The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Herman never expected Devin to give him a straight answer anyway.

The meeting was just to feel things out-what really mattered was what would happen next.

Herman was waiting for Devin to reach out to Autumn.

Dailey, meanwhile, had already set up the hotel room with a hidden camera. As soon as Devin checked in, Dailey had a hotel staff member drop off a "complimentary anniversary gift❞—a fancy box with a tiny camera tucked inside. Unless you looked really carefully, you'd never know it was there.

The box faced the bed perfectly. Aside from what happened in the bathroom, anyone watching could see everything going on in that room.

Devin called Autumn, then sprawled out on the bed, smoking while he waited.

When the doorbell finally rang, Devin quickly stubbed out his cigarette and went to let her in.

Devin these days was a far cry from the man he used to be-down on his luck and it showed. Whenever he saw Autumn now, he couldn't help but shrink back a little, trying to please her, trying not to mess it up.

He put on a lopsided smile. “Swallow, you're here."

He'd always called her Swallow back when they were young. That's why Autumn would always tense up when Mr. Walker used the name-hearing it from

someone else just felt wrong.

Autumn's face was cold and unreadable. She still hadn't forgiven Devin for walking out on her. "It's late. Why'd you want to see me here and at a hotel, of all places?"

If Mr. Walker hadn't been out for a business dinner, Autumn wouldn't have been able to sneak away at all.

When Devin called and asked her to come, she'd felt all sorts of things— hesitation, resentment, a bit of hope. She tried to act distant, told him she couldn't make it, but deep down she worried that if she didn't show, he might never call again.

In the end, curiosity and something she couldn't quite name pulled her there.

There was something thrilling and a little dangerous about sneaking behind her husband's back to meet an old flame. Two decades of steady, uneventful marriage had dulled her world, and Devin's reappearance was like a fresh breeze.

Women-especially those who are soft at heart-sometimes do reckless things for love, even when they know better, even when they know the man won't change.

Devin gave a sheepish laugh. "Yeah, this place is kind of a dive. I'm not exactly flush with cash these days. Just making do."

Neither of them noticed the camera quietly streaming every second straight to Herman's phone. He was sitting out on his balcony at Southridge Estates, watching everything, seeing it all in crisp

detail. cel.ne

Autumn sat down, all business. "So, what did you want? If there's nothing important, I'm leaving. I have a family now."noveldrama

"Herman came to see me earlier," Devin said. "He asked about you, about Julie, even brought up Ben. Don't worry, I didn't say anything. But... Julie-did you take care of her funeral?"

Autumn's face twisted with anger. "It's been ages since Julie passed, and only now you care about where she's buried? Devin, what kind of father are you?"

"Swallow, you know how things are for me. I've got debt collectors after me. I can barely keep them off my back, let alone go back to Riverdale for Julie's body."

Autumn glared at him, resentment shining in her eyes. If it weren't for Devin, she thought, she wouldn't have lost her daughter.

"Did Herman ask you about anything else?"

"No, just about Ben and you." Devin hesitated. "Swallow, why's he so interested in you? He kept asking about your connection to Julie, if she was our daughter. I didn't say a word."

Autumn's face went pale. "He really asked you that?"

Devin nodded. "Yeah. How would he even know Julie was ours?"

On his balcony, Herman heard every word. So, Julie really was Autumn's daughter. Suddenly, it all made sense.

Autumn's voice was tight with worry. "I have no idea. But you'd better keep your mouth shut. Mr. Walker's been asking too, and he cannot find out the truth. Devin, you left me once. If you ruin my family now, I'll never forgive you."

In

"Relax, I'm not here to wreck your life." Devin tried to sound sincere, eyes shining. "Swallow, I regret it. I'd married you back then, we could've been a real family. Julie died never knowing about you, and that's on me. I'm a fool."

He slapped himself—hard—right across the face.

The sound snapped Autumn out of her anger, softening her just a little.