Chapter 2 - The Woman Who Stole Five Months
Joseph did not ask me to trust him.
That was the first reason I almost did.
He simply said, "You shouldn't go home alone tonight."
I folded my arms beneath my chest.
"I'm not moving into your house."
"I didn't ask you to."
"You were about to."
His mouth tightened.
"Probably."
Despite everything, I nearly smiled.
Joseph noticed.
For half a second, the terrifying expression disappeared.
Then Marco returned from outside.
"Vehicle's ready."
Joseph looked at me. "Let me take you home."
"I have my car."
"Then I'll follow."
"Joseph."
"Amanda, somebody intercepted eleven attempts you made to contact me. My mother apparently kept one of your letters in a safe. Until I understand why, I'm not treating this as coincidence."
The baby shifted again.
I hated that he was right.
Twenty minutes later, Joseph's black SUV followed my aging Honda through Coral Gables.
I watched it in my rearview mirror.
Five months earlier, I had spent one impossible night with Joseph Raldi after translating during a charity negotiation at a Miami hotel.
It hadn't been reckless in the way people imagined.
There had been dinner.
Conversation.
Coffee after midnight.
He had listened when I talked.
That alone had felt dangerously intimate after Ryan.
Joseph knew I was divorced.
I knew his reputation.
Neither of us pretended we were beginning a relationship.
Then morning came.
He kissed my forehead before leaving.
"I'll call when I land."
He never did.
Three weeks later, I discovered I was pregnant.
Now the man I'd spent months trying to forget was following me home.
I pulled into the parking garage beneath my apartment building.
Joseph parked beside me.
His eyes moved immediately over the stained concrete, broken security camera, and malfunctioning gate.
He looked offended by the architecture.
"Don't."
"What?"
"Make that face."
"What face?"
"The billionaire discovering ordinary people live in buildings without armed guards."
"I wasn't."
"You absolutely were."
His mouth twitched.
Then he took my laptop bag before I could protest.
My apartment was small but clean.
Joseph entered and stopped.
A crib stood partially assembled beside the living-room wall.
Boxes of diapers were stacked beneath a window.
Tiny yellow pajamas hung over the back of a chair.
He stared at them.
"I missed all this."
There was no accusation in his voice.
That somehow hurt more.
"You weren't exactly available."
"I know."
"No, you don't."
He looked at me.
"I took three pregnancy tests alone. I went to the first ultrasound alone. I heard the heartbeat alone."
Joseph's face tightened.
"I called you from the parking lot afterward."
His eyes lowered.
"I left a voicemail."
"I never heard it."
"I know that now."
Silence stretched between us.
Finally, Joseph said, "I'm sorry."
I blinked.
Men like Ryan apologized as negotiation.
Joseph said it like confession.
"I should have made it easier for you to reach me."
"You couldn't know."
"I should have."
Before I could answer, Marco knocked.
He carried a thin leather folder.
Joseph opened it.
Inside was my letter.
I recognized the cream envelope immediately.
My handwriting.
His name.
My stomach twisted.
Joseph removed the page.
I remembered every word.
Joseph, I don't know whether you'll consider this good news, but I'm pregnant.
His eyes moved down the page.
I watched his expression fracture.
Then he reached the sentence I had almost removed before mailing it.
I'm scared, and I don't want anything from you except an answer.
Joseph lowered the letter.
"My mother read this."
Marco nodded.
"The envelope had been opened before it was placed in the safe."
"Where is she?"
"At the Raldi house."
Joseph's voice became cold.
"Bring her to me."
I stood.
"No."
Both men looked at me.
"You're not dragging your mother into my apartment for some confrontation."
"Amanda—"
"This is my home."
Joseph studied me.
Then nodded.
"You're right."
Marco looked surprised.
Joseph handed him the letter.
"Tell my mother I'll see her tomorrow."
Marco left.
I stared at Joseph.
"You actually listened."
"Was I not supposed to?"
"You'd be surprised."
His gaze sharpened.
"Ryan?"
I regretted saying anything.
"Forget it."
"I doubt I will."
"Joseph, I don't need you fighting my ex-husband."
"I'm not interested in fighting him."
The calmness was somehow ominous.
"Good."
"I'm interested in understanding why he believes humiliating you is acceptable."
"That's my problem."
"Not if he approaches you again."
I stepped closer.
"You don't get to appear after five months and decide you're in charge."
Something flickered across his face.
Then he nodded.
"You're right again."
That answer disarmed me.
"I want to be involved," he said. "But you decide what that means."
Before I could respond, someone knocked.
Three hard strikes.
Joseph instantly moved between me and the door.
"Expecting anyone?"
"No."
He signaled for me to stay back.
Then he opened it.
Ryan stood outside.
His face was furious.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Joseph's shoulders went rigid.
Ryan looked past him at me.
"So it's true."
"Go home, Ryan."
"You slept with him?"
"We were divorced."
"You replaced me with a gangster?"
Joseph's expression didn't move.
But Ryan had always confused silence with weakness.
He stepped forward.
"You think she actually wants you? Amanda wants security. That's all she ever cared about."
I felt something old and poisonous crawl up my spine.
Joseph didn't answer him.
Instead, he turned to me.
"Do you want him here?"
"No."
Joseph looked back at Ryan.
"You heard her."
Ryan laughed.
"What's going to happen? You're going to threaten me?"
"No."
Joseph reached for the door.
Ryan blocked it with his hand.
Then he made his mistake.
"That baby might not even be yours."
Joseph stopped.
I expected anger.
Instead, he looked almost amused.
"You're standing outside your ex-wife's apartment demanding explanations about a child conceived after your divorce."
Ryan's face flushed.
Joseph continued quietly.
"Whatever problem you have here isn't mine."
Then he shut the door.
Ryan pounded once.
Joseph ignored him.
I stared.
"You didn't threaten him."
"You sound disappointed."
A laugh escaped me.
A real one.
It surprised both of us.
Then Joseph's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
"Repeat that."
A pause.
"Where?"
Another pause.
Joseph looked at me.
"Understood."
He disconnected.
"What happened?"
He didn't answer immediately.
"Joseph?"
"Someone accessed your medical records yesterday."
My hand went instinctively to my stomach.
"Who?"
"We don't know."
Fear moved through me.
Then Joseph said the part that made it worse.
"They weren't looking at your history."
"What were they looking at?"
May you like
His eyes lowered to my belly.
"The baby."
