Chapter 34
An hour later, after downing multiple jugs of water and nervously waiting on three pregnancy tests, Colette finally had her answer. All three tests showed the same result: she was pregnant. The reality of it hit her like a tidal wave—she was about to have a baby with a man who didn’t want it, not really.
She stared at her phone, seeing the 29 missed calls from Matt. Her mind flashed back to the man who had spent his teenage years raising his siblings, a man of honor who wouldn’t abandon his responsibility now that she was carrying his child. She knew Matt would step up; he wouldn’t walk away from his own flesh and blood. That much, she was certain of.
But the knowledge didn’t bring her any comfort. If anything, it made the situation more unbearable. Because that was all there was going to be, reponsiblity and duty, but not what she craved the most in the world. Not the world defying love a father feels for a baby. Because he never wanted the baby in the first place.
But this was a conversation they couldn’t have over the phone. She couldn’t just call him back and blurt out the news. This was something they needed to face together, in person. Yet the thought of looking him in the eye, knowing what he had said and done earlier, made her feel nauseous all over again.
She set the phone down, her hands trembling.
After scaring herself shitless, with her face drained of color, her eyes looking like two dark beads, she went to see a doctor that evening to confirm what the pregnancy tests had already told her. As she sat in the sterile, unwelcoming waiting room, the reality of her situation weighed heavily on her mind. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, adding to the oppressive atmosphere as she tried to think through everything—what had happened and what could happen if she continued with this pregnancy.
Zoe had begged to accompany her to the appointment, desperate to be there for her friend. But Colette had refused, needing the solitude to sort through her emotions. She wasn’t ready to face Zoe’s unwavering support, not when she felt so lost and alone. She needed to think clearly, to figure out what she truly wanted, or at least what she could handle.
Her thoughts drifted to Zoe’s apartment, the small, two-bedroom space that had become her refuge. Zoe had been paying the mortgage, covering the groceries, and shouldering all the bills while Colette had been a dead weight for the past few months. And now, with a baby on the way, how could she possibly stay there? Colette’s stomach churned with anxiety as she realized she had no savings, no financial security—nothing of her own. Every dollar in her account belonged to Matt.
But it wasn’t just about the money. Fear slithered down her spine as she clutched her still-flat stomach. The thought of being a single parent terrified her. Maybe she was weak, maybe she was pathetic, but the idea of raising a baby alone felt impossible. She had never done anything on her own, and the thought of trying to juggle a waitressing job with the demands of a newborn was already giving her nightmares. She wanted to be loved, and more than that, she wanted her baby to be loved. But things had changed—circumstances had changed. She just couldn’t do this alone.
When her name was finally called, Colette felt as if she were walking through a fog. Half an hour later, she emerged from the doctor’s office with the confirmation she had been dreading: she was carrying Matt’s baby. The bag full of prenatal vitamins felt heavy in her hands, each bottle a stark reminder of the new reality she was facing.
The sight of those bottles affected her more than she had anticipated. It was as if the cold, hard truth finally settled in her mind—she wasn’t alone anymore. She had a new life growing inside her, a life that depended on her for everything. The overwhelming weight of responsibility crashed over her, but it also brought with it a strange sense of clarity.
Colette knew what she had to do. She needed to tell Matt. The thought filled her with a mix of dread and determination. He might not love her, he might still be seeing that blonde witch for all she knew, but she needed his support. Matt always knew what to do. He had a way of taking charge, of making things right, even if it meant shooting her self respect right in the leg.
The sense of urgency pounding through Colette's veins fueled her like a shot of adrenaline. She couldn’t wait any longer. The second she stepped out of the clinic, she flagged down a taxi and directed the driver to Matt’s penthouse. The journey seemed interminable. The streets blurred past her, every moment stretching out agonizingly as if time itself was conspiring to keep her from reaching him. Even the familiar elevator ride up to his floor felt like it took an eternity, each second ticking by with excruciating slowness.
Finally, the elevator doors slid open, and Colette hurried down the hall. She rang the bell, her heart hammering in her chest, her breath catching in her throat. Every second felt like a lifetime, her mind racing with all the things she needed to say, the things she needed to understand.
The door opened, but it wasn’t Matt standing on the other side. Instead, a man she vaguely recognized from Matt’s office leaned against the doorframe, a drink in his hand. His eyes swept over her, lingering on her faded jeans and loose black t-shirt, a flicker of disdain crossing his face. Colette could feel the judgment in his gaze, making her suddenly self-conscious. She swallowed hard and stepped inside, forcing herself to push past him, determined to find Matt.
But as she entered the apartment, she was met with a scene that stopped her dead in her tracks. The place was filled with people—laughing, talking, drinking. Music pulsed through the air, the beat vibrating in her chest. Colette stood frozen in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock as she took in the scene. The penthouse was alive with a full-blown party, completely at odds with the desperate, life-altering conversation she had been preparing herself for.
Panic began to coil in her gut as she scanned the room, looking for Matt. This wasn’t what she had expected. This wasn’t the place where she was supposed to tell him about the baby. She didn’t know what was going on And suddenly, she was too afraid to ask, because deep down, she knew she wasn’t going to like the answer.