Chapter 3 The grandfather's secret

The espresso store turned quiet, with only some consumers scattered around. Victor and Rose sat in a corner sales space, two steaming mugs between them. An awkward silence hung in the air.

Finally, Victor spoke. "Rose, I... I owe you an apology. The way I handled you in my office... It has become unforgivable."

Rose looked down at her espresso, her arms tracing the rim of the mug. "You in reality harm me, Victor," she said softly. "I failed to come to you for money or to entice you. I simply thought you had the right to realize."

Victor's heart clenched with guilt. "I understand that now. I was scared and I lashed out. But this is no excuse." He took a deep breath. "If you may allow me, I'd want to make it right. To be there for you and the baby."

Rose's eyes snapped up to fulfill his, a combination of desire and wariness in her gaze. "Why the sudden exchange of heart?"

Before Victor may want a solution, his cell phone buzzed. It became a text from his grandfather's secretary: "Mr. Maxwell requests your presence at once. It's urgent."

Victor frowned, displaying Rose the message. "I'm sorry, I must cross. But please, can we communicate once more soon? There's a lot more I need to say."

Rose nodded slowly. "Okay. You know where to find me."

As Victor moved quickly back to the hospital, his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. How ought to he balance his grandfather's ultimatum, his growing emotions for Rose, and the responsibility of impending fatherhood?

At the medical institution, Victor observed Richard sitting up in bed, searching for a grave. "Close the door, Victor," he stated. "What I'm approximately to inform you is that you have to no longer depart this room."

Victor complied, his interest piqued. "What's going on, Grandfather?"

Richard took a deep breath. "It's approximately Rose, and that bracelet she became sporting. You recognized it, didn't you?"

Victor nodded. "It turned into Grandmother's. But how...?"

"Sit down, my boy," Richard stated closely. "It's time you learned the reality about our family."

Over the following hour, Richard wove a tale that left Victor reeling. Years in the past, before he met Victor's grandmother, Richard had a passionate love affair with a young girl named Elizabeth. But their families disapproved, and that they had been forced aside. Elizabeth had been pregnant after they separated, a fact Richard handiest discovered years later.

"That bracelet changed into my gift to Elizabeth," Richard finished, his eyes misty with recollections. "If Rose has it, then it's the way..."

"She could be my cousin," Victor whispered, the results hitting him like a ton of bricks.

Richard nodded solemnly. "Which makes the situation with the infant... Complicated, to say the least."

Victor's head spun. How could he inform Rose? And what did this mean for their toddler?

As if reading his mind, Richard spoke once more. "We need to affirm this, of course. Discreetly. And Victor..." he kept his grandson with a stern appearance. "Until we understand for certain, you have to not breathe a word of this to all people. Especially no longer James."

Victor nodded, his thoughts already racing with the ability's consequences. As he left his grandfather's room, he almost collided with James inside the hallway.

"In a rush, expensive brother?" James smirked. "Off to look for your new woman friend perhaps?"

Victor's blood ran cold. How plenty had James overheard? "I do not know what you're speaking about," he stated stiffly, pushing beyond his stepbrother.

James' laughter followed him down the hall. "Oh, I suppose you do. And I cannot wait to see how this all plays out."

As Victor stepped out of the health center, he saw Rose waiting by using his car. His heart leaped at the sight of her, then immediately full of dread. How should he face her with this new expertise striking over them?

Rose smiled hesitantly as he approached. "I wish you no thoughts," she stated. "I just... I felt like we left matters unfinished."

Victor compelled a grin, his thoughts racing. Should he inform her the truth? Or wait till he knew for certain?

As he opened his mouth to talk, Rose suddenly paled, her hand flying to her belly. "Victor," she gasped, "something's wrong with the toddler!"