Chapter 2 - Echoes in the Windy City
Julian did not attend his scheduled board meetings that afternoon. Instead, he rented out the entire top floor of a luxury hotel downtown and paced the length of the suite like a caged animal. He had immediately placed a call to his head of security in New York, demanding a full, retroactive investigation into Evelyn's medical records from five years ago. Within hours, the encrypted files were sent to his tablet. He sat on the edge of the velvet sofa, his hands shaking as he read the notes from the obstetrician he had once assumed was Evelyn's secret lover.
The medical reports detailed a terrifyingly high-risk triplet pregnancy. There were notes about Evelyn's blood pressure, her severe morning sickness, and her desperate pleas to keep the babies safe until she could surprise her husband on their anniversary. Julian dropped the tablet onto the glass coffee table. A choked sob tore from his throat. He buried his face in his hands, the crushing weight of his own arrogance suffocating him. He had not just thrown away his wife; he had abandoned his three daughters and left the woman he loved to face a life-threatening pregnancy entirely alone.
The next morning, Evelyn was at her desk at the environmental research firm she had helped build in Chicago. She was reviewing a new water purification patent when her assistant knocked on the glass door, looking deeply uncomfortable. Evelyn knew before the girl even spoke. She walked out to the reception area to find Julian standing there. He looked terrible. His suit was wrinkled, his eyes were bloodshot, and he carried a thick manila envelope.
I am not leaving, Evelyn, he said, ignoring the stares of her colleagues. I saw the medical records. I know everything. I know what I did.
You have no right to look into my medical history, she hissed, grabbing his arm and pulling him into a private conference room. She slammed the door behind them. You made your choice, Julian. You chose your paranoia over our marriage.
May you like
I was a fool, he pleaded, his voice breaking. I was terrified of losing you, and my own insecurities destroyed us. But I am begging you. Let me make it right. Let me be a father to them. I have the money, the resources. I can give them the world.
They already have the world, Evelyn replied, her chin held high. And they do not need your money. They need a father who believes in them without needing proof. You lost that privilege.
