---- Chapter 23 Amira Osborne POV: As | walked down the hospital corridor, | could hear the sounds of shouting and things being thrown in Carter's room. | didn't feel a shred of pity. This was the bed he had made, the chaotic, miserable life he had chosen. For a few weeks, there was peace. | assumed he was too busy dealing with the fallout of his newfound fatherhood to bother me. | was wrong. | was at the park with Chloe. | turned my back for one minute to buy her a balloon, and when | turned back, she was gone. A cold, familiar dread washed over me. | didn't panic. | didn't scream. | simply took out my phone and sent a text message to Carter. "You have three minutes to bring her back, or I' m calling the police and telling them you' ve violated your parole." Less than a minute later, he appeared from behind a large oak tree, holding a perfectly happy Chloe in his arms. She had ice cream on her face. To her, he was the hero who had saved her from the "scary man." She trusted him. He had the audacity to look wounded. "! wasn't going to take ---- her, Amira. | just wanted to see her." | ignored him and held out my arms for Chloe. She came to me without hesitation. "Have you dealt with your family situation?" | asked, my voice devoid of emotion. "Or are you planning on being a deadbeat dad?" His face flushed. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you? Pushing me away, pushing me toward... her." | finally looked him in the eye, my gaze steady and cold. "Let me be clear, Carter. | am not 'pushing' you anywhere. Your life is your own mess to clean up. The only reason | am suggesting you take responsibility for your child is so that you have something to occupy your time and will finally leave me and my daughter alone." | started to walk away. He followed, a desperate, pathetic shadow. "Can we just be friends?" he pleaded. "Is that too much to ask?" | was about to deliver a final, crushing refusal when | saw her. A young, beautiful woman with a bright, possessive smile was rushing towards the park entrance, right where Arjun was waiting for us. She threw her arms around his neck. Arjun stiffened, gently but firmly removing her arms. She pouted and linked her arm through his, clinging to him like a limpet. ---- Carter saw them too. A slow, malicious smile spread across his face. "Well, well," he murmured. "Looks like your new man isn't quite the saint you think he is." He gestured towards them. "You should probably leave. This could get awkward." "Why would | leave?" | asked, my voice calm. | shifted Chloe on my hip and started walking towards them. "l have nothing to be insecure about." | reached them just as Arjun was trying, and failing, to detangle himself. He saw me and his face flooded with relief. "Amira! There you are." The young woman's smile vanished. Her eyes raked over me with open hostility. "And who are you?" she demanded. Arjun's tone became formal and cold. "This is Amira Osborne. She is... a very important person to me." The woman's eyes narrowed. She stepped forward, her chin high. "I'm sure she is. I'm Jianna. Arjun's fiancée."