Chapter 4

Dahlia's POV

For the next week, my life revolved around one secret.

I was pregnant.

Even now, the thought seemed unreal. Sometimes, I would wake up in the middle of the night, place a hand over my stomach, and wonder how something so small could change my entire life. Other times, I would sit quietly in my room, staring at my phone and waiting for Kayden to call.

He never did.

I tried not to let it bother me. He was at training camp, after all, and I knew how demanding his career could be. I told myself he was busy, that he would contact me when he had the time, and that I shouldn't expect him to spend every free moment thinking about me.

Still, it hurt.

I had imagined our reunion so many times that I could almost picture it. I would run into his arms, he would hold me close, and I would finally tell him about the baby. Perhaps he would be shocked at first, but once he recovered, he would smile and pull me into another hug. Maybe he would even tell me he had been thinking about me every day.

I knew I was building castles in the air, but I couldn't help myself.

Kayden had been my first love, my first kiss, and the first man I had ever given my heart to so completely. No matter how hard I tried to be realistic, a part of me still believed that our night together had meant something to him.

And now we had a child connecting us forever.

I was terrified of what he might say, but I was determined to tell him the moment he returned. I wouldn't hide our baby from him, and I wouldn't make decisions about the child's future without giving him a chance to be part of it.

I only needed him to come home.

Unfortunately, life had other plans.

A week later, I received a call from Mitchell.

"Dahlia! Where have you been hiding?" She demanded the moment I answered. "I've barely seen you since your birthday, and don't tell me you've suddenly become too busy for your favorite person."

I laughed weakly. "I'm sorry. I've just been tired lately."

"Well, whatever it is, you're coming over today. No excuses! I miss you, and I have so much to tell you."

I hesitated.

I hadn't told Mitchell about the pregnancy. She was my best friend, and keeping something this important from her made me feel guilty, but I wasn't ready to explain everything. I wanted to speak to Kayden first. I needed to know where I stood with him before I dragged anyone else into the situation.

"Come on, Dahlia." She pleaded. "Please? We can hang out, watch a movie, and eat until we can't move anymore. Just like old times."

I smiled despite myself.

"Okay. I'll come over."

"Yay! I knew you wouldn't disappoint me. Get here soon, and don't take forever!"

The call ended before I could respond.

I stared at my phone for a moment, then glanced down at my stomach. I wasn't showing yet, and no one would be able to tell just by looking at me. Still, the thought of seeing Mitchell made me nervous. I had always been terrible at hiding my feelings from her, and I worried she would notice something was wrong.

But she was my best friend. I couldn't keep avoiding her forever.

Besides, perhaps spending some time with her would help take my mind off Kayden.

I got dressed and headed to her house that afternoon, unaware that I was walking straight into the worst moment of my life.

The moment Mitchell opened the door, she grabbed my hand and pulled me inside.

"Finally! I thought you'd changed your mind."

"I told you I was coming."

"Yes, but you took your sweet time." She gave me a playful glare before pulling me into a hug. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too."

She held me for another moment before stepping back, her face suddenly lighting up with excitement.

"Oh, there's someone I want you to meet!"

Before I could ask who, she grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the living room.

A woman was sitting on the couch.

She was beautiful, with long, perfectly styled hair, an elegant dress, and the kind of effortless confidence that made it obvious she was used to being admired. She looked up when we entered, smiling warmly at Mitchell before turning her attention to me.

And then I saw him.

Kayden was standing beside the couch.

For a moment, the entire room seemed to disappear.

My eyes locked onto his, and I forgot how to breathe. He looked as handsome as ever, dressed casually in a dark shirt and trousers, his familiar features bringing back memories I had spent the past few weeks desperately clinging to.

He was home.

He was finally home.

My heart leaped with such force that I almost reached for my stomach instinctively.

I wanted to run to him. I wanted to throw my arms around his neck and ask why he hadn't called me. I wanted to tell him that I had missed him, that I had been waiting for him, and that there was something important he needed to know.

But before I could take a single step, Mitchell spoke.

"Dahlia, come here! I want you to meet someone very special."

I forced myself to look away from Kayden and turned toward the woman on the couch.

"This is Alessia Devereux." Mitchell announced proudly. "My brother's fiancee!"

The words hit me so hard that, for a moment, I thought I had misheard her.

His fiancee?

I stared at Mitchell, waiting for her to laugh and admit she was joking. But she only smiled brighter, apparently delighted by the news.

"I know, right?" She continued excitedly. "I still can't believe my brother is actually getting married! He spent three whole months trying to convince Alessia to marry him. He proposed twice before she finally agreed."

She laughed and shook her head.

"Honestly, I thought he would drive her crazy before she said yes. You know how stubborn he can be!"

Mitchell continued talking, her excitement filling the room, but I barely heard another word.

All I could see was Kayden.

He stood beside his fiancee with an expression I couldn't read. He didn't look surprised by Mitchell's announcement. He didn't appear uncomfortable or guilty. He simply stood there as though this were the most ordinary thing in the world.

As though he hadn't spent a night in bed with me.

As though he hadn't kissed me, held me, and made me believe that perhaps I finally mattered to him.

As though he hadn't kept the photograph I had given him two years ago.

My stomach twisted painfully.

No.

No, this couldn't be happening.

I had waited for him. I had counted the days until his return, telling myself that everything would make sense once we were together again. I had carried his child for weeks, imagining how he would react when I finally told him.

And all this time, he had been pursuing another woman.

He had proposed to her. Not once, but twice.

He had spent three months trying to win her hand in marriage.

Three months.

I struggled to swallow the lump forming in my throat.

Was he already with her when he slept with me?

Had he been planning to marry her while keeping my photograph hidden in his room?

What had that night meant to him?

I remembered the way he had looked at me, the way his voice had softened when he asked if I was sure. I remembered his hands holding me as though he wanted me close, the tenderness with which he had taken care of me afterward.

Had any of it been real?

Or had I simply been convenient?

A woman he could touch when he wanted, only to return to the woman he intended to marry?

The thought made me feel sick.

My gaze dropped to my hands, and I curled my fingers into fists to keep them from trembling. I could feel the tears gathering in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall in front of everyone.

I wouldn't cry here.

I wouldn't let them see how completely Kayden Voss had broken me.

"Dahlia?"

Mitchell's voice brought me back to the present.

I lifted my head.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her smile fading slightly as she studied my face. "You look pale."

I forced a laugh.

"I'm fine. I think I'm just a little tired."

"Are you sure? You've barely said anything since you arrived."

"I'm sure."

I couldn't look at Kayden again. I was afraid that if I did, the tears I had been fighting would finally spill over.

Alessia smiled at me.

"It's lovely to meet you, Dahlia. I've heard so much about Mitchell's best friend."

I managed a weak smile. "It's nice to meet you too."

The words tasted bitter.

She was lovely. She seemed kind, and there was nothing about her that I could reasonably hate. She hadn't done anything wrong. She probably had no idea that the man she was going to marry had shared an intimate night with another woman only weeks earlier.

With me.

That was what made everything so unbearable.

I couldn't even blame her.

I could only blame the man who had made me believe that I might mean something to him.

I stood there for another few minutes, listening to Mitchell talk excitedly about the wedding and the plans she was already making. Every word felt like another knife twisting in my chest.

Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore.

"Mitchell, I just remembered I have something to do at home." I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave."

She frowned. "Already? You just got here!"

"I know. I'm sorry. I really don't feel well."

"Then stay and rest for a while. I can get you something to drink."

"No." I shook my head quickly, then forced a small smile. "I'll be fine once I get home. I just need to lie down."

Mitchell studied me, clearly unconvinced, but she eventually nodded.

"All right. But call me later, okay? And if you're feeling sick, tell me. Don't just disappear on me."

"I will."

I turned toward the door without looking at Kayden.

Every step felt heavier than the last, and I had to fight the urge to turn around and demand an explanation. I wanted to ask him how he could do this to me. I wanted to know whether I had ever meant anything to him.

But what would that accomplish?

Would he deny it? Would he tell me that the night we shared had been a mistake? Would he look me in the eyes and say that I had misunderstood everything?

I couldn't bear to hear any of those answers.

So I left without saying another word.

The moment I stepped outside, the tears I'd been holding back finally spilled down my cheeks.

I hurried to my car, shut the door, and pressed both hands over my mouth to smother the sob that escaped me.

For several minutes, I couldn't do anything but cry.

I had loved him for years.

I had given him my heart long before he ever touched me, and when he finally did, I had been foolish enough to believe that something beautiful had begun between us.

Now I understood how wrong I had been.

I was nothing more than a secret he could hide away, just like the photograph and the dress.

Something he could keep for himself without ever having to acknowledge it in front of anyone else.

I lowered my hands to my stomach.

My baby.

A fresh wave of tears blurred my vision.

I couldn't stay there. I couldn't remain in a place where I might see Kayden walking around with his fiancee, smiling and making wedding plans while I carried the child he had no idea existed.

Every familiar street would remind me of him. Every visit to Mitchell's house would force me to face the reality I was desperate to escape.

And if I stayed, I didn't trust myself not to tell him about the baby, even if he made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with me.

I needed to leave.

I needed somewhere far away, somewhere I could breathe without constantly being reminded of the man who had shattered my heart.

That evening, I went home and packed my belongings.

I didn't take much. Just a few clothes, my important documents, and the little money I had managed to save. I packed quietly, wiping my face whenever another wave of tears threatened to overwhelm me.

Every item I placed in my bag felt like another piece of my old life being left behind.

My family. College. Mitchell.

I loved them, but I couldn't face any of them right now. Not when the person who had hurt me was so closely connected to the people I cared about.

I knew Mitchell would be devastated when she discovered I was gone. I knew my family would worry. The thought made my chest ache, but I couldn't stay for their sake and destroy myself in the process.

Before leaving, I sat on the edge of my bed and stared at my phone.

Kayden's name wasn't in my messages. He hadn't called me, and I hadn't called him.

I had spent weeks waiting for him to reach out, hoping he would give me a reason to believe that I hadn't imagined everything between us.

Now I was glad he hadn't.

If he had called, I might have answered. I might have told him about the baby, and I might have allowed myself to hope all over again.

I couldn't do that anymore.

With trembling fingers, I switched off my phone and placed it in my bag.

Then I took one last look around my room and walked out.

I didn't know exactly where I was going. I only knew I needed to get as far away as possible.

I booked my flight that day and spent the night at a hotel.

The next day, I boarded my flight, leaving my messed up life behind, my family, my friend, and the man who broke and ruined me.

I settled in a distant city where nobody knew my name or my history. It wasn't a glamorous place, and it certainly wasn't the fresh start I had once imagined for myself, but it was far enough away that I could begin again without constantly looking over my shoulder.

Using most of my savings, I rented a small apartment in a modest neighborhood. The building was old, the paint on the walls was peeling, and the furniture was barely enough to make the place feel like a home. But it was mine.

I found a low paying job that barely covered my rent and daily expenses. I learned to stretch every little amount of money, to cook inexpensive meals, and to ignore the loneliness that crept in whenever I returned to my empty apartment at night.

Some days were harder than others.

There were nights when I lay awake, wondering whether I had made the right decision. I missed my family. I missed Mitchell's laughter and the way she could make me smile even when I was having the worst day of my life.

Most of all, I missed the version of myself who had believed love would be enough.

But whenever I felt myself weakening, I placed a hand over my stomach and reminded myself why I had left.

I had to protect my baby.

Whatever happened between Kayden and me, our child deserved a life free from the pain and confusion that had become mine.

I didn't know how I would raise a child alone, especially with so little money and no one nearby to help me. The thought terrified me, but I refused to let that fear decide my future.

I would find a way.

I had to.

Back home, my disappearance caused an uproar.

I learned about it through the messages that flooded my phone after I finally switched it on several weeks later. There were dozens of missed calls from my family and Mitchell, along with messages asking where I was and whether I was safe.

Reading them made my heart ache.

Mitchell's messages were the hardest to bear.

Dahlia, where are you? Please answer me.

I've called you so many times. I'm worried sick.

If you're angry with me about something, just tell me. We can talk about it. Please don't shut me out like this.

I pressed the phone to my chest, tears sliding down my cheeks.

I wasn't angry with her. I could never be angry with Mitchell for something she hadn't known about. She had been excited to introduce her brother's fiancee to her best friend. She had no reason to suspect that the news would destroy me.

But I couldn't explain that to her.

Not yet.

My family eventually reported me missing, and the police began making inquiries. When they finally managed to contact me, I was frightened at first, but I cooperated and assured them that I was safe.

I explained that I had left of my own choice and wasn't being held against my will. I gave them enough information to confirm that I was alive and well, but I refused to reveal my exact location to my family.

Afterward, I sent messages to them and to Mitchell.

I told them I was safe, that I needed time alone, and that I was sorry for making them worry. I assured them that I was taking care of myself and asked them not to waste their time searching for me.

I didn't tell them about the pregnancy.

I wasn't ready to explain it, and I couldn't bear the thought of the news reaching Kayden before I had figured out how to deal with it myself.

After sending the messages, I tried to put the guilt behind me.

It wasn't easy.

But I had made my decision, and I had to live with it.

Months passed, and my stomach slowly grew.

The first time I felt the baby move, I burst into tears.

I had been sitting on my bed after a long day at work when I felt the faintest flutter beneath my palm. At first, I thought it was my imagination, but then it happened again.

I sat completely still, afraid that moving might make the sensation disappear.

"Baby?" I whispered.

Another tiny movement answered me.

I began to cry, laughing through my tears as I rubbed my stomach.

For the first time since leaving home, I didn't feel entirely alone.

There was someone with me. Someone who depended on me, someone I would protect with everything I had.

As the months went by, I began preparing for the birth as best I could. I bought a few inexpensive baby clothes whenever I had money left over, and I carefully set aside whatever little savings I could manage.

I didn't know whether I would be a good mother. I didn't know how I would balance work and childcare or what I would do when the baby got sick.

But I promised myself that I would learn.

I would make mistakes, and there would be days when I felt overwhelmed, but I would never let my child feel unwanted.

Never.

When the day finally came, I was terrified.

The pain was unlike anything I had ever experienced, and there were moments when I wondered whether I was strong enough to get through it. But I kept going, holding on to the thought of the little life I was about to meet.

And then, finally, I heard her cry.

A tiny, beautiful cry that seemed to silence every fear in my heart.

"Congratulations." The nurse said gently. "You have a beautiful baby girl."

My eyes filled with tears.

A daughter.

I had a daughter.

When they placed her in my arms, I stared down at her, hardly daring to breathe. She was so small, so delicate, and so perfect that I couldn't understand how someone like me could have been given something so precious.

Her tiny fingers curled against my chest, and I let out a shaky laugh.

"Hello, sweetheart." I whispered. "I'm your mommy."

She shifted slightly, opening her eyes.

And my heart stopped.

Those eyes.

I knew them.

I had seen them countless times, in my dreams and in the memories I couldn't escape. They were the same eyes that had once looked at me with cold indifference, the same eyes that had searched my face in the quiet moments we shared.

Kayden's eyes.

There was no mistaking them.

My daughter had inherited his eyes, and looking into them felt like staring straight at the man I had spent months trying to forget.

My smile trembled.

For a moment, I was overwhelmed by a bittersweet ache. I wanted to cry because I missed him. I wanted to laugh because I had created something so beautiful. And I wanted to hold my daughter even closer because, despite everything, she was the one good thing that had come from the most painful experience of my life.

She was innocent.

She wasn't responsible for the choices her father had made, and she would never have to carry the burden of my heartbreak.

I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, breathing in the sweet scent of her skin.

"Miley." I whispered.

I had chosen her name long before I gave birth, repeating it in my mind on lonely nights when I wondered what my baby would look like. Now that I could finally see her, the name felt perfect.

"Miley Wynn."

My daughter.

My little girl.

I brushed my thumb over her cheek, watching as her tiny mouth moved in her sleep.

"I don't know what life has planned for us, sweetheart." I whispered, my voice trembling. "But I promise you one thing."

I drew her closer and kissed her forehead again.

"I will love you enough for both of us. I'll protect you, take care of you, and do everything I can to give you a happy life. You will never have to wonder whether you're wanted, and you will never have to beg anyone to love you."

Tears slipped down my cheeks and landed on the blanket wrapped around her.

"You have me, Miley. Always."

She stirred in my arms, her tiny fingers curling around one of mine.

And as I looked into those familiar eyes, I made myself another promise.

I would stop waiting for Kayden Voss to choose me.

I would stop building my life around the hope that he might one day come back and give me the love I had always wanted.

From this moment on, my life belonged to me and my daughter.

Whatever the future held, I would face it.

For Miley, I would be strong.

For Miley, I would keep going.

And for Miley, I would become the best mother I could possibly be.