MasukNadia's POV
I sat in the dark and replayed the moment my marriage ended. Luna's voice on the phone saying Cassandra was in the hospital. Dylan's face going white. Him grabbing his keys without even looking at me and the sound of the door closing behind him.
That was six hours ago.
I waited for him to call. To text. To send anything that acknowledged I existed. One hour passed. Then two. I fed Elena and put her to bed alone. I ate nothing because my stomach was in knots. I kept checking my phone like a pathetic fool hoping for crumbs of consideration from my own husband.
Nadia's POVThree days into the separation and I was barely holding myself together. The house felt too quiet without Dylan even though I was the one who kicked him out. I kept seeing his face when Elena asked if he loved the bad lady more than them and the memory made my chest hurt.Luna stayed with me most nights. She helped with the kids and made sure I ate something even when the food tasted like cardboard paper, but she was also very honest in a way only a best friend and sister could be."You did the right thing," Luna said as we sat in my kitchen while the children napped. "He chose Cassandra again. You cannot keep living like this.""I know." My voice was faint. "But it still hurts.""Of course it hurts." Luna squeezed my hand. "You loved him. You still love him but love is not enough when someone keeps breaking your heart."Dylan had been staying awa
Dylan's POVI did not leave. I could not make my legs carry me out that door so I slept on the couch hoping Nadia would calm down by morning. The leather was cold against my skin and I stared at the ceiling all night replaying every mistake I had made.She came downstairs at dawn. I sat up quickly, ready to apologize again and beg for another chance. But when Nadia saw me still there, her face went completely cold."I meant what I said. Leave.""Nadia, please." I stood up. "We need to talk about this."
Nadia's POVI sat in the dark and replayed the moment my marriage ended. Luna's voice on the phone saying Cassandra was in the hospital. Dylan's face going white. Him grabbing his keys without even looking at me and the sound of the door closing behind him.That was six hours ago.I waited for him to call. To text. To send anything that acknowledged I existed. One hour passed. Then two. I fed Elena and put her to bed alone. I ate nothing because my stomach was in knots. I kept checking my phone like a pathetic fool hoping for crumbs of consideration from my own husband.
Dylan's POVI was halfway to the hospital when my phone started ringing. Nadia. I let it go to voicemail because I could not handle that conversation while driving and my hands were shaking too hard to be safe. The baby might be coming early and every second counted.When I arrived at the emergency room, a nurse directed me to the maternity ward. My heart pounded against my ribs as I walked down the sterile white hallway that smelled like antiseptic and fear. I found Cassandra in a private room, hooked up to monitors that beeped steadily. Her face was bruised on one side and tear-streaked."Dylan." She reached for me and her voice cracked. "I am so scared."A doctor in blue scrubs looked up from checking the monitors. "You are the father?""Yes." The word felt heavy in my mouth."She is having contractions. We are trying to stop early labor but at six months
Dylan's POVDr. Tedd did not waste time on pleasantries. "You are both being petty and it is destroying your marriage."I flinched but Nadia just stared at the floor. We had called an emergency session after our fight about Roman's ceremony and now sat on opposite ends of the couch like strangers."Dylan, you are jealous of a man who moved on and is getting mated to someone else." Dr. Tedd's voice was sharp. "That jealousy has no logical basis. The only threat here is your own insecurity."The words hit like a punch but I could not argue. She was right.Dr. Tedd turned to Nadia. "And you are using Roman's ceremony as a power play to prove your independence. But you are not proving independence. You are proving you are still hurt and angry.""I have a right to be hurt." Nadia's voice was small."Yes, you do." Dr. Tedd leaned forward.
Nadia's POVRoman's voice was warm through the phone and it made something in my chest loosen. "I am glad you called, Nadia. Sophia is excited to meet you."The mention of his fiancée should have stung but it did not. "She knows we dated?""Briefly, yes." Roman laughed softly. "She is secure enough not to care. We all have pasts."His ease about it made me realize how completely he had moved on. Roman had found love and left whatever we had been in the past where it belonged. Meanwhile, I was still drowning in mine."How are you?" Roman's question was gentle."Honestly?" I sank onto the bed. "I am a mess. Trying to fix things with Dylan but I keep having panic attacks. I cannot let him touch me without freezing. His mother thinks I am not good enough. Cassandra still needs help with the baby. Everything is falling apart.""You dese







