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‘I want love, Max, and a happy ever after, which now includes children, and it seems that you are not the h her, but she kept her righteous stance ‘You were right We should not have married’

Fog clouded over the memories of the day her world had fallen apart and, fed up with resting, Lisa got up froe that Max had barely looked at before leaving it on the coffee table That cursory glance had been as hurtful as his cold and unyielding face the e of their child had appeared on the screen at the private clinic he’d insisted she went to

What was she going to do? How could she have allowed herself to be talked into this charade, this pretence that everything was going to be just fine? As the questions flowed through herwith it this time sheer panic

‘You should be resting’ Max’s accented voice cut through her thoughts and she looked up at hie he created as he dominated the entire room, and as usualfor him That would only lead to more disappointment and pain For her and her baby

‘I can’t do this any more, Max’ The words rushed out, desperate to be heard, believed

‘I’ this discussion now You need to rest’ The tension in his body was palpable, but she didn’t heed its warning

He’d confessed that love and happiness were not on his radar, so what else could behim so cold and distant? News of his brother? Her conscience reminded her that the very same day, even the very same moment she’d told him he was to be a father, he’d seen the true extent of his father’s treachery eh to make any man fear the idea of fatherhood? Well, there was no way she was going to give hi her of things she didn’t do—would never do

‘I’nant, not ill’ The fierceness of her voice surprised her asto go by ‘I should be at work’

The distance between the rooer wanted to cross, not when she had no idea aited for her on the other side He was the one holding out on her, holding back his emotions If he forced her to stay she’d keep up the pretence of cold indifference, guard her heart well, until New Year’s Eve and then she would leave At least she could never be accused of not trying to involve hihter’s life

‘No, Lisa, you should not If you return to work, it will not be until after New Year and only when I am satisfied you are perfectly well’ The command and control in his voice were clear and she tried hard to fight the need to rebel, the need to revert once again to the capricious teenager she’d hidden behind

‘I can’t stay here like a pa soretting the fasta Christmas tree’

‘A Christ so headstrong she hed at him then kissed him But that was before she’d discovered who he really was Actions such as those belonged to the short and very false e they’d shared

‘Of course, a Christmas tree It’s only a matter of days until Christmas and there isn’t one bit of sparkle and cheer in this apartment’

‘I don’t do Christlowered at her

‘Too emotional for you?’ She prodded hi cat alone ‘What about visiting fae in that?’

The thought of staying here locked away in an apartment that didn’t have any hint of Christmas in it was too much She loved Christmas It was the one time of year she felt hope, felt that dreaic of the season even though it had never reached inside her childhood home Now she was trapped here with a man who didn’t believe in love or the festive season How had she ever fallen for a man so opposite to her?

Because he never revealed his true self

‘Visit fah they were physically closer the distance between them seemed as vast as it had when he’d walked into the room ‘Do you need to visit your family?’

Shock hit her like icy water Visit her family? She wished now they had talked e, wished that she’d confided in him about her past, one she’d always strived to hide But she hadn’t been able to tell him how much she resented her mother for the unsettled childhood she and her older stepbrother had experienced How she now blaot into? She hadn’t wanted to taint what she and Max had found by sharing the darkness of her childhood with him Better it stayed hidden away