Which only made them fall harder.

‘Andreos... Leaving him...that’s tearing me apart.’

‘Just Andreos?’

The question was deep and low. But heavy with unspoken emotions.

I lifted my gaze to find him watching me with hawk-like intensity, his eyes burning with a new light. One that made my insides leap.

‘Ax...’

Before I could answer his hand seized mine, his eyes steadfast on me.

‘Will you give me the chance to make things right, Calypso? Trust me just for a little while?’ he demanded with a hoarse plea.

About to answer, I paused as we pulled up at the private airstrip and stopped next to his plane. ‘Axios, where are we going?’

He alighted and held out his hand. I slid out of the car, still in a daze, and didn’t resist when he pulled me close.

‘You’ve lived in fear for over a year, while bearing and caring for our son. You’ve loved him unconditionally when you could’ve taken a different option without judgement. But you don’t need to be alone in this. You never need to be alone again,’ he vowed.

The depth of his words made my heart pound with tentative hope. That hope turned to shock when I spotted the middle-aged man standing at the door of the plane.

‘Dr Trudeau...what are you...? What’s he doing here?’ I asked Ax.

‘He’s here to help. As are the others.’

Taking my hand, he led me onto the plane. And my shock tripled.

‘Mama?’ Seated amongst three other distinguished-looking men was my mother. When she smiled tremulously and held out her arms a broken sob ripped through me as I rushed forward and threw myself into her embrace.

‘Your husband rightly felt that you should be surrounded by those you love in your time of need.’

Did that include him?

Fearing I’d give myself away if I looked his way, I kept my gaze on my mother.

‘You should’ve told us, Callie.’

I shook my head. ‘I couldn’t risk not having Andreos.’

And that seemed to settle the matter with her. She nodded, then looked over my head. I didn’t need the signal to know that Ax was approaching.

‘Let me introduce you, Calypso.’

Swiping my hand across my cheek, I composed myself and stood. Besides Dr Trudeau, the three men were all doctors too, specialising in everything to do with the cervix.

‘Your mother has been instrumental in providing details about your grandmother’s condition. With your permission, we’ll head to Dr Trudeau’s clinic and start the tests.’

I gasped, my gaze finding Ax’s. ‘That’s what you’ve been doing the last three days? Rounding up specialists?’

He nodded, that blaze burning brighter in his eyes. ‘You are far too important, yineka mou. I’m leaving nothing to chance.’

I swayed. He caught me, held me tight.

After pinning me with his gaze for several seconds, he glanced around. ‘We’re about to take off,’ he said. ‘I would like to talk to my wife in private, so I trust you can all amuse yourselves?’ At their agreement, he turned to me. ‘Calypso?’