Alexander stood in the doorway of the study, his tall frame silhouetted by the hallway light. His eyes moved from my tear-streaked face to the tablet lying on the floor, the screen still glowing with the open “Ava Contingency” folder.
The silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.
“Babygirl,” he said softly, stepping inside and closing the door behind him with a quiet click. “You weren’t supposed to see that.”
My back pressed against the wall, one hand protectively over my pregnant belly. My heart hammered so hard I could barely breathe.
“You planned it all,” I whispered, voice shaking. “If I ever tried to leave with the children… you would hunt me down. Sedate me. Declare me unstable. Use force. You wrote it like I was property to be retrieved.”
Alexander crossed the room s
