---- "Why are you putting these unlucky things in the house? You're just angry because I've been staying out and not coming home to see the child." His voice grew more animated, more confident. "Well, I'm back now. Where's the child? Bring him here so I can see him." He clapped his hands impatiently. "Did you name him yet? Does he look like me or like Aria?" "I'm thinking maybe Marcus, after my father. Or Alexander-that's a strong name for a future Alpha." Garrett hummed a tune as he looked around. His casual attitude was obscene in the face of such tragedy. But every servant in the Blackwood house hung their heads low with grief. ---- Some were openly crying. Others stood with clenched fists. Not one of them acknowledged his words. The head butler, who had served the family for thirty years, turned his back in disgust. Seeing this, an uneasy feeling crept into Garrett's heart. The silence was too heavy. Too real. "What's wrong with everyone? Cat got your tongues?" He began searching through the villa. "Come on, this isn't funny anymore. Where did you hide him?" He threw open doors, checked closets, even looked under beds. After finding nothing, his voice became unnatural. ---- Higher pitched. More frantic. "Where are you hiding my child?" "This is getting ridiculous. I want to see my son right now!" He spun around to face his grandfather. "Grandfather, I know what I did last time was a bit excessive. I shouldn't have gotten physical with Aria." His tone became wheedling, manipulative. "But you know how she is. Always so dramatic. She probably exaggerated everything to you." "But the child's already born. She can't really leave me and the baby, can she?" He laughed, but it sounded hollow. "Just tell me where she is, and I'll go apologize and sweet-talk her." ---- "T'll buy her some jewelry. Women love that stuff. Maybe a new car." Garrett didn't take Aria's anger and grievances seriously. He knew Aria couldn't leave him. She'd never had the backbone for it before. No matter how outrageous his behavior, for her mother's sake, Aria had to swallow all her grievances alone. She was weak. Dependent. She needed him. Besides, now they had a child. Aria had one more thing tying her down. One more chain binding her to him. Garrett didn't believe she would leave. He refused to believe she could leave.