Chapter 1
Fabio did not remain at the estate to argue.
Mabel came first.
He followed Juliet into the car while his security chief drove.
Constance shouted something from the entrance.
Fabio never heard it.
Juliet was holding Mabel across her lap.
“She’s so hot.”
Fabio touched his daughter’s forehead.
Then immediately pulled his hand away.
“Hospital knows we’re coming?”
“Yes.”
“How long has she been this hot?”
“Not this high. She was 101.6 after lunch.”
Fabio looked at her.
“And nobody called me?”
“I did.”
Fabio checked his phone.
No missed call.
Juliet stared.
“I called your private line twice.”
Fabio’s expression changed.
That line was routed through the DeSantis family communications office whenever he attended closed business meetings.
Tonight’s dinner had been one.
“Who told you I couldn’t be disturbed?”
Juliet hesitated.
“Your mother.”
Of course.
Mabel whimpered.
Everything else stopped mattering.
At St. Vincent’s Children’s Hospital, doctors moved quickly.
Blood work.
Urine testing.
Fluids.
Fever medication.
Imaging.
Mabel had a severe urinary tract infection that had progressed toward a kidney infection.
Serious.
Treatable.
The pediatrician was clear.
“She should recover fully.”
Juliet’s shoulders collapsed with relief.
Fabio sat beside her.
Then the doctor continued.
“But with a fever this high, bringing her in was absolutely the correct decision.”
Fabio looked toward Juliet.
She looked like she wanted to cry and scream simultaneously.
“How long would another hour have mattered?” Fabio asked.
The doctor answered carefully.
“I’m not going to manufacture a catastrophe that didn’t happen. But delaying evaluation would have been medically inappropriate.”
Good.
Facts.
Not drama.
Mabel was admitted overnight for IV antibiotics and monitoring.
Once she slept, Juliet finally looked at Fabio’s right hand.
“You hit your mother.”
“Yes.”
“She tried to stop me.”
“Yes.”
“She could have hurt Mabel by delaying us.”
“Yes.”
Juliet stared at him.
“Why do you sound like you’re defending her?”
“I’m not.”
Fabio looked down.
“I’m saying Mabel was already moving toward the car when I struck her.”
Juliet went quiet.
“I wanted to hurt her.”
That was the truth.
No excuses.
Juliet reached for his hand.
Fabio let her.
Then his phone vibrated.
His attorney.
Adrian Cole.
Fabio answered.
“What?”
“Constance’s lawyer just contacted me.”
Fabio’s expression hardened.
“Already?”
“Yes.”
“What does she want?”
Adrian paused.
“She says you assaulted a sixty-seven-year-old trustee in front of twenty-three witnesses.”
Fabio looked toward the hospital bed.
“And?”
“She intends to seek an emergency protective order tomorrow morning.”
Fabio’s jaw tightened.
May you like
Then Adrian said the part that changed the night.
“Fabio, she reserved the court slot yesterday.”
