Chapter 121

The moment Sophia stepped into the dimly lit hospital corridor, her pulse quickened.

The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air, mingling with the faint hum of distant monitors.

Her fingers trembled as she clutched the strap of her bag, her knuckles turning white.

She had avoided this place for months.

Now, fate had dragged her back.

A nurse in pale blue scrubs passed by, offering a polite nod. Sophia forced a tight-lipped smile in return.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket.

A message from Daniel.

"You okay?"

She exhaled sharply.

No. She wasn’t okay.

Not when every step deeper into this hospital felt like walking through a minefield of memories.

The last time she had been here, she had left in tears.

This time, she wasn’t sure she’d leave at all.

The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime.

Sophia hesitated before stepping inside.

Her reflection in the polished metal looked haunted—dark circles under her eyes, lips pressed into a thin line.

She pressed the button for the fifth floor.

The ride up was agonizingly slow.

When the doors opened again, she was met with the hushed murmurs of nurses at their station.

One glanced up, recognition flashing in her eyes.

"Ms. Blackwood?"

Sophia stiffened.

She hadn’t expected to be remembered.

"Yes," she managed.

The nurse—Charlotte, according to her name tag—smiled gently.

"He’s been asking for you."

Sophia’s breath hitched.

Liam.

Her son.

The one person she had failed the most.

Her feet carried her forward before her mind could protest.

The door to his room was slightly ajar.

She pushed it open.

And there he was.

Pale. Fragile.

But alive.

His eyes fluttered open at the sound of her entrance.

A weak smile tugged at his lips.

"Mom."

That single word shattered her.

She crossed the room in three strides and gathered him into her arms, careful of the IV lines.

Tears burned behind her eyelids.

"I’m here," she whispered.

And for the first time in months, she meant it.

[Warning: The following chapter contains content that may be triggering to some]

No. This can’t be real. I can’t be pregnant. Not now. And certainly not with Daniel’s baby.

“Why me?” I whisper, my voice breaking as hot tears streak down my cheeks.

Silence answers me. No divine explanation. No justification for why life had to twist this way.

I try to push myself up from the cold bathroom tiles, but my limbs feel like lead. Exhaustion weighs me down.

Was this my fate? Unplanned pregnancies, one after another? First with Liam, and now… this.

My vision blurs as I stare blankly at the floor, memories rushing back. Daniel and I had only slipped up once. Just once. I was supposed to take the morning-after pill, but in the chaos of everything, I forgot. By the time I remembered, it was too late.

I told Daniel. I braced for anger, but instead, he soothed me. We convinced ourselves the odds were slim.

Then the signs came—missed periods, sudden cravings. I blamed stress. I always ate more when anxious.

A sharp knock jolts me, but I don’t move. I can’t face anyone. Not now. When the knocking persists, I curl tighter, hands pressed over my ears. Just go away.

Silence. Then—footsteps. Heavy. Purposeful.

Before I can react, a shadow fills the doorway.

“Sophia?” Ethan’s voice, deep and rough, fills the small space.

Our eyes meet, and the dam breaks. Fresh tears spill. Of all people, why him?

“What are you doing here?” My words are choked.

He kneels in front of me, his gaze unreadable.

“Isabella saw you at the store,” he murmurs, thumb brushing away a tear. “She said you looked distraught. That you bought pregnancy tests.”

Damn Isabella and her loose lips! What did she think she’d achieve by telling Ethan?

“She had no right,” I snap. “This isn’t your business.”

He doesn’t flinch. “Did you take the test?”

A nod. More tears.

“And?”

I can’t say it. The words stick in my throat.

When I don’t answer, his eyes sweep the room, landing on the tests near the sink. He stands, picks one up. I should be furious at the invasion, but I’m too numb to care.

He returns, sinking down beside me this time.

“Congratulations,” he says, voice oddly strained. “You’ll be an amazing mother.”

I lean into him, my head against his shoulder. “Will I? You never wanted another baby with me, even when I begged. I thought… I thought you believed I wasn’t good enough.”

My insecurities with Ethan always ran deep. The truth? He held out hope for Isabella. It was easier to blame myself than face that he just didn’t want a child with me.

“I never thought that,” he says firmly. “You’re incredible with Liam. Anyone can see that.” A pause. “Can I tell you something?”