Chapter 90 090
EMILY
The silence in the room stretched too long.
Like the air itself had thickened, pressing down on all of us, waiting—daring someone to say something first.
But no one did.
It felt like we were all stuck in the same moment, frozen between truth and denial… unsure of what to say, or what any of this even meant.
Then Zara broke it.
Her small voice cut through the tension, soft but clear.
“Why is my mummy two?”
My breath hitched.
Of course she would say that.
Of course she would notice.
Children didn’t overthink things. They saw what was in front of them and asked the question everyone else was too afraid to ask.
She slipped out of my arms slowly, her little fingers brushing against mine as she pulled away.
My chest tightened instantly.
“Zara—”
But she was already moving.
Her eyes shifted between me and Hazel, confusion written all over her face.
Before I could stop her, she stepped closer to Hazel, reaching out hesitantly, like she needed to confirm she was real.
Her tiny fingers touched Hazel’s arm.
“Mummy?” she asked again.
Morgan let out a small, awkward laugh.
Hazel smiled too, but hers wasn’t light.
It was emotional.
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her lips trembling slightly like she was holding herself together by force.
But I felt none of that.
None of it reached me.
I didn’t join in the moment.
Didn’t find it touching.
Didn’t find it funny.
The only thing I felt was irritation.
Directed at one person.
I scoffed under my breath, shaking my head as I looked away.
Unbelievable.
Everything about this was unbelievable.
Something in me hardened instantly.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, my voice cold enough to cut through the room.
The shift was immediate.
Hazel straightened.
Morgan glanced between us.
The atmosphere snapped into something sharper. Tenser.
Hazel cleared her throat quietly.
“I… I think I should step out.”
Morgan nodded quickly.
“Yeah. Me too.”
Hazel gently reached for Zara, guiding her back toward Morgan.
Zara resisted for a second, looking between me and Hazel again like she still didn’t understand.
Then Morgan scooped her up softly.
“It’s okay,” she murmured to her. “Let’s give Mommy a minute.”
Hazel’s eyes lingered on me.
Longer this time.
Like she wanted to say something.
Like leaving was the last thing she wanted to do.
But she didn’t argue.
She turned and walked out.
Morgan followed with Zara.
Aaron, who had been standing quietly the entire time, gave me a small nod—one I couldn’t quite read—before excusing himself too.
The door closed behind them.
And just like that, it was just me and Ryan.
The silence came back.
But this time…
It wasn’t suffocating.
It was charged.
Thick with everything we weren’t saying.
My eyes stayed on him.
I didn’t look away.
Not even for a second.
“I asked you a question,” I said again. “What are you doing here?”
He exhaled slowly, as if he had been holding it in for a while.
“I needed to see you.”
I scoffed.
A short, bitter sound that even I didn’t try to hide.
“Of course you did.”
My fingers tightened slightly against the bedsheet.
“What for?” I continued. “To mock me again? Or did you come to finish what you started?”
His face fell instantly.
The effect was immediate.
Real.
He shook his head.
“No.”
He wheeled himself further into the room, stopping closer to me.
“I remember everything.”
The words hit harder than I expected.
Everything?
My chest tightened, something sharp pressing against my ribs.
But I refused to let it show.
“So?” I said, forcing my tone to stay flat. “What exactly do you want me to do with that?”
He didn’t hesitate.
“I’m sorry.”
His voice broke.
And just like that, everything shifted.
“I’m so sorry,” he repeated, his eyes filling with tears. “I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t understand anything. And I took it out on you.”
I looked away immediately.
Because seeing him like that—
It was dangerous.
He was messing with my head.
Messing with everything I had tried so hard to hold together.
“I hurt you,” he continued, his voice uneven. “And I hate myself for it. Every single thing I said… every way I treated you… you didn’t deserve that.”
My throat tightened painfully.
I said nothing.
Because I didn’t trust my voice.
Didn’t trust myself not to break.
“I didn’t mean any of it,” he added quietly.
That made me look back at him.
“You still said it,” I replied, my voice softer now, but heavier. “You still looked at me like I meant nothing.”
His face crumpled.
“I know.”
The way he accepted his fault easily made it worse.
“I need space,” I said finally.
Ryan nodded immediately.
“I understand.”
No argument.
No pushing.
He just turned, gripping the wheels of his chair as he started to move toward the door.
“I’m sorry too.”
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
He paused.
Then slowly turned back to me.
Confusion flickered across his face.
“I was the one who caused the accident,” I said quietly. “I wished you a bad day.”
Guilt settled deep in my chest.
“If I hadn’t said that—”
“Emily.”
He cut in gently.
Shaking his head.
“No.”
A soft, tired smile touched his lips.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
“But—”
“It’s fine.”
And somehow…
That was enough.
Enough to quiet the guilt.
At least for now.
I nodded slowly, looking down at my hands.
“I just… need a moment.”
He nodded again.
“Take all the time you need.”
Another pause.
Then he cleared his throat slightly.
“I’ll come back,” he said.
I nodded.
Then…
“Why are you in the hospital?”
My heart skipped.
I was expecting that.
I froze for a second.
Because there was no way… No way I was telling him the truth.
Not when everything was already hanging by a thread.
“I…” I hesitated.
Think.
Say something.
Anything.
“Stress,” I said finally. “Just… stress.”
Ryan studied me.
Like he didn’t fully believe it.
Like he wanted to ask more.
But he didn’t.
“Okay,” he said finally.
Just like that.
I gave him a small, strained smile.
He returned it.
Then slowly wheeled himself out.
The door closed behind him with a soft click.
And just like that, I was alone.
I stared at the door for a long moment.
Waiting for what? I didn’t even know.
Then I grabbed the pillow beside me and pressed it over my face.
And screamed.
Everything I had been holding in finally cracked open.
Because how—
How was I supposed to tell him?
How was I supposed to look Ryan in the eyes…
And tell him I was pregnant?
My hands tightened around the pillow.
My chest heaved as another wave of emotion hit me.
Everything was already falling apart.
Everything was already too much.
And this?
This would change everything all over again.
I slowly pulled the pillow away, my breathing uneven, my vision blurred with tears.
My hand moved to my stomach.
Resting there.
“What am I going to do?” I whispered.