chapter 5

LISA'S POV

The knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. My heart leaped into my throat as I stared at the door, suddenly unsure of who or what I was expecting. I wasn’t used to visitors. No one ever came here, and that was exactly how I liked it.

I stood up slowly, wiping the tear tracks from my cheeks. I didn’t want to open it, not with the swirl of emotions still tightening around my chest. I wasn’t ready to face anyone, but I couldn’t ignore the persistent knock.

My hand hesitated on the doorknob. It could be a delivery. Or a neighbor. But deep down, I felt this wasn’t just a random visit.

I opened the door cautiously, just a crack at first. When I saw who was standing there, my heart froze.

It was Nathan.

Nathan—the man I thought I’d marry one day. The man who had shattered my world when I found him in bed with Bella. He was the last person I wanted to see, yet here he was, standing on my doorstep with that same cocky grin that used to make my heart flutter but now only made me sick.

“Lisa,” he said, his voice dripping with false charm. “You look… different.”

Different? I thought bitterly. Yeah, because I’m pregnant. But I didn’t say it. Instead, I tightened my grip on the door, trying to keep my emotions in check.

“What are you doing here, Nathan?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

He shrugged, his eyes flicking briefly over me before settling on my face. “Can’t I check up on an old friend? We haven’t seen each other in a while, and I thought—”

“Thought what?” I interrupted, my patience already wearing thin. “Thought you could just show up here after everything that happened? After what you did?”

His grin faltered, just for a moment. But then it was back, and he leaned casually against the doorframe, as if this was some friendly visit.

“Look, Lisa, I know things didn’t end well between us. But that was a mistake, okay? You’ve got to understand—”

“A mistake?” I cut him off again, my voice rising. “You slept with my stepsister, Nathan. That wasn’t just a mistake. That was a choice.”

He had the audacity to sigh, as if I was the one being unreasonable. “I didn’t come here to rehash the past. I wanted to see how you’re doing. Maybe… we could try again.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. After all this time, after everything he put me through, he had the nerve to stand here and suggest we try again? My stomach churned with a mix of disgust and anger.

“There’s no ‘again,’ Nathan,” I said firmly, my hand tightening on the door. “We’re done. We’ve been done for a long time.”

For a moment, he just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then his eyes dropped lower, to my belly. I watched as the realization hit him, his eyes widening slightly. I could practically see the gears turning in his head as he put the pieces together.

“You’re pregnant,” he said, his voice softer now, almost cautious.

I felt a surge of protectiveness, my hand instinctively moving to my stomach. “Yes, I am.”

His gaze flickered between my face and my belly. “Is it… mine?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. For a moment, I couldn’t believe he had the nerve to ask that. How could he even think—?

“No,” I said firmly, cutting off his train of thought before he could go any further. “It’s not yours, Nathan.”

His face hardened, his cocky grin disappearing entirely. For a moment, he just stood there, staring at me with an intensity that made my skin crawl. I didn’t want to let him into my life again—not even a little bit. Not after everything.

“So who’s the father, then?” he asked, his voice cold now.

“That’s none of your business,” I snapped, anger flaring up inside me. I was done with his games, done with his attempts to worm his way back into my life. “You have no right to ask me that.”

He opened his mouth to say something else, but I didn’t want to hear it. I slammed the door in his face before he could get another word out, my hands shaking as I leaned against the door, breathing hard.

For a few minutes, I stood there, listening to the sound of my own rapid breathing, waiting for the pounding of my heart to slow. I heard Nathan mutter something under his breath, then the sound of his footsteps fading away as he left. Finally, I exhaled, a heavy sigh of relief.

But even after he was gone, the tension remained. My mind was racing, thoughts spinning out of control. Seeing Nathan again had stirred up so much pain, so much anger I had buried deep inside me. And now, on top of everything else, I had to deal with the fact that he knew about the baby—well, part of the truth, at least.

I sank down onto the couch, my head in my hands. What was I supposed to do now? Nathan was unpredictable, and I knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t just let this go. He was like a dog with a bone once he got an idea in his head, and now that he knew I was pregnant, he’d probably come sniffing around again, trying to weasel his way back into my life.

But he wasn’t the father. He wasn’t even a part of my life anymore, and I intended to keep it that way. This baby was mine, and I wasn’t going to let anyone, especially not Nathan, ruin that for me.

I rubbed my belly, feeling the slight swell beneath my hand. A boy. My son. My heart swelled with a fierce love I hadn’t known was possible until now. He was all that mattered. Not Nathan. Not the past. Just him.

But as much as I wanted to focus on my son and the future I was building for us, there was still one nagging thought that wouldn’t leave me alone.

The stranger. The man from that one night. The father of my child.

I still didn’t know who he was, and every day that passed without answers made me more anxious. What if he showed up one day, just like Nathan had? What if he wanted to be part of my son’s life? Would I even recognize him if I saw him again?

I shook my head, pushing the thought away. I couldn’t worry about that now. I had to take things one step at a time.

For now, I had to keep Nathan away and focus on preparing for my baby’s arrival. That was all that mattered.

But in the back of my mind, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the past wasn’t done with me yet.