Chapter 82 Chosen Completely

Chapter 82 Chosen Completely
POV: Lina

The hospital room felt too quiet after everything the doctor said.

Not empty.

Just the kind of quiet that makes every thought louder.

I sat on the edge of the bed while the nurse adjusted something near the monitor before leaving us alone again. Daniel was standing near the window with his hands in his pockets, staring outside like he was trying to process everything before speaking.

I understood the feeling.

The complication wasn’t small.

The doctor had explained it carefully, calmly, but there was no way to soften what it meant. My body was under more pressure now. The pregnancy was progressing, but not safely enough for anyone to relax anymore.

Monitoring.

Restrictions.

Possibility of emergency delivery if things worsened.

The words kept replaying in my head.

I looked down at my hands.

“You’re thinking too much again,” Daniel said quietly without turning around.

I almost rolled my eyes.

“That’s literally all we’ve been doing today.”

That finally made him turn toward me.

But he wasn’t smiling.

He looked tired.

Not physically.

Just mentally tired in a way I hadn’t seen clearly before now.

He walked back toward me slowly and sat down beside the bed, leaning forward slightly with his elbows on his knees.

“We’ll handle it,” he said.

I let out a small breath.

“You keep saying that.”

“Because it’s true.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I know we’re not giving up because things got harder.”

His voice stayed calm when he said it.

Steady.

Like he had already decided something in his mind long before I caught up to it.

I looked away for a second.

The room suddenly felt warmer than before.

“I’m tired,” I admitted quietly.

Daniel nodded immediately.

“I know.”

“And I hate that everybody keeps looking at me like I’m fragile now.”

“You are fragile right now.”

I frowned at him immediately.

“That’s not helping.”

“I’m not insulting you, Lina.”

His tone stayed gentle.

“That’s just reality.”

I stayed quiet after that.

Because part of me knew he was right.

The complication changed things.

Even I could feel it now.

My body got exhausted faster. The dizziness came more often. Even walking around too much started affecting me.

Everything felt more serious now.

Daniel leaned back slightly and looked at me properly.

“What did the doctor say about stress?”

I sighed.

“That I should avoid it.”

“And what are you doing?”

I looked at him flatly.

“Existing.”

That actually made him laugh softly for the first time all day.

A real laugh.

Small.

But enough to break the tension in the room a little.

“You’re impossible sometimes,” he muttered.

“Yet you’re still here.”

“Unfortunately.”

I shook my head slightly.

Then silence settled between us again.

But not uncomfortable silence.

Just heavy thoughts sitting in the same room together.

After a while, Daniel spoke again.

“I talked to Clara earlier.”

I glanced at him.

“She knows?”

“She already knew something was wrong from my voice.”

“That sounds like Clara.”

“She wants to come by later.”

I leaned back slowly against the bed.

“She’s going to panic.”

“No,” he said quietly. “She’s going to take care of you.”

That made something tighten in my chest unexpectedly.

Because lately…

That’s exactly what everybody had been doing.

Taking care of me.

Not out of obligation anymore.

Not out of guilt.

Because they genuinely wanted to.

I looked down again.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen like this.”

Daniel didn’t answer immediately.

Then softly:

“Nothing about this happened the way we expected.”

That was true.

Every part of this situation had been messy from the beginning.

Fear.

Anger.

Confusion.

Distance.

And somehow in the middle of all that…

We had slowly found our way back to each other.

Not perfectly.

But honestly.

A knock came at the door before either of us could say anything else.

Clara walked in first without waiting properly, Maya right behind her.

Of course.

Maya looked directly at me immediately.

“What did the doctor say exactly?”

No greeting.

No buildup.

Straight to the point.

I almost smiled despite myself.

Daniel stood up before answering.

“They’re monitoring her more closely now.”

Maya folded her arms instantly.

“What kind of monitoring?”

“Frequent checks. More rest. Less stress.”

Clara looked between both of us carefully.

“And how serious is it really?”

The room got quiet again for a second.

Daniel looked at me first before answering.

“There are risks.”

Maya’s face tightened immediately.

Clara sat beside me carefully.

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired.”

“That’s expected,” Maya said immediately.

I looked at her.

“You sound like the doctor.”

“She sounds like Google,” Clara muttered.

Maya ignored her completely.

“Are you eating properly?”

“Yes.”

“Sleeping?”

“Trying to.”

“Water?”

“Maya.”

“What?”

I stared at her for a second before shaking my head.

“You’re stressful for somebody talking about avoiding stress.”

That finally made Clara laugh softly.

Even Daniel smiled faintly.

Maya rolled her eyes.

“I’m serious.”

“I know.”

And I did.

That was the thing.

Even when she was overwhelming, I knew it came from care.

Clara rubbed my arm gently.

“You scared us.”

I looked at her.

“I’m okay.”

“You weren’t answering calls earlier.”

“I was literally in the hospital.”

“That doesn’t stop Maya from answering.”

Maya nodded immediately.

“Exactly.”

I laughed quietly before I could stop myself.

The sound surprised all of us for a second.

Because lately…

Real laughter had become rare.

Daniel noticed it too.

I could tell from the way he looked at me afterward.

Softly.

Like hearing me laugh mattered more than he was saying.

The conversation shifted after that.

Clara started talking about random things on purpose, clearly trying to lighten the mood. Maya kept interrupting with instructions every five minutes. Daniel stayed mostly quiet, listening more than speaking.

And slowly…

The room stopped feeling so heavy.

Not because the problem disappeared.

But because I wasn’t carrying it alone anymore.

Hours later, after Maya forced me to eat something and Clara threatened Daniel over “stressing me out,” the room finally got quiet again.

Maya and Clara had stepped out to talk to the doctor.

Daniel closed the door after them before turning back toward me.

“You okay?”

I nodded slowly.

Then paused.

“Actually…”

He waited.

“I’m scared.”

The words came out softer than I expected.

Honest.

Daniel walked back toward me immediately.

Not rushed.

Just certain.

He sat beside me again.

“You don’t have to pretend with me anymore.”

That hit harder than I expected.

Because he was right.

For a long time, pretending had become automatic for me.

Pretending I was fine.

Pretending I wasn’t hurt.

Pretending I didn’t care.

But lately…

I was too tired to pretend.

“I keep thinking about everything that could go wrong,” I admitted quietly.

Daniel stayed quiet, letting me speak.

“And every time they mention risks or emergency situations or complications…”

My voice weakened slightly.

“I think about losing everything.”

His expression changed immediately after that.

Not panic.

Pain.

Real pain.

He reached for my hand slowly this time.

Giving me enough time to pull away if I wanted.

I didn’t.

His fingers closed around mine gently.

“You’re not doing this alone,” he said softly.

I looked down at our hands.

“I know.”

“And nothing is happening to you without me there.”

That made my throat tighten unexpectedly.

Because I believed him.

Completely.

For the first time in a long time…

I trusted somebody enough to believe them when they said they’d stay.

Daniel looked at me quietly for a moment.

Then he said something that completely caught me off guard.

“Marry me.”

I blinked.

“What?”

His grip tightened slightly around my hand.

“Marry me, Lina.”

I stared at him properly now, trying to figure out if he was serious.

He was.

Completely serious.

“Daniel—”

“I’m not asking because of the pregnancy.”

My chest tightened immediately.

“I’m asking because somewhere between all of this…”

He paused briefly.

“I realized I already see you as my family.”

The room suddenly felt too still.

Too quiet.

I couldn’t even think properly for a second.

Daniel continued before I could respond.

“I know everything is messy right now. I know timing matters and maybe this isn’t perfect—”

“This is definitely not perfect timing.”

A tiny smile pulled at his mouth.

“I know.”

I looked away briefly, overwhelmed.

He waited patiently.

No pressure.

No rushing.

Just waiting.

“That’s why you’re asking now?” I asked softly.

“No.”

He shook his head.

“I’ve wanted to ask for a while.”

That surprised me.

“You have?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

His eyes stayed on mine.

“Because before now, you would’ve thought I was trying to trap you.”

I didn’t answer.

Because honestly…

He was right again.

Old me probably would’ve panicked immediately.

But now…

Now things were different.

Not perfect.

But real.

Daniel lifted my hand slightly.

“I’m not asking for some huge wedding tomorrow.”

A pause.

“I’m asking because I love you.”

Emotion hit me so suddenly I had to look away again.

Not dramatic emotion.

Just deep.

Heavy.

Real.

Daniel rarely said things like that openly.

Not because he didn’t feel them.

Because he wasn’t good at exposing them.

So hearing it now…

Like this…

Mattered.

A lot.

“I don’t want to keep acting like we’re halfway in each other’s lives,” he said quietly.

“You already are my life, Lina.”

Tears burned unexpectedly behind my eyes.

I hated crying lately.

Everything made me emotional now.

I laughed softly through it instead.

“You really chose a hospital room for this?”

“That part could’ve been better.”

“A lot better.”

“Probably.”

I shook my head slowly.

Then looked at him again.

“You’re serious?”

“Completely.”

Silence filled the room for a few seconds.

Then I asked the question sitting heavily inside my chest.

“What if something happens to me?”

Daniel’s face changed immediately.

“Don’t.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

His voice stayed calm but firmer now.

“Nothing is happening to you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“No,” he admitted quietly. “But I know I want every second I get with you regardless.”

That broke something open inside me completely.

Because there was no fear in his face when he said it.

Just love.

Real love.

Steady love.

The kind that stays.

I looked down at our hands again.

Then back at him.

And quietly…

Without overthinking for once…

I answered.

“Yes.”

Daniel froze slightly.

Like he wasn’t expecting me to say it that fast.

“Yeah?”

I laughed softly again.

“Yes, idiot.”

The relief that hit his face almost made me emotional all over again.

He leaned forward immediately, pulling me carefully into his arms like he was afraid of hurting me.

I held onto him tightly anyway.

And for the first time since the complication news earlier…

I finally felt like I could breathe again.

Not because things were suddenly perfect.

Not because the fear disappeared.

But because even inside all the uncertainty…

We had chosen each other completely.

And somehow…

That made everything feel less terrifying.

By the time we got back home that evening, my body felt drained in that heavy, irritating way that came with the pregnancy lately.

Not dramatic.

Just exhausting.

My back hurt.

My feet hurt.

Even breathing deeply felt uncomfortable sometimes now.

I dropped my bag near the couch and sat down carefully with a sigh.

Daniel locked the door behind us before turning toward me immediately.

“You okay?”

“I’m pregnant,” I replied flatly. “So no.”

That actually made him smile a little.

“A very encouraging answer.”

“I’m serious,” I muttered. “I feel huge.”

“You are not huge.”

I stared at him.

“You’re legally required to say that.”

“I’m saying it because it’s true.”

I rolled my eyes and leaned back into the couch.

The baby had been moving more lately too, which still felt strange every single time. Sometimes it startled me in the middle of conversations. Sometimes it happened when everything was quiet and suddenly I became too aware again.

Tonight was one of those nights.

I froze slightly when I felt the movement again.

Daniel noticed immediately.

His entire attention shifted toward me.

“What?”

I pressed my hand lightly against my stomach.

“Nothing.”

Another movement.

Stronger this time.

My face changed before I could stop it.

Daniel’s brows pulled together slightly. “Lina?”

I looked at him.

Then slowly grabbed his wrist.

“Wait.”

He went still immediately.

I moved his hand carefully against my stomach before I could overthink it.

For a second, nothing happened.

Then—

The movement came again.

Daniel froze completely.

Actually froze.

His eyes widened slightly before shifting toward me like he needed confirmation that he didn’t imagine it.

“That was—”

“Yes,” I said quietly.

Another movement hit against his palm.

And the look on his face changed so fast it caught me off guard completely.

Not panic.

Not shock.

Something softer.

Something deeper.

Something that suddenly made this feel even more real than the scans did.

He didn’t move his hand away.

Didn’t even blink properly.

“That’s insane,” he said quietly.

I let out a small laugh before I could stop myself.

“It’s not insane.”

“It moved.”

“It’s supposed to.”

“No, but—” he stopped halfway through his sentence, still staring. “I actually felt it.”

I watched him carefully.

And suddenly my chest tightened unexpectedly.

Because for the first time since all of this started…

This didn’t feel divided anymore.

Not me carrying something alone while everybody else watched from outside.

For one quiet moment—

it felt shared.

Daniel looked up at me again slowly.

And the expression on his face nearly undid me.

Not because it was overly emotional.

Because it wasn’t.

It was restrained.

Careful.

Like he was trying very hard not to let himself feel too much all at once.

“That’s our baby,” he said softly.

The words hit harder than they should have.

I looked away immediately.

Not because I hated hearing it.

Because I didn’t.

And that scared me a little.

The room became quiet again after that.

But different quiet.

Full quiet.

Daniel slowly pulled his hand back after a while like he was afraid to disturb something.

“You’ve been feeling that often?” he asked.

I nodded.

“More lately.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

I shrugged slightly.

“I don’t know. It didn’t feel important.”

His expression immediately said he disagreed.

“That is important.”

“To you maybe.”

“To you too,” he said gently.

I didn’t answer.

Because maybe he was right again.

Lately that kept happening too much.

Daniel sat back properly against the couch, still looking slightly distracted by what just happened.

Then he suddenly said,

“We need to start preparing.”

I frowned.

“For what?”

He stared at me like the answer was obvious.

“The baby?”

I blinked once.

Then twice.

And suddenly—

“Oh.”

That word slipped out before I could stop it.

Because somehow…

I hadn’t thought that far properly yet.

Not fully.

The appointments were real.

The scans were real.

The heartbeat was real.

But preparing?

Buying things?

Setting up space?

That felt terrifyingly permanent.

Daniel noticed my expression immediately.

“You haven’t thought about it.”

“I have,” I lied.

“You definitely haven’t.”

I exhaled heavily and leaned my head back.

“I don’t know anything about babies.”

“Neither do I.”

“That’s not comforting.”

“It’s honest.”

I stared at the ceiling for a moment.

Then muttered,

“What if I’m bad at this?”

Daniel answered immediately.

“You won’t be.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

I looked at him.

“How?”

His expression softened slightly.

“Because you already care.”

That made something twist painfully in my chest again.

Because caring had become the problem.

The more attached I became…

the scarier everything felt.

Daniel seemed to notice the shift in my face instantly.

“You’re thinking too far ahead again.”

“I can’t help it.”

“Yes, you can.”

I frowned slightly.

“No, I can’t.”

“You can,” he said calmly. “You just stop yourself before you spiral now.”

That silence after that lasted longer.

Because he was right.

Again.

Before, one fearful thought would destroy my entire day.

Now…

I actually pulled myself back.

Not perfectly.

But enough.

Daniel stood up after a while.

“You need to eat again later.”

I groaned immediately.

“I’m tired of eating.”

“You said that this morning too.”

“Because I mean it.”

He ignored that completely and walked toward the kitchen.

I watched him for a second before speaking again.

“You know Maya has turned you into her employee.”

“I’m not her employee.”

“She has you monitoring me.”

“She threatened me.”

That made me laugh unexpectedly.

A real laugh this time.

Daniel looked back at me with the faintest smile.

“I’m serious.”

“What did she say?”

“That if anything happens to you because you refused to rest or eat properly, she’ll kill me herself.”

“That sounds exactly like Maya.”

“Yes. It was terrifying.”

I shook my head slightly, still smiling.

And suddenly I realized something strange.

This apartment used to feel unbearably quiet.

Now it didn’t.

Now there was always someone walking through it.

Maya calling.

Clara visiting.

Daniel staying over longer than he planned.

Life existing inside it again.

And somehow…

I had stopped fighting that too.

Daniel came back with water first and handed it to me.

“Drink.”

“You all speak to me like I’m five years old.”

“You act like it sometimes.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“That was rude.”

“That was accurate.”

I drank the water anyway.

He looked annoyingly satisfied about that.

“You’re becoming very controlling lately,” I muttered.

“No,” he replied calmly. “I’m becoming involved.”

That answer silenced me faster than I expected.

Because there was a difference.

A big one.

Before, involvement from him felt overwhelming.

Like losing space.

Like losing myself.

Now…

it felt steadier.

Balanced.

Like he had finally learned how to stay without taking over everything around him.

Daniel sat beside me again after that.

Closer this time.

Not close enough to overwhelm me.

Just naturally closer than before.

And strangely…

I didn’t pull away from it.

The TV played quietly in the background, neither of us really watching it.

Then after a while, Daniel spoke again.

“My mom called me earlier.”

I looked at him immediately.

That tension came back automatically.

He noticed.

“She just asked how you were doing.”

I relaxed slightly.

“Oh.”

“She wants to see you.”

I blinked.

“What?”

“She’s been asking for weeks.”

“No.”

Daniel almost smiled.

“You answered too fast.”

“Because the answer is no.”

“She likes you.”

“That’s not enough reason.”

“She’s literally already bought baby clothes.”

I stared at him in horror.

“She did what?”

“She’s excited.”

“Oh my God.”

Daniel actually laughed softly this time.

And annoyingly…

I liked hearing it.

“She’s going to overwhelm me,” I muttered.

“She won’t.”

“She raised you. That’s not reassuring.”

“Very disrespectful.”

“Very true.”

He shook his head slightly.

Then his expression softened again.

“You don’t have to meet anyone until you’re ready.”

That mattered more than he probably realized.

Because before…

he would have pushed.

Now he waited.

Now he gave me room inside decisions instead of making them for me.

I leaned back against the couch again with a quieter sigh.

The baby moved again lightly.

I pressed my hand there automatically.

Daniel noticed.

“You do that constantly now.”

“What?”

“That.”

I looked down at my hand.

“Oh.”

“You don’t even realize it anymore.”

I stared quietly at the movement beneath my hand for a second.

Then admitted softly,

“I think it comforts me.”

Daniel didn’t answer immediately.

Then quietly—

“I think it comforts me too.”

That hit harder than it should have.

And suddenly the room felt too small for all the emotion sitting inside it.

So I stood up quickly.

“I’m hungry again.”

Daniel looked at me suspiciously.

“You’re escaping.”

“I’m pregnant. Leave me alone.”

He laughed softly under his breath but stood anyway.

And for the first time in a very long time…

the future didn’t feel like something terrifying standing far away from me.

It felt close now.

Real.

Messy.

Complicated.

But real enough to touch.

And maybe that was the scariest thing of all.