“Not that I’m aware of,” Elena muttered.
Silence fell and Imogen held her breath, hoping against hope that it was over. That their conversation would shift to less incendiary grounds.
“She’s using him,” Marie pressed. “Come on. He’s richer than Croesus, a Trevalyen, gorgeous…”
“It’s not impossible that he’s using her too, Marie.”
“What do you mean?”
Silence stretched between them. Imogen wished she could see their faces, meet their eyes. But when Elena spoke next, it was with the sense of guilt – of wanting to move a conversation onwards. “Your divorce was a tragedy,” Elena said finally. “You and Theo belonged together.”
“He thinks so too,” Marie spoke with urgency. “If she hadn’t got pregnant, he’d be with me.”
“He told you that?” Elena whispered.
“He told me he wished, more than anything, that I’d had his child. That we hadn’t divorced. She’s pregnant and we both know Theo is not a man to shirk his responsibilities. He wants this baby. But he also wants me back. As much now as ever before.”
Imogen’s eyes fluttered shut as the words pilfered through her, slashing her nerves anew with each moment. Every nerve ending in her body shouted at her that it wasn’t true! It wasn’t!
“Do you love him?” Elena asked softly.
“You know I do. I always have.”
“And you think he still loves you?”
“Of course he does. I should never have divorced him. I hurt him and I wish I hadn’t.” Her voice was thick with emotion and Imogen genuinely believed the other woman’s suffering. Only her own heart was too full of pain to extend sympathy to Marie. “He’d never turn his back on their baby even though I’m the one he wants.” Marie paused, and Imogen had to dig her nails into her hands to stop from breathing too loudly. “What can I do? He’s told me he wouldn’t be with her if it weren’t for the baby. And yet…”
Imogen’s very worst fear had just been expressed by Theo’s ex-wife. The woman he had loved. Did still love, according to her. And why would she lie? Why would Theo’s ex lie to his mother? Neither of them knew Imogen was in the cubicle.
“Yes, yes. She is going to have the baby.” A clicking sound rang through the bathroom as Elena snapped her compact closed. “But once she has the baby, who knows?”
Silence landed heavily in the rest rooms, and Imogen’s breath snagged in her throat.
“Theo told me …”
“Yes?” Marie’s breathy voice was unmistakably desperate.
“He told me that he had no choice but to be with her,” Elena said firmly. “He was terrified of what might happen if she had the baby and they weren’t ‘together’. I got the distinct impression that he was using her – he told me it was the only way to stop her from getting involved with some other man who might end up raising his baby. You know how possessive he is.”
Silence fell like cling-wrap over all three of them. Imogen struggled to breathe.
“Poor Theo. How terrified he must be!”
“Perhaps. But he is also smart. He knows how to look after his interests. Our interests.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well,” A pause, in which Imogen was sure her heart might snap. “I know he’s had custody papers drawn up,” Elena said finally, a hint of reluctance in the statement – but not enough. Imogen shook, her body trembling all over. “Why would he do that if he’s planning to stay with her?”
“Custody papers?” Marie’s voice was higher in pitch. “You’re kidding?”
“No, I’m not kidding. He set the wheels in motion months ago, making sure his legal claim to the child is established from birth. He’s no fool, even if he’s acting like one.”
Tears stung Imogen’s eyes and she dipped her head forward, catching it in the palms of her hands.
“He’s doing it for us,” Marie whispered. “I couldn’t have children, Elena. That’s why we broke up.”
Elena gasped. Imogen didn’t. She was numbed by the conversation, incapable of anything. Perhaps she was having a stroke?