STRANGE CONNECTION

ALEX

"It's okay, Alex. I just wanted to make sure you were protecting yourself and not being taken advantage of. I'm always here for you, no matter what," my mom replied, giving me a comforting hug.

From that day on, I learned to trust my mom's advice and not let my emotions cloud my judgment. And while it was a painful lesson to learn, it ultimately made me a stronger and more cautious person.

It was one of the hardest conversations I've ever had to have. I knew I had to tell Britany that I wanted a paternity test toconfirm whether or not the baby was truly mine, and that my mom had urged me to be cautious about believing her claims.

"Britany, we need to talk," I said, taking a deep breath as I sat down next to her on thecouch.

"Okay, what's going on?" she asked, looking curious.

"There's just been a lot of doubts and uncertainties lately with everything that's happened," I explained, trying to choose my words carefully.

"What do you mean?" she asked, starting to look worried.

"I want