The Billionaire's Secret Vow: My Husband Chose His First Love

1.

My husband promised he'd be with me when I gave birth.

But the moment I was about to go into the delivery room, Gilbert Reed turned to me and said,

"Julia Fisher, wait on the bed for a bit. I have to step out. Three hours, that's all."

Then he took off toward the other end of the maternity ward without looking back.

I wanted to call him back, to make him explain, but I heard the nurses murmuring instead.

"Dr. Reed really is devoted. They broke up five years ago and he's still here to see Selma Henson through the delivery himself, won't leave her side for a second."

"But his wife, Ms. Whitney, is close to giving birth too. He's been gone this long. Isn't she going to be furious?"

Gilbert waved a hand.

"She's going to deliver whether I'm there or not. A few soft words later and it'll blow over."

"By then the baby will already be here. What else can she do but forgive me?"

"Selma has no family with her. If I'm not there at a time like this, who's going to take care of her?"

I couldn't get out another word. I quietly withdrew into my room.

Three years of marriage, and none of it could hold a candle to the first love he still carried.

I opened my messages and left a note for my ex-boyfriend.

"Room 709, maternity ward, seventh floor of the county hospital. Come be with me for the delivery."

...

About an hour later, Gilbert came out of the room across the hall, steadying Selma on his arm.

Gilbert was a surgeon at this hospital, and a passing patient recognized him and teased with a grin.

"Dr. Reed, seeing her through the delivery yourself? This must be your wife? Oh, even using the massager on her, Dr. Reed's so thoughtful."

Gilbert didn't correct him. He just smiled and nodded.

I lay on the bed, gripping the sheets as the contractions tore through me, and my heart ached just as much.

My sister pushed through the door carrying the hospital bag, and one glimpse of what Gilbert was doing made her hurl it to the floor.

"Gilbert, is there something wrong with your head?"

"My sister's in this much pain and you run off to help your ex-girlfriend give birth? Is her family all dead, or did her husband drop dead?"

Gilbert kept a hand at Selma's waist and lifted her up a little.

Only after she'd settled comfortably against him did he turn back to my sister.

"I'll admit I've wronged your sister today."

"But Selma's husband got sent away on a last-minute business trip and can't get back, and her parents are overseas. I can't just watch her go into the delivery room alone at a time like this."

My sister was ready to lay into him again, but I stopped her.

I glanced at the name card at the head of Selma's bed. Under next of kin, only Gilbert's name was written.

The business trip was probably a lie. What was real was that he couldn't let go of that old flame.

I rested a hand on my belly and said nothing.

Selma leaned against Gilbert's shoulder and smiled at me.

"Julia, I'm really sorry. You're about to deliver yourself, and here I am troubling Gilbert to come sit with me."

"Your hospital bag looks pretty complete. It's just that pain-relief unit of yours looks like an older model. Not very effective, is it? But Gilbert will be back just in time for you to go in, so at least he won't wear himself out running back and forth."

I didn't answer her. I looked down at the IV taped to the back of my hand.

The truth was, Selma was right. My pain-relief unit was the old machine Gilbert had gotten me, the buttons worn until the labels were gone.

The one Selma was using was the new model he'd had someone bring back from overseas last month.

He'd said it was a spare for the department.

Turned out it was a spare for someone else.

Once Gilbert had Selma settled, he saw I still hadn't said a word.

He came closer and coaxed me.

"My Julia's the most understanding, the most gracious."

"Don't worry, the moment Selma's done I'll come straight over to be with you. All right?"

I stared at him.

"Didn't you say that new pain-relief unit hadn't come in for the department yet?"

Gilbert froze for a second.

"Selma's in terrible pain. And you've still got time on your side. The old one will hold you over just fine, it works the same. I knew you wouldn't mind these things."

So in his eyes, handing off the pain-relief unit meant for me while I gave birth,

and leaving me the discarded old machine, was a small thing.

"Fine. We won't talk about small things."

"Gilbert, you promised me you'd stay with me the whole time when I gave birth."

"So give me a straight answer. When are you coming back to be with me?"