Chapter 6

Shane still looked completely calm. He even lifted the now-cold towel from Gianna's forehead, replaced it with a warm one, and only then said lightly, "What exactly did you think you saw?" As if that one question was enough to erase what she had witnessed. "Are you sure you're not delirious from the fever? Maybe you mixed people up." His expression was confused, steady, and completely serious. For a moment, Gianna actually questioned herself. Had she really mistaken someone else for him? If Stella used a mask similar to hers, then someone else could easily use one that looked like Shane's. But the doubt didn't last long. Because when Shane leaned forward, she caught sight of a faint smudge of lipstick on his collar. It was the shade Stella was wearing. And that meant whatever happened between them went beyond just a kiss. Gianna suddenly felt ridiculous for even wondering whether she'd seen the wrong thing. Shane not loving her wasn't new. It was a fact she couldn't change. "Maybe I did mix it up," she said with a bitter laugh. Shane let out a barely noticeable breath of relief and tightened his grip on Gianna's wrist. "About the painting… I'm sorry." Then he added, "But she needed it." He reached into his coat, pulled out a blank check, and handed her a pen. "Consider it something I bought." The meaning was obvious. He expected her to fill in whatever amount she wanted. But all Gianna felt was humiliation. To Shane, Stella taking Grace's identity was something he thought could be paid off. In that moment, everything became painfully clear. Maybe in Shane's eyes, she was something with a price tag, too. She had value only when he needed her, and when he didn't, he thought he could brush her off with a blank check that felt more like an insult than compensation. Gianna let out a hollow, broken laugh. She took the check and ripped it straight down the middle. A flash of shock crossed Shane's face. "You…" "I don't need your money, Shane." After saying that, Gianna pulled the blanket over her head, making her refusal painfully clear. Shane stood there in silence, almost as if he was waiting for her to keep talking. But after a long and quiet stretch, the woman who never stopped talking didn't say a single word. A strange feeling flickered through him. He frowned and asked carefully, "What about the Kurt family shares?" Gianna still didn't answer. That was when it finally clicked for Shane. Something had been off with her for a while now. She wasn't talking as much anymore. Why? Was she still mad? Even now, Shane didn't remember that Gianna had asked for a divorce. In his mind, Gianna loved him too much to ever walk away. This was just her being dramatic for a little too long. He felt annoyed, but he still forced himself to soften his voice. "Then, what do you want?" Gianna still didn't respond. She lay with her back to him as if she had fallen asleep. Shane had no choice but to take another step back. "A baby? Fine." His tone was calm and steady, but there was a faint hint of compromise hidden in it. "You've been wanting a baby, haven't you?" That one sentence shattered the little control Gianna had left. She had always wanted a child with Shane, but Shane never agreed. He always made sure the protection was in place. He said he didn't like kids and that it wasn't the right time anyway. And now, he was willing to have a baby with her… because of Stella? What a joke. Gianna shook with anger. She whipped around, biting her bottom lip so hard she tasted blood. The metallic tang filled her mouth as she shot upright and slammed the divorce papers straight into Shane's face. "Shane, what kind of sick joke is this?" Gianna enunciated every word. "Your idea of making up to me is having me give you a child? We're getting divorced! Why would I ever have a baby with you?"