s pa

-fleeting, reckless, a balm on an open wound. But the memory clung to her skin like the sc

sicknes

ess nights. But the nausea persisted-morning after morning, like clockwork. The realiza

onfirmed what her

as pr

ding, lips parting in disbelief. A hollow laug

night. A memory. But now-connected to h

ped at the edges of her mind-this wasn't planned. It wasn't right. And yet, somewher

o

lingering in their bedroom. The way Steven had become a ghost in his own home long before he phy

looked at her like

w. But his number sat in her phone with unanswered

thinking about you

ace, I'll give it. Just..

ds stayed

In the same bar. Different nigh

, the same gentleness beneath the steel. And something new: a lightness. Like

next morning, sh

pregn

ft her mouth. She braced for

tian didn

the table, his han

stay by you no matter

nside her, it was no longer

-

filled the hospital corridor. Beeping machines, muffled voices, and rushing footsteps echoed around the maternity wing. Outside t

ripping the sheets. Labor had been long, exhausting, but she'd been strong. Determined. Sh

," the nurse encoura

ng she had. A cry pierced the air, sharp and pur

ced, holding up a tiny, wriggli

r heart soaring. Her daughter. Hers and Seb

and disbelief. He leaned over, brushing hair from Helen's

fect," he

ame hospital, pain had

g in the room like a fog. Her face was pale, twisted in disbelief. Kenn

face and tired eyes, held the lifele

e," he sai

er hands as her body shook with silent sobs. Ke

do," Kenneth sai

ated. "Are you s

it over. "Fifty thousand. As agreed. No one else knows. St

en at the lifeless form in his arm

at peace, a nurse entered the room with a bundle wrapped

her arms with

ething in the way the infant lay so still, something in her quietness-

id quickly, seeing Helen's confu

her fingers against the chil

the nurse's glance-quick and nervous-toward the door. He didn't notice

om down the hall, hands in his pockets,

truth was buried that night-under hospi

the doctor.A secret worth fifty thousand dollars.An

-

silence that

the sti

t. No soft cooing. No movement. Just silence. The nurse's reassuring smile

spered, her voice cracki

his face draining of color. "What do y

ning to alarm. She gently took the baby from

into a scream she didn't recognize as

her close, rocking gently as though

the doctor returned, his face was a

ly. "There were complicat

shat

hed her stomach, hollow now, empty in more ways than one. Sebastian sat beside her, his f

ispered. "I carried her

said hoarsely, voice

alse hope or tired phrases. He just sta

ld outside kept turning, oblivious to her loss. Flowers arriv

en cam

Eliza

Lil

didn't tell her to be strong. They sat with her, cried with her, made her tea she didn't drink

one day, her voice firm but kind. "You j

lizabeth said. "A

ng Helen's hair from her face. "But you'll survi

t-quietly helping, silently hurting, always present. H

, Helen be

Not whole. B

o the bar once, to the very corner where she'd met him.

ved inside her, b

she would unc

now-she

he su