Chapter One: I’m Dying?

Isla's POV:

The fluorescent lights above me buzzed faintly as I stared at Dr. Morrison's mouth, watching his lips move but not really hearing the words.

"...congratulations, Mrs. Hartley...six weeks along...the baby is healthy..."

Six weeks.

The words finally broke through the fog in my mind, settling in my chest like something both heavy and weightless at the same time.

I blinked slowly, my hands gripping the edge of the plastic chair. My palms were sweating. The room felt too bright, too small, and suddenly too real.

Pregnant. I was pregnant.

After three years of trying. Three years of negative tests and doctor appointments and Declan's mother calling me barren at every family dinner. Three years of feeling broken and incomplete.

My hand moved to my stomach, which was flat and unchanged, but somehow different now.

Dr. Morrison kept talking, saying something about prenatal vitamins and follow-up appointments and avoiding stress.

I nodded. I didn't know what I was agreeing to. I just needed a moment to process this. To understand that after all this time, I was finally going to be a mother.

Maybe this would change things. Maybe Declan would finally look at me the way he used to, before the wedding, before the disappointment set in. Maybe his mother would stop with the cruel comments. Maybe we could be a real family.

When Dr. Morrison finally finished, I stood up on shaky legs and signed a quick "thank you." He gave me a warm smile and handed me a folder of information before opening the door for me.

The hospital hallway stretched out before me, endless and sterile. My vision blurred at the edges, but this time it was definitely tears.

Happy tears, I told myself. These were supposed to be happy tears.

I walked forward, one foot in front of the other, clutching the pregnancy results against my chest like a shield. How was I supposed to go home and tell Declan? Should I make it special? Should I just show him the paper?

My mind spun with possibilities, with hope I hadn't let myself feel in so long.

My foot caught on something—maybe the edge of a floor mat, maybe nothing—and I stumbled forward.

Strong hands caught me by the waist before I could hit the ground.

My head snapped up.

Dark, intense eyes stared down at me, framed by a face that could've been carved from stone. The man holding me was tall, dressed in an expensive black coat, and he smelled faintly of cedar and something else I couldn't place.

For a moment, we just looked at each other.

His grip on my waist was firm but not rough. It was steady and secure, like he had no intention of letting me fall.

Something flickered in his expression, but it was gone before I could read it.

This man looked so out of this world.

Is he an actor? A model? I can't tell.

"Are you alright?" His voice was deep and controlled. His brow furrowed out of concern.

I nodded quickly, suddenly aware of how close we were, of the warmth of his hands through my thin sweater, and the papers still pressed against my chest.

A small voice broke the moment.

"Daddy, is she okay?"

I glanced down. A little girl, no older than six, stood beside him clutching a stuffed rabbit, with bottle of water. She had the same dark eyes as the man, wide with concern.

He released me carefully, as if making sure I could stand on my own before letting go completely.

"I apologize," he said, stepping back. His tone was polite but distant. "I wasn't paying attention." He looked into my eyes.

I shook my head and signed "it's okay," even though I knew he probably didn't understand. Most people didn't. Most people didn't care about sign language or about mute people.

He watched my hands for a beat longer than necessary, then gave a short nod.

Did he understand me?

I turned and walked away before he could say anything else, my heart still pounding in my chest.

But I wasn't sure if it was from almost falling or from the way he'd looked at me.

It didn't matter. I had bigger things to think about now. I had a husband to tell. A future to plan.

I had a baby to protect.

---

The house was quiet when I got home, which was unusual.

I stood in the entryway for a moment, listening. Usually, I could hear the television in the living room or the clatter of dishes in the kitchen. Declan loved making it well known that he was around. He'd litter, play games, music, or do anything, just to make his presence visible.

But today, there was nothing.

The television was off. The sitting room was littered. No clattering in the kitchen.

Maybe this was a sign. Maybe today really was special.

I slipped off my shoes and set my bag down on the small table by the door, but I kept the pregnancy results clutched in my hand. My hands were still trembling, but now it was from excitement mixed with nervousness.

Maybe everyone was out. Maybe it would just be Declan and me, and I could tell him privately, the way I'd imagined.

I climbed the stairs slowly, each step feeling lighter than the last. The second floor hallway was dim, the curtains drawn. I walked past the guest room, past the bathroom, and toward the bedroom at the end of the hall, into our bedroom.

The door was cracked open, and I paused.

There were voices inside. They were low and hushed. A man's voice and a woman's.

My chest tightened.

That didn't sound like the television.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself, the papers crinkling slightly in my grip.

I pushed the door open slowly, my hand shaking on the doorknob.

What I saw shattered everything.