Zeke didn’t say anything. He quietly walked over to the side of Claire’s bed and sat down in the chair next to it.
His eyes immediately went to her face.
Even with her pale skin and the medical wires attached to her, Claire still looked beautiful. She had Cassidy’s nose, her lips and eyebrows too.
Her small face made Zeke feel a rush of emotion. There was so much love mixed with pain that he couldn’t quite describe.
He still couldn’t believe it.
Claire was his daughter. And for four years, he hadn’t known a thing.
Zeke clasped his hands together, his eyes still on her.
Why didn’t you tell me, Cass?
Did she really think he didn’t deserve to know? Was he really that cold or unimportant?
Now everything made sense. The reason she left. Quietly. Without a word.
She left because she was pregnant.
And she didn’t want him to find out.
That’s cruel, Cass. Really cruel.
Zeke took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. He didn’t want to break down. Not now.
Claire needed peace. And Cassidy... she had already been through enough.
Slowly, Zeke reached out and gently touched Claire’s small hand.
"I’m here," he whispered softly. "Daddy’s here."
Half an hour later, Blake called to say he had bought the food. Zeke told him to come up to the VIP floor and wait for him at the door.
Blake handed him a plastic bag filled with the food he had picked up. "Here you go, boss."
Zeke took it with a nod. "Thank you," he said, before heading back into Claire’s room.
He set the food down on the table and looked at Cassidy and Clara. "You two should eat."
Cassidy softened. "What about you? Aren’t you eating?"
"I’m not hungry yet," Zeke replied. "I’ll eat after you’re done."
Cassidy and Clara ate in silence. About an hour later, Cass looked at her and said softly, "You should head home, Clara. I’ll stay with Claire tonight."
Clara glanced at her with a gentle look. "You sure, dear? I don’t mind staying."
Cass shook her head. "It’s okay. I’ve got it."
Clara nodded slowly. "Alright. I’ll come back in the morning. Do you need anything from the apartment?"
Cass thought for a second. "Just a change of clothes. And Claire’s bunny, the one she always sleeps with."
Clara smiled warmly. "Of course. I’ll bring it. Anything else?"
Cass gave a small smile. "No, that’s all. Thanks, Clara."
Clara reached out and gently patted her hand. "You rest when you can, okay? You’ve been strong."
Cass looked down, her voice soft. "I’m trying."
"I know you are," Clara said kindly. Then she turned to Zeke and nodded. "Goodnight, Mr. Salvador."
"Goodnight," Zeke replied.
Clara gave Cassidy one last reassuring look before quietly leaving the room.
As the door clicked shut behind Clara, Cassidy turned toward Zeke. He was still sitting there, unmoving, his eyes fixed on Claire.
She walked over slowly, her voice gentle. "Zeke... you should go home. You’ve been here a while. You must be tired."
But before she could say more, Zeke looked up. "I’m staying," he said. "I’m not leaving her."
Cassidy sighed softly, not in frustration but in concern. "That’s not necessary," she said. "I’ll stay with her. Don’t you have work tomorrow?"
Her tone wasn’t cold, it was careful. She had seen how long he’d sat by Claire’s side. How quiet he’d been. How heavy everything felt. She didn’t want to push him away, but she wanted him to rest.
Zeke met her eyes, calm but firm. "I’ve already lost over three years with her. Can’t you give me this, just a little more time with my daughter?"
There was no anger in his voice. Just quiet hurt.
He paused, then added, "And I’m the CEO of Salvador Group. I don’t need anyone’s permission. I’ve already told Andrew to bring my laptop and the documents I need to sign here tomorrow."
Cassidy felt something twist inside her. She didn’t want to fight him. She understood.
She nodded gently. "Okay. If you want to stay... you can. You can watch over Claire."
Zeke looked at her, and his voice softened. "Thank you."
It was a simple word, but it held so much. Gratitude, sadness, and something else neither of them could quite say.
They sat down in their places. Zeke beside Claire’s bed, Cassidy on the sofa not far from it.
The room fell into a heavy silence until Cassidy suddenly spoke, her voice quiet but clear. "You know... I didn’t want you to find out about Claire ."
Zeke didn’t say anything. He just listened, his eyes never leaving her.
"After our conversation earlier, I planned to tell you about Claire," she continued. "That’s why I asked for your number. I told you I wanted to talk again... just not today. I needed time to talk to Claire first, to prepare her."
Zeke finally understood. So that was it. That was why she said she wanted to talk again, because she wanted to talk about Claire.
Cassidy let out a soft breath, her fingers tightly clasped in her lap. Her voice was shaky now, barely holding together. "Claire was so excited to meet you. After I picked her up from preschool, I asked if she wanted to see her daddy. And she said yes, so happily. She’s been waiting for this moment for a long time."
She paused, her lips trembling as the emotion she’d been holding back pushed its way through.
"...and then this happened," she said bitterly, her voice cracking. "I’m so sorry."
Her body tensed before it began to tremble, and a sob escaped her. Her face crumpled as tears streamed down her cheeks, guilt and helplessness pouring out of her in waves.
Zeke stood up the moment he heard her break. His heart clenched. Without saying a word, he crossed the short distance between them and sat beside her.
Gently, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She didn’t resist. She leaned into him, her body shaking with every sob as his arm held her steady, warm, firm, and quiet. He didn’t speak. He just stayed there, grounding her, letting her cry.