But the word was out, and there was no taking it back. Amara followed Finnian out the door, a little curious herself about where he was taking her.


    They got into his car, and it moved through the Wye nightscape, turning from wide avenues onto smaller streets. Gradually, the surroundings started to feel familiar. A suspicion bloomed in her mind, and her heart began to beat faster. Surely he wasn''t taking her to...


    He was.


    A few minutester, the car pulled into the familiar gatedmunity, and Amara''s eyes widened. She knew this ce intimately; she had lived here for three years. This was her marital home with Finnian.


    Noticing her reaction, Finnian parked the car by the gate. "Did you forget?" he asked softly. "You still own this ce."


    When they divorced, Finnian had given her the multi-million dor house. But it was filled with too many painful memories, and she had never wanted his money anyway. So, she had never oncee back. Over time, she had simply forgotten it was hers.


    "Let''s go inside." Seeing the nostalgic look on her face, Finnian led her into the yard and then through the front door.


    The vi had been empty for over two months. A thickyer of dust covered the elegant furniture, and the air was cold and still. But everything was achingly familiar. She had only been gone for a couple of months. This ce, more than any other, had been her home, a ce she had once tried to fill with warmth. How could she have forgotten to even check on it?


    Seeing her lost in thought, Finnian knew he had made the right choice in bringing her here. He went to the kitchen and returned with a soft drink and a bottle of wine, handing her the drink. "You must be thirsty. Have something to drink."


    Amara nodded and took the can, but Finnian didn''t let go. Their hands remained sped around it, suspended in midair.


    "Mr. Everly, is something wrong?" she asked, a blush rising on her cheeks.


    He just stared at her, silent. He had originally intended for them to share a drink, but then he remembered she was pregnant. The thought pierced him, sharp and painful. Even after all this time, the knowledge that she was having another man''s child was a wound that refused to heal.


    Forcing the emotion down, he released the can. "It''s nothing. I was just lost in thought."


    It was clearly an excuse, but Amara didn''t press him. She had a feeling she wouldn''t want to hear the real answer.


    Finnian watched her, wondering what was going through her mind. Was she remembering the life they''d had in this house? If, during those three years, he hade home, every night instead of leaving her here alone, what would their lives be like now? Would they be happy? Harmonious? Would they have had a child of their own?


    The question echoed in his mind. He looked at Amara, at the familiar furniture, and a vivid scene yed out in his imagination: hees home from work just as she''s finishing her own day she smiles at him, asks him softly how his day was. He tells her it was fine, sharing some amusing story as he takes her hand and leads her to the kitchen. They cook dinner together, eat, and maybe go for a walk afterward...


    ***