Part 3I Love You Too

A week later, Teddy came home.

It was already ten o'clock at night. In the past, no matter how late, Penny and I would have been waiting up for him.

But tonight, Penny was long since bathed and asleep.

And I wasn't in the master suite. I was in a guest room on the second floor.

When I heard the familiar sound of his car's engine, I was on the balcony, staring at the message I had received six days ago.

The receipt for a man's vasectomy.

Even now, opening it made my eyes sting.

"Elara, just say the word. Just nod your head."

"I will treat Penny as if she were my own."

"From now on, she will be my only daughter. No, my only child."

I stared at the words until the screen went dark, until I heard Teddy's footsteps on the stairs, until he came down from the third-floor master suite and stopped outside my door.

A knock.

"Elara, open the door."

I hastily wiped my eyes and tucked my phone under the pillow.

"I'm already asleep. Whatever it is, we can talk tomorrow…"

But before I could finish, the door clicked open. He'd unlocked it from the outside.

I was startled for a second, then remembered. This was Teddy's house. Of course, he had absolute authority here.

"Why did you move to the guest room?"

He sounded displeased, his voice colder than usual.

I slowly sat up and looked at him. He was weary from the long flight, pressing a hand to his brow as he spoke, his voice raspy.

I ignored the last flicker of pity in my heart and looked away. "I haven't been feeling well. I didn't want to get you sick."

"I'm not worried about that. Move back."

When I didn't move, he frowned, the expression almost imperceptible. "Elara?"

"I'm tired. You should get some rest, too."

He didn't answer. Instead, he strode to the bed, bent down, and swept me into his arms.

"It's been a week. Don't you miss me?" he murmured, lowering his head to kiss me.

I turned my face away.

He froze, surprised, and his expression quickly soured into annoyance.

"Elara Vance."

"What is this tantrum about?"