child? What kind of a woman are you to keep something like that a secret? It was just fine and dandy that you didnât want me, but you had no right keeping the existence of my daughter from me. You had no right at all, lady!â
Anger washed over Caitlin. She stood facing him, her body stiff with indignation. âI didnât try keeping anything from you. I didnât find out that I was pregnant until after Iâd filed for divorce, Dex. But I did write to you when I found out. How could you think I wouldnât tell you? She belonged to you as much as she belonged to me. I would never have kept her existence from you. Never.â
A quiet uncertainty lingered in Dexâs stare as his hard gaze touched Caitlin. âI never got a letter from you, Caitlin.â
âBut I sent it, and you never responded,â she said louder than she had wanted.
Her statement slashed through him. âI didnât answer because I didnât get a letter. If I had, I would have responded.â Dex couldnât help but wonder if the envelope in his pocket, the one given to him by Dr. Flores, contained the missing letter. How far had Halston Parker gone to keep him away from Caitlin and from ever finding out about his child? Caitlin should have come to him in Australia like sheâd promised. He could never forgive her for not doing so.
âFor the sake of argument,â Dex said in a controlled tone. They werenât getting anywhere raising their voices at each other. âLetâs say you did send the letter. Werenât you concerned when I didnât write back or call?â he asked curtly.
âNo. I assumed you hated me for choosing to stay with my father instead of coming to you. I thought youââ
âYou thought I didnât want my child?â Dex thundered. An incredulous look of disbelief crossed his face. He quickly strode across the room. Snatching her wrist, he pulled her closer to him. âWhat kind of man do you think I am?â he asked, his dark eyes blazing with fury. âHow could you think what happened between us couldâve had any bearing on how I felt for my child, my own flesh and blood?â
Caitlin snatched her hand from him. She tilted her chin and glared up at him. âI wrote you.â
âI have no proof of that. Besides, if I didnât reply to the first letter the decent thing would have been to write again or even call. They do have telephones in Australia, and you had my number. Something that important deserved a phone call. Your flimsy excuse wonât wash with me, Caitlin. And what about my family? If you couldnât reach me, all you had to do was get in touch with them. Any one of them would have been more than happy to hear from you.â
âIâd met them only once. I thought they wouldnât want to have anything to do with me. We were no longer married, and Iâd hurt you. I thought they despised me for what Iâd done to you. When I didnât hear from you, I assumed the worst.â
Caitlin struggled mentally for a few seconds, telling herself she needed to make Dex understand. âCanât you see I had my doubts, Dex? Youâre right. I should have known you better. But as far as Iâm concerned, you should have known me just as well. The truth of the matter is that we really didnât know each other at all. Everything between us happened so fast. We got caught up in a whirlwind romance that quickly moved into marriage.â
âIf you felt that way, why did you marry me? Why didnât you turn me down when I asked you to become my wife?â
âBecause I wanted to be with you. You swept me off my feet, Dex, and at the time, nothing else mattered, not the short time weâd known each other, nor how my father would react to the news of our hasty marriage. There were so many things we didnât know about each other.â
Dexâs jaw hardened. âWe knew enough.