Chapter 2 - The Shadow of the Past
The autumn wind hit my face like a slap as I pushed through the heavy glass doors of the restaurant.
"Natalie!" I shouted over the sound of midday traffic, my eyes wildly scanning the crowded sidewalk.
Fifty yards ahead, her dark coat disappeared around the corner of Oak Street. I broke into a run, dodging bewildered pedestrians and street vendors, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird.
When I rounded the corner, she was standing near the entrance of a quiet residential building, reaching into her bag for a keycard.
"Natalie, wait! Please!" I caught up to her, breathless, my hands shaking.
She turned around slowly. Up close, she was as stunning as the day I lost her, though her face carried a quiet, mature strength that hadn't been there four years ago. Her dark eyes, once filled with unconditional warmth whenever she looked at me, were now guarded by high, impenetrable walls.
"Luca," she said softly, her voice completely devoid of panic. "You shouldn't have followed me."
I couldn't look away from the stroller. The little boy was staring up at me, his hazel-green eyes wide with curiosity, chewing on a small wooden teething ring. Beside him, his sister slept peacefully, her tiny fingers curled around the edge of her blanket.
"Who..." My voice cracked. "Natalie, whose children are these?"
"They're mine," she replied calmly, stepping between me and the stroller, shielding them from my frantic gaze.
"They look like me," I gasped, stepping closer, my hands hovering in the air as if touching the reality of them might break a spell. "The boy... he has my eyes. He has the Moretti family ring around his iris. Natalie, how old are they?"
"They are seven months old, Luca," she said coldly. "And they have nothing to do with you."
"Seven months?!" I did the math rapidly in my head, my thoughts spiraling into chaotic confusion. "Seven months... that means you conceived them over a year ago. Who is the father, Natalie? Are you married?"
A bitter, quiet laugh escaped her lips. "I am not married, Luca. And I owe you zero explanations. You made your choice four years ago on a snowy Tuesday night when you walked out on me because you thought I was broken."
"I was wrong!" I pleaded, stepping closer, ignoring the stares of passersby. "I just came from Dr. Miller's office! The medical records... the reports I was given four years ago by Victor's specialist... they were wrong! I never had an fertility issue, Natalie! I was lied to!"
At the mention of Victor’s name, Natalie’s posture went rigidly stiff. Her eyes narrowed, a flash of deep, profound fury crossing her feature before she masked it with cool indifference.
"Victor," she repeated under her breath, shaking her head slowly. "You're still letting your brother rule your life, aren't you?"
"What does Victor have to do with this?!" I demanded. "I need to know the truth, Natalie! Did you go to an IVF clinic? Did you use a donor? Or... or did you..."
"I built a life without you, Luca," she interrupted, her tone sharp as a razor. "The way you wanted. Now go back to your restaurant. Go back to Evelyn. Leave us alone."
Before I could reach out, she swiped her keycard, pushed the glass door open, and maneuvered the stroller inside the lobby. The heavy door clicked shut behind her, the automatic lock sliding into place with a sharp, final sound.
I slammed my palm against the glass. "Natalie! Please!"
Inside the lobby, she didn't look back. She walked toward the elevator, her head held high, taking my heart—and the truth—with her.
Behind me, the sound of clicking heels approached. I turned to see Evelyn standing on the sidewalk, her arms crossed tightly over her designer jacket, her expression filled with cold suspicion.
May you like
"Luca," Evelyn said, her voice laced with warning. "Care to explain why you just abandoned our lunch to chase your ex-wife down the street?"
I looked at Evelyn, then back at the glass lobby doors. The foundation of the life I had built over the last four years was beginning to crumble beneath my feet, revealing a dark abyss of secrets I was only beginning to comprehend.
