My Fiancé Is A… Dad?

When I came home with the gift I'd carefully picked out for Dennis McMillan, the house was empty. No one was there—just a table covered in fresh flowers.From the garden, bursts of laughter and cheer drifted in. I followed the sound, step by step."Dennis, you're so lucky—your son's so handsome, and your wife's beautiful too."A man's teasing voice rang out from not far ahead.I froze. My whole body tensed. I couldn't believe what I'd just heard.I walked a little further and saw Dennis cradling a baby in his arms. A petite woman clung to his arm."Yeah," he said. "I really am lucky. And it's all down to Scarlett."He looked at her like there was no one else in the world, brushing her hair with tender fingers.The woman covered her mouth and laughed, eyes bright with happiness.They looked like the perfect family of three—something out of a picture, too beautiful to touch.I stood frozen, hidden in the shadows like a mouse, watching them.Behind them, a banner hung on the ga

As a teenager, I believed this was what love looked like. So I kept trying to get closer to him—learning what he liked, shaping myself into someone he would want.At eighteen, I put on my first strapless dress and high heels. At a party, a rich young man struck up a casual conversation with me. That was all it took. Dennis dragged me into a bathroom and kissed me—hard.His dark eyes stared into mine from beneath tousled hair. He pressed his forehead to mine and whispered, "You're mine."From the very beginning, he was the one who gave me hope. Every gesture, every word said he liked me. But now, he says I've been the one clinging to him.I walked away, devastated. The moment I reached the door, I broke down.My hands trembled as I took out my phone and opened Telegram.The most recent message from Dennis read: [Anna, happy birthday.]At the time, I was saving a pregnant woman's life, covered in blood, running on no sleep for over twenty-four hours. But when I saw his message, al

After taking it all in, I walked toward the master bedroom.I used to live there.Back then, Dennis had decorated it entirely to suit my tastes.My hand had just touched the doorknob when a woman's voice stopped me."You're Anna?"I turned and saw the woman Dennis had called Scarlett earlier standing behind me.She had a soft fullness to her figure, hidden beneath a loose dress, but her eyes were striking—large, bright, and gentle-looking. The kind of eyes that made a person seem kind and dependable."I am," I replied.Back when I practiced medicine, people often asked me that same question.Every time, I answered without hesitation: I am.It had become something like a professional reflex.She studied me for a long moment, then let out a short, sharp laugh. "So he still hasn't told you, huh? I'm his fiancée. We already have a son."A dull ache surfaced in my chest. But I could control my emotions now. "I know.""You know and you still came back?" Her voice turned sharp, h

As she heard what I said, Scarlett's pupils contracted, narrowing slowly before she spat, "Anna, are you out of your mind? I'm your love rival!""But I don't like Dennis anymore," I replied calmly. "I came today to tell you there's no need to worry about me. I'm not going to compete with you. I'll be ending my engagement with him soon. After that, you two can be together without hiding.""What did you just say?" Dennis had walked in without warning, his voice filled with surprise.I turned to look at him, offering a faint smile. "I've let go of you. I just came to tell you I'm ending the engagement, so you and your wife can be together openly."He froze.It took him a while to respond."If that's how you feel… I'm glad," he finally said.I thought hearing about the breakup would make Dennis happy. But his reaction wasn't what I expected. Not quite joy. Not even relief.As I was about to leave, he stood up."Let me walk you out," he said.There was a 24-hour convenience store

"Leon? What are you doing here?" My surprise slipped out before I could stop it.He smiled, wide and bright, his teeth impossibly white."Took me a while, but I finally got accepted into Doctors Without Borders. From now on, we're colleagues."…On the road to the village in Africa, the ride was rough. There were potholes everywhere, and the truck was bouncing like it had no suspension.Leon reached over and handed me a mint."It helps with the motion sickness," he said.I took it and popped it into my mouth. Cool mint spread slowly across my tongue.He asked me how I'd been. I told him everything.There didn't seem to be any point in hiding it—not even the part about Dennis. It wasn't some shameful secret, just a part of life.After three years in this line of work, I'd stopped holding back. I say what I need to say, when I need to say it. Because sometimes, there isn't a next time.When I finished, he reached over and gently patted my back. "I'll stay by your side from now