What choice did I have?"