"What happened to him?" Esme asked, pressing her fingers gently to Irwin's wrist. "His pulse is weak…but how did it get so bad? Does Leonardo know?"
Clandestine shook her head, her expression composed, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of helplessness. "He wouldn't let me tell him," she said quietly, adjusting the duvet properly. "Irwin doesn't want to add to Leo's worries, but we know how he is. If he finds out we've been keeping this from him, it'll hurt him even more. I've tried to reason with my husband, but he's afraid that our son would neglect himself if he knew."
Esme turned to Irwin, and her heart felt heavy. She could see why he chose silence, but carrying this burden alone wouldn't change the outcome either. And Leonardo, he'd want to know. He deserved to know what was happening. If he learned the state of his home had been kept from him, it would only deepen the pain.
