MasukSELENEI gathered my things from my desk, dropping them into my bag. Just as I was about to zip it shut, my eyes caught sight of the pregnancy test kit tucked inside.I pulled it out and stared at the two red lines.I was... pregnant.The word still felt surreal, even though I'd taken the test early that morning and had spent the entire day knowing there was a baby growing inside me.I was going to be a mother.A smile tugged at my lips at the thought. This was what I'd always wanted, to start a family with Sebastian, to build a life together that went beyond the two of us.And yet, beneath all that excitement, my nerves refused to settle.How was I supposed to tell him?I'd gone over it in my head countless times throughout the day, imagining his reaction and wondering what he'd say. I couldn't predict how the conversation would go, and that uncertainty only made me more anxious.Still, I'd decided to tell him over dinner tonight.Taking a deep breath, I rested my palm against my sto
ASHLEY“I love you, Ashley.”The words had been echoing in my head since last night.When Garrett said them, I hadn't known how to respond. Looking into his eyes, I could see how much he meant every word, and that terrified me. I was afraid of hurting him, so I had stayed silent, unable to give him the answer he deserved.To his credit, he hadn't pressured me. He hadn't demanded an answer or made me feel guilty for not giving him one.But that only made me feel worse.Since then, I'd been trying to convince myself that giving Garrett a chance was the right thing to do.I enjoyed his company. He was kind, funny, charming, and a good listener. He paid attention to the little things and made me feel seen in ways I hadn't realized I was missing. He was the kind of man any woman would be lucky to date, perhaps even spend the rest of her life with.So why couldn't I bring myself to say yes?Why was I having second thoughts about something that should have been so simple?With a sigh, I pres
ASHLEYZara and I were curled up on the couch, watching our usual late-night show.“I love this guy!” she exclaimed, bursting into laughter at something one of the characters had said.I smiled faintly, barely paying attention to the screen.My phone suddenly rang.I leaned over to check the caller ID, and the moment I saw Garrett’s name, my heart skipped a beat.I hadn't seen him since last night.After his confession, I still hadn't figured out what to say to him. Part of me wanted to talk to him, but another part wasn't ready to face the conversation waiting between us.For a moment, I considered letting the call ring out.Instead, I picked up.“Hello?”A few seconds passed before his voice came through.“Did I wake you up?”“No.”Something about his voice made me straighten in my seat. Garrett usually sounded relaxed, sometimes even playful. Tonight, he sounded different.Quieter. Almost distant.“Can I see you right now?” he asked.I frowned.“Are you okay?”He let out a sigh. “I
JORDAN One of the things I should have done a long time ago was reach out to Gwen.But I couldn't bring myself to do it.Instead of facing what happened that day, I buried it. I convinced myself that leaving it in the past was easier than opening a wound I wasn't sure either of us knew how to deal with.For a long time, I ran from it.I told myself I was moving on, but the truth was, I never really stopped thinking about that day.I've decided I'm not running anymore.I'm not going to pretend it didn't happen or act like it hasn't been haunting me all these years.So the first thing I did was reach out to Gwen.It wasn't easy getting her number again. Luckily, a friend from college was able to get her contact for me, and after staring at her name on my phone for far too long, I finally sent her a message.Honestly, I wasn't expecting a response.But she replied much sooner than I anticipated.We eventually spoke on the phone, and for the first time in years, I heard her voice again.
GARRETT“You're still not going to tell me why exactly you're here?”I asked Gwen for what had to be the fifteenth time that evening, my hands steady on the steering wheel.“I told you,” she said. “It's because I missed you.”“You're tripping.”I knew that wasn't the real reason.Gwen was always complaining about how much she hated it here. Yet she'd suddenly shown up without telling me, acting like it was completely normal.“Are you sure you're okay?” I asked, glancing at her before returning my attention to the road.“I'm fine, Garrett.” She smiled. “Just go to the address I gave you.”“And why exactly are we going there?”“God, you ask too many questions,” she muttered. “Just focus on the road.”“If there's something going on—”“There's nothing going on,” she cut me off. “Just focus on the road.”I studied her for a second before looking ahead again.“Okay.”I decided to take her word for it.A few moments passed in silence.Then Gwen looked at me.“She's really pretty.”I glanced
ASHLEYAfter that kiss with Garrett, I couldn't figure out what I wanted anymore.I'd spent so much time telling myself that I needed to move on. That it was time to let go of Jordan and allow myself to be happy with someone else.Maybe Garrett could be that someone.The kiss should have made things easier. It had felt good, better than I wanted to admit. For a moment, I'd forgotten everything else and simply let myself enjoy being close to him.But instead of giving me clarity, it had only left me more confused.Because Jordan was still on my mind.Ever since his confession in Selene's office, I'd tried to talk to him. More than once.But it was almost as if he was deliberately avoiding me.We worked in the same building, yet somehow I could go an entire day without even catching a glimpse of him. Whenever I thought I might finally get the chance to speak to him, he was already gone.And then there was Garrett.He kept planning dates for us, and I hadn't even figured out how to talk







