Valerie’s eyes flickered open. Blurry ceiling tiles came into focus above her, and the sharp scent of antiseptic burned her nose. Where was he? Where was her son?
She heard his faint cry before she passed out, so she knew he was alive.
She craned her neck, peering around the small hospital room. Empty. Panic bubbled in her chest. Where was her son!?
“Nurse!” Her throat was raw. She winced, swallowing hard. “Where’s my baby?”
A woman in pink scrubs hurried to Valerie’s bedside. “Please try to relax, Miss Foster.”
“Relax?” Valerie rasped. “How can I relax? Where is he?”
“Oh god, did something happen to him? But the doctor said he was healthy when they checked last time. Is he okay?” Valerie breathed.
The nurse checked Valerie’s IV, avoiding her gaze. “The baby is perfectly healthy. He is in the nursery with his dad.”
His dad?
“My baby doesn’t have a dad,” Val said.
Heck…he didn’t even have

Antonio’s smirk faltered for a moment as he glanced at River. “Well, Cara,” he began, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. At that moment, with that stupid expression on his face, he almost looked like a little boy who had done something wrong.
“What is it?” Valerie asked, feeling dread pulling in her stomach as she imagined the worst. Why did he look so guilty?
“There was a bit of a mix-up with the paperwork when you were rushed in. A… uh… misunderstanding.” He hesitated.
Valerie frowned, her gaze shifting between the two men. “What kind of misunderstanding?”
River took a deep breath and stepped forward. “Antonio…he signed the birth certificate as the baby’s father.”
Val stared at the two men, uncomprehending. “He…WHAT?” she cried when she realized what was said, then quickly lowered her voice, remembering she was at the hospital. “I don’t understand,” she hissed.
“By accident,” Anto

Ellie Foster stared at Antonio Costello and then back at her husband. Antonio and River had been rivals for a while now, and she knew River was itching to kill him right now. Or at least, badly hurt him. But unfortunately, he had his sister and her newborn baby to think about.
But did Antonio just say he signed Valerie’s baby’s birth certificate?
Ellie’s eyes widened, and she instinctively tightened her hold on the baby. “What do you mean, accidentally?” she asked, her voice a mix of incredulity and disbelief.
Antonio shrugged nonchalantly, the grin still plastered on his face. “When Valerie was being rushed in, there was a lot of confusion. The nurses asked me to fill out some forms, and I…well, I might have put my name down as the father.” He glanced at me, his expression oddly proud. “So, it seems I am now officially the father of this adorable bambino.”
Ellie was speechless, and River looked like his anger was momentarily eclipsed by sheer shock. “You…you can’t just do that,” River stammered. “That’s not how parenting works!”
Antonio raised an eyebrow, his demeanor suddenly serious. “Relax, Foster.”
“Don’t tell me to relax, asshole!” River growled. “Get the doctor in here and fix this mess right now!”
But Antonio dismissed River’s anger with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Why the fuss, Foster? The deed is done. And let’s be honest, I’m a far more respectable figure than that pitiful excuse for a father Julian could’ve been.”
Both Ellie and River stood dumbfounded, staring at his nonchalant posture as he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Ellie knew River had half a mind to punch that smug grin off his face. But he knew better than to start a fight in the hospital.
“Respectable?” River repeated incredulously. “Antonio, your history of trouble is longer than your family’s lineage!”
He snorted at this, still looking oddly amused by the whole situation. “At least I am here, Foster. I didn’t choose the fatherhood. The fatherhood chose me.”
River moved forward, and Ellie could tell he was planning to hit Antonio.
“River, don’t,” Ellie warned, her voice tense with apprehension.
It was at this point that the doctor finally arrived. Clearly unaware of the tension in the room, he glanced between Antonio and River.
“Is everything okay in here?” he asked, his professional demeanor at odds with the awkward atmosphere.
“No,” River stated firmly before Antonio could interject. “There has been a mistake. This man is not the father of the baby.”
“Sure I am,” Antonio interrupted, stepping closer. “How is the mother doing?”
“Yes, is Val awake?” Ellie asked anxiously as she cradled the baby boy.
The doctor looked at everyone, clearly perplexed by the tension in the room. “Valerie is stable and awake,” he said, addressing Ellie. “She did very well considering the circumstances. She’ll need to stay hydrated and get some rest. She is requesting to see the baby now.”
“Yes, of course. Let’s go,” Ellie said.
Antonio nodded before he turned his attention back to River. “See, Foster? Everything is fine.”
“No, everything is not fine,” River shot back, stepping closer to Antonio. “You need to get your name off that birth certificate. Because once Valerie finds out what you did, even I wouldn’t be able to save you from her.”
“Please, let’s not keep fighting,” Ellie warned. “Valerie must be waiting.”
River and Antonio began to argue in hushed tones, but Ellie was determined to keep the peace and prevent any further escalation.
With a deep breath, she stepped between them and placed a calming hand on each man’s shoulder.
As they approached Valerie’s room, the atmosphere in the hospital hallway seemed to lighten, and the tension that had been palpable just moments before began to dissipate.
Ellie let the nurse take the baby first then motioned to River and Antonio that it was time to see Valerie.
The doctor had managed to secure the privacy of the room, and as the door opened, a small gasp of surprise escaped Valerie when she saw them.

Valerie’s eyes flickered open. Blurry ceiling tiles came into focus above her, and the sharp scent of antiseptic burned her nose. Where was he? Where was her son?
She heard his faint cry before she passed out, so she knew he was alive.
She craned her neck, peering around the small hospital room. Empty. Panic bubbled in her chest. Where was her son!?
“Nurse!” Her throat was raw. She winced, swallowing hard. “Where’s my baby?”
A woman in pink scrubs hurried to Valerie’s bedside. “Please try to relax, Miss Foster.”
“Relax?” Valerie rasped. “How can I relax? Where is he?”
“Oh god, did something happen to him? But the doctor said he was healthy when they checked last time. Is he okay?” Valerie breathed.
The nurse checked Valerie’s IV, avoiding her gaze. “The baby is perfectly healthy. He is in the nursery with his dad.”
His dad?
“My baby doesn’t have a dad,” Val said.
Heck…he didn’t even have a name yet.
I want to see him,” Valerie struggled to sit up, clutching the thin blanket. “Bring me 

6. His Dad