Chapter 26

The walk to the park felt like a thousand years in every single step.

I tried to keep my pace steady, but my thoughts kept running in circles, chasing after each other like a tangled mess. Max. Drew. My baby. My future. The walls I’d put up, only to have them torn down again by a few words. A few choices.

As I reached the park, the familiar sights calmed me slightly, the tall trees, the children playing by the swings, the couple strolling hand in hand. Everything felt normal here.

The park looked just as it had the last time, peaceful, serene, too perfect to carry the weight of the thoughts that pulled at me.

When I spotted Max sitting on a far bench beneath the large oak tree where we had sat the first time, I felt my heart skip, a quick flutter that had nothing to do with nerves. He hadn’t seen me yet, because his back was facing me. So I slowed my steps as I approached.

But that was when I caught it. The conversation I think I wasn't supposed to hear.

He was on the phone. His voice was hushed, urgent, and something in his tone made the hairs on my neck stand. I ducked slightly behind a tree, not fully sure why I was hiding. Maybe it was instinct.

“I just need more time,” he said quickly, pacing slightly. “She’s opening up… but not yet. I have to make her trust me more.” Then there was a slight pause. “Of course our plan is still in motion, I just need more time to get her to trust me completely”

My stomach twisted.

She? Was he talking about me?

He sounded nervous. Not the kind of nervous you get when you're making a romantic plan… the kind you get when you're covering something up.

I stepped out slowly, making sure my footsteps were loud enough. His head jerked up, eyes wide and he quickly stood up.

“Lila…” he stammered. “Hey… you’re here.”

He ended the call so fast it was almost suspicious, shoving the phone into his pocket like it had burned him.

My smile faltered, but I forced it to stay on my lips. “Hi… you looked like you were in the middle of something important.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, laughing awkwardly. “No, no. Just… work stuff. Nothing major.”

That didn’t sit right with me. Not one bit.

He’d looked genuinely panicked.

Still, I didn’t press…not yet. I walked towards the bench and we sat down. The silence between us felt different now. Not peaceful. Not comfortable.

Tense.

I glanced at him sideways. “So… who were you talking to?”

He waved it off too quickly. “It’s no one important. Just… a friend asking for some advice.”

Before I could respond, his phone buzzed again. He fumbled to pull it out, glanced at the screen, and hit ‘decline’ without hesitation. Then shoved it deep into his pocket like he wished it didn’t exist.

My chest tightened. Why was he being so cagey?

“Are you sure everything’s okay?” I asked.

He gave me a big smile…too big. “Yeah. Totally fine.” Then he leaned in a bit, changing the tone of his voice. “So… what did you want to talk to me about?”

I hesitated.

Just minutes ago, I had walked into this park with the intention of saying yes to Max. Of choosing peace. Of giving us a chance.

But now… I wasn’t so sure.

There was something in his behavior that didn’t sit right. And I had learned painfully, that ignoring your gut never ended well.

So I retracted. Went for the half truth instead

“I thought about what you said,” I began slowly, carefully watching his reaction. “About being there for me. Taking responsibility. I haven’t made a final decision yet, but I’ve decided to open up a little more. If this is going to be anything, there has to be trust.”

Max’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. His eyes widened, a grin spreading across his face so fast it startled me.

“You mean it?” he asked breathlessly. “You’re giving me a chance?”

I gave a slow nod, not fully committing. “A chance, Max. That’s all for now.”

He looked like a man who had just won the lottery. It was overwhelming how relieved and eager he seemed.

His voice dropped as he leaned in. “So… does that mean Drew will never know about the baby?”

I stiffened.

That question… It wasn't casual. It came out too fast. Like something he’d been dying to ask or something he was going to gain from.

“Yes,” I said, trying to keep my expression neutral. “I’ve made up my mind. He won’t know.” I gave that response to see his reaction, just a little more confirmation.

Max’s reaction sealed something in my gut.

His grin grew impossibly wider. He exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for days. “That’s… wow. That’s great, Lila. I mean… I know it’s hard, but I promise you, you’re making the right call. He doesn’t deserve to know. You and I” He gestured between the both of us “we can handle this together.”

Then, impulsively, he hugged me.

I barely returned the gesture.

“Max…” I said gently, pulling back. “I didn’t say yes to your offer. I just said I’m willing to give this some room. Let’s not rush.”

“Right. Of course,” he said quickly, raising his hands in surrender. “Sorry. I just… I’m really happy you’re considering it. That’s all.”

We spent the rest of the evening talking about neutral things. Work, food, the weather. Max was careful, attentive. But I couldn’t ignore the voice in my head.

The one whispering; Something’s off.

That night, I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling, arms folded over the growing curve of my belly.

Max had said all the right things. He had shown up. Offered help. Been sweet. Caring.

But something didn’t add up.

I ran back through every interaction we’d had since the beginning.

How he had met me at Drew’s company. How quickly he took interest. How he always seemed one step ahead, always conveniently available. Too available.

And then there was that moment. That call. The words I heard.

“I have to make her trust me more.”

Was it about me?

Maybe it wasn’t. Maybe I was overthinking. Reading too much into things. Maybe it was just a friend or a colleague needing advice.

But what if it wasn’t?

What if this had never been about caring?

What if Max had a reason to want me close, something he was hiding?

I pressed a hand gently to my belly. The little life growing inside me had changed everything. I couldn’t afford to be reckless. I couldn’t afford to trust blindly.

And I certainly couldn’t afford to make another mistake.

I had to be careful. Very careful.

Whatever Max’s intentions were, I was going to find out. But I had to do it without tipping him off. I needed answers and I’d only get them if he kept believing I trusted him.

So for now, I would smile. I would say the right things. I would play along.

But I was watching.

And this time, I wouldn’t ignore my instincts.

As I turned off the lights and curled beneath the sheets, my phone buzzed. A message from Max lit up the screen.

Max: Thanks for tonight. I won’t let you down.

I stared at the screen for a long time, then placed the phone face down.

“You already have.” I thought.

But he didn’t need to know that.

Not yet.