"But weren''t you the one who said you''d just get married to someone else if you had to?"


    Guilt flickered in Sebastian''s eyes. "You''re amazing, Leslie. It''s just that, back then


    "I don''t care about the past. I want to know why you''re doing this now!"


    Leslie pressed a shaky hand to her chest. "You promised me. Even if you couldn''t give me a real home, you said you''d give me a child."


    "But she doesn''t even look pregnant, does she?"


    Sebastian twisted his fingers, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. Finally, he let out a long sigh. "I''m sorry. Something unexpected happened."


    "You always have an excuse ready, don''t you?"


    Leslie wiped her tears and spun away. The hem of her trench coat brushed over the bench, stirring up a small gust as she hurried off.


    Sebastian just stood there, watching her walk away, his fists clenching tighter with every step she took.


    Reese came down the stairs, holding her test results, and nced in the direction Leslie had gone.


    "You two seem pretty close," she said.


    "We just know each other from work."


    Sebastian snapped out of it and looked at Reese. "How did your tests go?"


    "Mild concussion. Nothing else."


    Her voice was t, impossible to read.


    Sebastian''s eyes dropped to the bandage on her forehead, and frustration bubbled up inside him.


    "I told you to stay in your room and rest. Why were you wandering the hospital?”


    He couldn''t help but think about the board at the office-everyone was on edge after the Meyer family pulled out of the partnership. His voice got sharper.


    "Why can''t you just do as you''re told? Do you get it? Because you lost the baby, my grandfather''s gotten even sicker-"


    "Your grandfather''s ill?"


    Reese''s eyes widened. "Is he okay? Is he in the hospital? What room is he in?" "It''s not that bad. He''s already back at the old house, resting."


    Sebastian checked his watch. "I have things to do. Go back to your room and lie down. I''ll have someone bring you food."


    As his footsteps faded away, Reese stood in the hallway, watching until he turned the corner. She let out a quietugh.


    Did Sebastian really think she was so clueless that she couldn''t see what was going on between him and Leslie?


    Sebastian walked out the front


    doors of the hospital and stopped to look around for Leslie, but she was nowhere in sight. He sighed, called Brady and told him to calm down the investors, then headed for the courtyard behind the hospital. Cóntent


    Leslie was sitting on a bench in the back garden, her head bowed. The wind caught her hair, showing the tear stains on her cheeks.


    Sebastian sat down beside her. "Stop crying. I''ll figure something out about the baby."


    Leslie lifted her head, her eyes red and ssy. "Figure what out? After the ident, I hardly had any eggs left. Now I have almost none."


    "There''s no way to find another surrogate with what''s left," she said bitterly.


    Sebastian was quiet for a long time before finally making up his mind. "Once she''s better, I''ll convince her to try for another baby."


    Leslie''s eyes lit up for a second, but then doubt crept in. "You already lied to her once. Do you really think you can fool her again?"


    Sebastian''s hands clenched tight on his knees. "I can. She''ll do it."


    All these years, Reese had never turned him down-not once.


    Once the baby was born, he''d finally repay Leslie for saving his life all those years ago. After that, he''d give


    Reese the life she deserved and


    spend the rest of his days making it


    up to her.


    When Reese reached her hospital room, she was surprised to see Roman and


    two traffic police officers waiting outside.


    "Detective Sanchez, is something wrong?" she asked.


    Roman nodded and looked at his colleagues. "We were at the station when we


    heard about your ident. Thought we''de check on you."


    One of the officers flipped open a notebook. "Ms. Meyer, our tests show the driver was over the legal alcobelifmit. Fimit. Can you tell us what


    happened?


    Reese frowned. "Drunk driving? But he''d been following me since I left the


    hospital."