She wanted him focused on finding a solution, not paralyzed by shame.” Elena let out a hollow, disbelieving laugh.

“So it was just easier,” she said, “to let everyone blame me.

To protect his pride by sacrificing my name.” And the doctor, to his small credit, did not try to deny it.

He could not.

Chapter 12 — The Excuse

But the doctor had one more thing to reveal, and it was worse than everything before it.

Shortly after the divorce, he told them, Beatrice had returned to his office.

She had asked whether a sudden pregnancy from Elena was medically plausible.