Forbidden Desires

Chapter 67.No Early Release.

Andy's POV:

"You are a rare species—a brother who never judges me."
—Unknown

I had been on the phone with Aiden's doctor for what felt like forever. The guy was impossible to get ahold of. Between my upcoming wedding, our illegitimate sister who could show up at any moment, and our father's secrets, there was too much happening all at once.

I needed to get Aiden out of rehab early. He had to know what I had discovered about our father. He needed to hear it from me, not from some stranger who suddenly appeared and threatened our inheritance.

Not that we really needed our father's money—not after everything our mother sacrificed to make sure we were taken care of. Still, finding out that your parent isn't perfect...it messes with you. As kids, we want to believe in their perfection. We cling to that idea.

I snapped back into the conversation.

"Yes, Doctor, I'm here."

The doctor sighed. "Mr. Baldwin, I understand your concerns, but your brother was not well when he arrived here. He's making progress, but he needs to complete the full program."

"I get that, but he's married now. He's doing well. He's never been in rehab before. You can't keep him here against our family's will."

"I won't release him early." The doctor's voice was firm. "Your brother has eight weeks left. I believe he can complete it. And Mr. Baldwin...you of all people should understand the importance of finishing treatment."

I gritted my teeth. "With all due respect, I was the screw-up in my family. Aiden wasn't. He doesn't need this the way I did."

"Maybe not in the same way. But as his doctor, I won't clear him for early release. Good day, Mr. Baldwin."

And then... he hung up on me.

"Fucking great."

I threw my phone onto the desk and ran a hand through my hair. Between handling the estate, dealing with my father's lies, and trying to plan a wedding, I was drowning. Even at night, I couldn't shut my brain off.

I exhaled sharply. If I couldn't get Aiden out early, then I'd just have to tell him everything myself. I needed to look him in the eye, explain what I had found, and figure out what the hell we were going to do next.

I grabbed my jacket and walked through the door.

"Carlos, take me to see my brother, please."

As we drove, my mind raced.

How the hell was I going to tell Aiden the truth?

Anthony's POV

"I find the most beautiful moments of life aren't just with you but because of you."
— Leo Christopher

Anthony lay in bed, watching Karlie sleep, completely captivated by her. She brought him a sense of peace and fulfillment he had never known before. His gaze traveled to the gentle swell of her belly. The babies had been active all night, kicking and shifting. He had placed his hand on her stomach more times than he could count, just to feel them move, grounding himself in the reality that soon, he would be a father.

He traced small circles over her belly, lost in thought. These were his children. It didn't matter that they weren't biologically his; he had made a promise—to love them and their mother unconditionally.

Karlie stirred, a soft moan escaping her lips as she blinked her sleepy eyes open.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," he murmured.