---- Chapter 21 Amira Osborne POV: Arjun walked in, holding Chloe by the hand. She broke away from him and ran to Carter' s bedside, her small face a mask of concern. "Mommy and Daddy said you got a big owie because you saved me," she said, her voice full of childish gravity. "' m going to stay and read you stories until you' re all better." | saw Carter flinch at her casual use of "Daddy" for Arjun. But his expression quickly softened as he looked at the little girl. He saw another opportunity, another pawn in his game. "It doesn' t hurt a bit, sweetie," he said, his voice gentle. He reached out to pat her head. Arjun intercepted the gesture, smoothly pulling Chloe back. "Why don' t you go wait with Grandpa Albright in the cafeteria, bug?" he said with a smile. "Mommy and | will be right there." As soon as she was gone, Carter's face hardened. "You' re relentless, aren' t you?" he sneered at Arjun. "Always lurking, always trying to worm your way into her life." Arjun just pushed his glasses up his nose, a cool, unbothered smile on his face. "Chloe is just a little shy around strangers. ---- She' s most comfortable with me and her mother." The possessive way he said "her mother" made Carter's jaw clench. He gripped the bed railings so tightly his knuckles turned white, dislodging the IV needle in the back of his hand. | ignored his childish display and turned to Arjun. "Did you order lunch? I' m starving." As the orderly brought in our food trays, Carter watched us with hawk-like intensity. Arjun placed a bow! of soup in front of me. Carter let out a derisive laugh. "You still don' t know her at all, do you? She hates celery. Always has." Arjun froze, a look of mortification on his face. He looked at me, his cheeks flushing. "Amira, I'm so sorry, | didn' t know..." Carter pressed his advantage. "And she' s allergic to bell peppers. One bite and she breaks out in hives. You have to be careful with her." He looked at Arjun with smug pity. "See? The spot next to her isn' t for just anyone." Arjun looked utterly crestfallen. "Amira, |..." | looked at his worried, handsome face, and something in my chest fluttered. Without a word, | picked up my spoon, dipped it into the soup, and took a large bite, making sure to get a piece of celery. Carter' s smug smile vanished. "But... you hate celery." ---- | took another bite. "People change, Carter," | said, my voice cool and even. "Tastes change." Arjun' s eyes lit up with a mixture of relief and something else, something deeper. | pushed my chair back and stood up. "I' m not coming back here," | announced. "I' Il hire a private nurse to take care of you. |' Il give you money, whatever you need. But this... this charade is over." | looked at him, at the man who had been the sun in my sky for so long. "You had your chance to be the man | loved," | said, my voice quiet but firm. "But you rotted from the inside out. You' re not worth my time anymore." Arjun stood beside me, a faint, knowing smile on his face. "Besides," he said, looking at Carter with a cool, dismissive air, "| have a feeling you' re going to be very busy soon."