When My Ex's Worst Enemy Became My Sanctuary novel Chapter 360

Dorothea didn’t argue with her grandmother. She just nodded and said quietly, “Okay. I understand.”

A few moments later, the photographer called them over for a group photo.

The two elders sat right in the center. Latham and Dorothea snuggled close to Pauline, arms wrapped together, while the others gathered near Ladd. After several shots, the older folks began to look tired.

Latham finally spoke up, dragging out his words as if he’d been waiting all day. “Scott, looks like you guys are finished. Don’t you think it’s my turn now?”

Scott barely gave him a glance and just grunted his agreement.

Without missing a beat, Latham took Dorothea by the hand and led her to the middle of the lawn. There was nothing fancy around them, just the golden sunlight of the afternoon pouring over the grass, outlining her body with a warm, gentle glow.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, both of them standing together in the sunlight while his hands rested on her gently curved belly. Their four hands overlapped—her hands and his—making a little safe haven for the new life growing between them.

The photographer’s lens focused in on their tangled hands and Dorothea’s baby bump, clicking away nonstop.

Dorothea felt a wave of wonder. Just months ago, Latham had been a total stranger. Someone she’d met through a blind date.

And now here they were, soon to be parents—tied together not just by fate, but by this tiny new life, two halves of the same story.

Latham pressed a gentle kiss to her earlobe, then glanced at the photographer. “Please make sure you take lots of photos for us.”

After all, Scott was picking up the tab today, so they might as well make the most of it.

...

Once they found out it was twins—a boy and a girl—Latham sat down with his dad to talk names.

Seeing the look on her face, Latham knew better than to argue. He lay down without another word.

They hadn’t been resting long before Pauline’s nurse hurried up the stairs in a panic.

“Latham, Dorothea, are you awake? Pauline says it’s urgent and she has to see you.”

Dorothea’s eyes snapped open. Latham got up first, reminding her gently, “I’ll go downstairs, don’t rush.”

Steadying herself on the railing, Dorothea slowly made her way to her grandmother’s room.

She found her grandmother dressed already, sitting in her wheelchair with a serious look on her face. “Dorothea, Elise’s condition is getting worse. We need to go to the hospital now.”

Dorothea’s heart tightened. She had always known this day would come, but she just didn’t expect it to arrive so soon.