Chapter 5 - The Recovery Suite
Two weeks later, the atmosphere in the neonatal unit had completely changed.
Liam and Chloe had been moved out of the general ward and into the Aurelia Pavilion—a private, state-of-the-art recovery wing that my grandfather had built years ago. The incubators were surrounded by the top neonatologists in the country, working around the clock to ensure my babies were gaining weight and breathing on their own.
I sat in a plush, comfortable armchair, holding Chloe against my bare chest for some skin-to-skin contact. She was warm, her tiny heart beating in perfect rhythm with mine, her little fingers curling around my thumb. Liam was wrapped in a soft blanket in the bassinet beside me, his cheeks finally showing a healthy, rosy color.
The glass door opened quietly, and Alistair walked in, carrying a small, beautifully wrapped box.
"How are my favorite great-grandchildren today?" he asked, his face wrinkling into a warm, genuine smile as he sat on the edge of the sofa.
"They're thriving, Grandfather," I smiled, looking down at Chloe. "The doctors say we might be able to take them home by the end of the month."
"Excellent," Alistair said, setting the box on the table beside me. "This arrived from the court clerk's office this morning. The judge signed the final decree. The divorce is finalized, the prenuptial waiver you signed under duress has been thrown out, and the court has ordered a full liquidation of Dominic's remaining assets to be placed into a blind trust for Liam and Chloe."
I looked at the box. Inside was the ivory cashmere maternity coat, completely dry-cleaned and restored to its original condition. I reached out, tracing the delicate embroidery of my babies' initials inside the lining.
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"He really thought he had won," I whispered, remembering the cold sneer on Dominic's face just fourteen days ago.
"A weak man always confuses a woman's patience with weakness, Audrey," Alistair said, placing his large, weathered hand over mine. "He saw a girl with no family present, and he thought you were prey. He didn't realize you were just waiting for the right moment to let the lions out."
