We're seated at a massive table—Luca at the head, me to his right, Leo next to me. Aurora sits across from Leo, between her father and some aunt I don't know.
She's wearing a dark blue dress. Hair down. Minimal makeup. She looks exhausted.
Beautiful.
Mine.
Not yours. You gave her away.
Leo's talking—some story about a business deal, exaggerated and full of himself. Aurora's nodding politely, but I see the way her jaw tightens. The way her fingers grip her fork too hard.
She's barely holding it together.
"Aurora," Luca says. "Why don't you tell Axel and Leo about your degree?” He turns to me. “She is a wizard with numbers.”
She sets down her fork. "Yes. Chartered accountant. I specialized in forensic accounting and financial analysis."
"Smart," I say before I can stop myself.
Her eyes meet mine. Something flashes there— anger, hurt.
"Thank you, Mr. Santego."
"Call me Axel. We're going to be family after all."
The word feels like swallowing glass.
"Of course." She looks away. "Axel."
Leo reaches over and puts his hand on hers. "My fiancée's brilliant. Going to help me run the business side of things."
Aurora's whole body goes rigid.
I watch her try not to pull away from his touch. Watch her force a smile.
This is my fault.
The dinner continues. Course after course, conversation flowing around me while I sit here burning with the knowledge that I did this to her.
Aurora barely eats. Just pushes food around her plate, answers questions when asked, and looks like she'd rather be anywhere else.
"We should discuss wedding plans," the aunt says. "Have you thought about a date?"
"Not yet," Luca answers. "We're thinking three months. Enough time to plan something appropriate."
Three months.
In three months, Leo will have a legal claim to her, to her name, to the child I put inside her. My child will call my son father because I walked into Luca's office and made a deal without asking a single question that mattered.
I've made decisions that cost lives and felt less sick about it than this.
"Sounds perfect," Leo says. "Though honestly, I'd marry her tomorrow if I could."
He grins at Aurora. She smiles back, but it doesn't reach her eyes.
I drain my wine glass. Pour another.
Viktor, sitting a few seats down, catches my eye. The look he gives me saysyou're drowning, and everyone can see it.