Elena’s POV

I froze, heart hammering, unable to tear my gaze away. The man’s attitude toward Stella had been shocking enough, but what came next nearly made me drop my phone.

“The child is gone, so be it. There is no one more important to me than you.”

His voice carried a rare, unsettling intensity. After saying that, he cupped Stella’s delicate face with his large hands, wiping a corner of her eye with his fingers, then kissed her.

It was not a gentle peck; it was claiming, ...