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Charlotte leaned against the island in the small kitchen A baby, a husband, had always been her dreae, before the maleficent tabloids and her husband destroyed her dreanant last year when he ay on location, fil, then miscarried that child and suffered the heartache alone A child she’d never even told him about

“We can’t raise that baby, Anthony” She leveled her gaze at hi when all her dreams were finally within her reach “We’re separated”

“So you keep re me every time I call,” he muttered “Look, I’m just as scared, but we have no choice Rachel was the only sister I kneing up Surely you understand”

Oh, no She would not be swayed by hi her of the heartache she’d suffered when she’d lost her twin sister at the tender age of ten

“It’s not that I don’t understand You know I do” She steeled herself “But sos just aren’t possible, Anthony”

Questions whirled around in her mind She didn’t knohere to start, what to do next This couldn’t be happening Forget that she needed distance if she wanted toAnthony every day Forget that she still loved thisshe didn’t rank above the next major motion picture How could shean instant parent?

The one thing she’d wished for their entire e was a baby Be careful what you wish for

Charlotte ran a hand through her hair, nerves getting the best of her “Did you knoere listed as guardians? Didn’t she ask you? You neverlike this to me”

Anthony shook his head “I didn’t know We discussed years ago if either of us ever had children, we’d put the other down as guardian in the will, but I never heard a word about it since Lily was born Children’s Services can contest the will, but they don’t really have a leg to stand on, considering I’round check was clean and they’re overwhelmed with so many other cases Basically, she’s ours now Or she will be after the court hearing in ninety days”

The ache in Charlotte’s heart deepened with the way he ift at any time, but his dreams and career had always taken precedence

“What do you want me to do, Anthony?” She tilted her chin, hands on her hips, shoving the hurt and loss aside “You can’t expect ain It won’t work”

“We have no choice,” he told her, glancing over to see Lily He dropped his voice when she stirred “The will stipulates that we are the guardians and we are listed as a uardianship in ninety days Give ive them a reason to take her from me Then we can decide what’s best Who knoe may be able to work this out between us”

Charlotte didn’t like beingforced to stick close to the e yet still turned her on with just a glance froray eyes

How could she live like that? And three ht as well be three years The heartache in the end would be the same

Actually, what she hated thefor this new family when he’d never done so for her And it wasn’t just Lily He’d been spending ical mother

A Hollywood actress, Olivia Dane had given Anthony up nearly forty years ago in a secret adoption Olivia had gone on to birth twoAnthony’s nemesis, Bronson Dane

Charlotte had barely caught her breath fro another layer to her hurt Dangling this promise of a family in front of her as if they would all live happily ever after Considering her upbringing and the tragic death of her sister, she knew better

“This won’t work, Anthony,” she repeated, fear gripping her heart “I can’t live with you again, not for any a topulled back into the life that left me shattered”

She hadn’t hts out loud, but now she had, she wasn’t sorry He needed to knohat he’d done to her, how his actions and selfishness had chiseled away their e slowly, but most definitely surely A bit of relief swept over her now at finally telling hi No uard her heart

“I know you’re hurt, and I’ to make this harder on you, but Lily needs a woman in her life,” he pleaded “I need ner and she turned one of the spare rooet Lily yesterday She should be finishing up today She put three people on the project and since the rooood to go once we get home”

Charlotte sighed and glanced at the precious bundle who had no idea of the turmoil her life was in Charlotte’s heart was not ready for another beating, but she knehat she needed to do for the welfare of this innocent child Security for Lily had to take precedence over anything else Especially over her jus for her husband

“Fine You have ninety days” Charlotte looked her husband dead in the eye—those same eyes that she’d fallen in love with She’d hold off on speaking with her attorney until the guardianship was legal “Lily’s needsback into our bedroom I’ll take the spare room on the other side of her”

Anthony clenched his jaw “You’re not going to even try withthis time? Why not share our room? Let me show you I can be the husband you want me to be”

“You had nine years of e, Anthony You can’t decide to try now just because I’m convenient” Charlotte lifted her chin and crossed her ar back in “And you can’t expectback in for Lily and only Lily”

Anthony studied Charlotte and her defensive, defiant stance She was going toless than he deserved After all the years she’d stood by him, even when he’d pushed her needs aside, he deserved all the anger and hatred she threw at hih

But she wasback in, so he’d take that small victory and ith it Soon, he vowed, she’d be back in their ed No matter the distance or hurt between them, Anthony couldn’t deny the way his wife turned hilance or a smile

Too bad sex couldn’t fix all the problee They’d been hot for each other froh they hadn’t married until many years later, the passion never fizzled Obviously, considering he’d coot around to having a conversation

Anthony sed the lue in their separation There was no denying that, but having his alk out was one hell of a wake-up call He had a feeling she’d contacted her lawyer, but he didn’t know for sure All he could hope for was to show her he was ready to be the ed By his side