CHAPTER 5

I couldn't answer, couldn’t even breathe. The pain sliced through my lower abdomen, fierce and relentless, knocking the air from my lungs. My vision swam as I doubled over, clutching my stomach, my fingers digging into the thin hospital gown. Panic clawed at my chest.

Jacob was beside me in an instant, his eyes wide with fear, his hands hesitating mid-air as though afraid to make things worse. “Sophia, what’s happening? Say something!”

But I couldn’t. The only thing I could think about was the baby.

Something was wrong. I could feel it. Deeply, instinctively.

“Doctor!” Jacob shouted, bolting from my side. I heard his voice echo through the hallway, urgent, cracking under pressure. “We need help here! Now!”

Everything blurred after that.

The door burst open. A team of nurses rushed in, followed by Dr. Seth, his expression calm but sharp. I was lowered back onto the bed as the pain kept pulsing, hot and cruel. The machines beeped louder now, faster, more urgent.

Dr. Seth moved quickly, his hands checking vitals, his voice firm as he gave orders I couldn’t comprehend. I clutched the edge of the sheets, teeth clenched, sweat beading on my forehead.

“Hang in there, Sophia,” he said, his voice the only anchor I had. We need to do an ultrasound now.”

Jacob hovered near the door, pale and visibly shaken, his eyes locked on me with growing confusion. He didn’t know. Not yet. But as I lay there, pain fading into exhaustion, the weight of everything I’d been hiding pressed down harder than ever.

Dr. Seth moved quickly, prepping the ultrasound, his voice calm but clipped. The room was tense, silent but loud with unspoken fears. I gripped the edge of the bed, my knuckles white, praying that everything was okay. That was the one thing I still had… was still safe.

Jacob stepped closer, his brows furrowed, concern etched into every line of his face. I couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t meet those eyes. Not when I was holding something so big… so fragile.

Just as I was about to answer, Dr. Seth’s voice filled the room.

“The baby’s heartbeat is strong.”

The relief was immediate, crashing into me like a wave. My body sagged into the mattress as tears welled in my eyes. But Dr. Seth wasn’t done.

“You’ve been pushing yourself too hard,” he continued, his tone stern but gentle. “This level of stress isn't safe for either of you.”

I didn’t dare glance at Jacob. But I felt his shift. His silence. And then softly, almost to himself, “Baby…?”

The word hung in the air.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to look at him, meeting the stunned expression written across his face.

“Yes,” I whispered. “I’m pregnant.”

Jacob stared at me, stunned, as if trying to process what I'd just said. I couldn't read the expression on his face, was it shock, concern, or something else entirely? But before he could respond, Dr.Seth stepped in, his voice authoritative.

“ She needs rest, Jacob . Let's give her some space.”

Jacob nodded absently, still processing everything. He backed out of the room, his gaze never leaving mine as the door closed behind him.

As soon as he was gone, the weight of the secret I had carried for so long felt crushing.

***

Later that evening, as the room fell into a hush and the soft glow of dusk crept in through the window, Jacob returned. His steps were quiet, but his presence still stirred something in the air, something cautious, yet unshakably steady.

He lingered by the door for a moment before walking over, his hands tucked into his pockets, his eyes searching mine. “How are you feeling?” he asked gently.

I shifted slightly under the blanket, still sore but no longer in pain. “Better,” I murmured. “Just tired.”

He gave a quiet nod, his gaze dropping for a second before returning to me. He didn’t say anything else. The silence between us stretched, thick with unspoken thoughts. I could feel his curiosity, the unasked questions, but he didn’t push. Maybe he sensed I wasn’t ready. Maybe he respected that.

I was thankful for it.

Jacob moved to the chair beside me, sitting slowly, his posture relaxed but alert. We didn’t speak. We just sat in the quiet, the truth of what I had shared earlier still heavy in the space between us.

But in that silence, I didn’t feel judged.

I felt understood.

Just as the silence between us began to stretch too thin, Jacob’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and his expression shifted, his brows pulling together in a quiet frown.

“I need to take this,” he said softly, stepping out into the hallway. I heard his voice murmuring on the other side of the door, low and serious, but the words were muffled, distant.

When he came back a few minutes later, his face carried that same quiet urgency. “I have to head out,” he said, slipping the phone away. “Something came up, but I’ll be back in the morning. You’ll be alright?”

I nodded, managing a faint smile. “Yeah. Thanks, Jacob. For being here.”

He gave me a small reassuring smile. Without another word, he turned and left the room, the door clicking softly behind him.

As soon as he was gone, the silence of the room closed in around me again. I stared up at the ceiling, the events of the day replaying in my mind. Jacob had been kind, he hadn't pushed me for answers, hadn't pried into things that weren't his business. But deep down, I knew sooner or later, the truth would catch up with me. And when it did, it wouldn't be just Jacob asking the questions.