CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

NOLAN POV

The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon when a doctor finally walked toward us. The three of us—Sam, April, and I—shot up from our chairs like we were on springs. My heart felt heavy in my chest. My breath stalled as I waited to hear the news.

I was terrified for Gwen. I was terrified for the baby. And deep down, I was terrified that I was the reason they were in this mess. If something happened, I would never be able to look at myself in the mirror again.

The doctor held up her hands to calm us down. "Gwen is fine," she said softly.

We all let out a long breath, but we weren't relaxed yet. We needed to hear more.

"The baby is fine too," the doctor added.

"Thank God." Sam’s legs gave out, and he sank back into his chair. He covered his face and started to cry. They were tears of pure relief.

I stepped forward. I had to know the truth. "What happened? Why did she start bleeding?"

The doctor looked at her clipboard. "We found two issues. We need to watch them closely, but we believe Gwen and the baby will be okay."

For the first time in hours, I felt like I could breathe. My heart started beating again.

"She has something called a subchorionic hematoma," the doctor explained. "That is just a fancy way of saying there is some blood trapped near the baby. We also found a small growth called a polyp. Usually, these things go away on their own. We just have to monitor them."

"And if they don’t go away?" I asked. I didn't like the idea of just waiting. "What’s the plan then?"

"They don’t have to go away completely," the doctor said. "As long as they don't cause more problems—"

"She’s in a hospital bed!" I growled, my voice getting louder. "That sounds like a problem to me."

The doctor didn't get angry. She stayed very calm. "Right now, the baby is healthy. We will watch her. If things get worse, we can use medicine or even do a small surgery to help. It’s a standard process."

"Is surgery safe for the baby?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

The doctor nodded. She looked at me closely, probably wondering why I was so worried. Then she looked at Sam, thinking he was the father.

"Whatever you have to do, Doc," Sam said, wiping his eyes. "Just keep them both safe. Please."

"Of course," she promised.

April stepped in. "But the bleeding was so bad. How can the baby be okay after that?"

"It’s scary to see," the doctor agreed. "But we did an ultrasound. The baby’s heartbeat is exactly where it should be. It’s strong."

Hearing the word heartbeat hit me like a physical blow. I felt the same weakness Sam had felt, and I sat down heavily. This was real. There was life there. My life.

"Can you really hear a heartbeat this early?" April asked.

"Yes," the doctor said. "We can usually hear it around six weeks. But Gwen is further along than that. She is between eight and ten weeks. At that stage, we can hear it very clearly."

A knot formed in my throat. Eight to ten weeks?

Gwen had told me she was only six weeks along. Either she didn't know the dates, or she had lied to me. I felt a flash of anger, but it died out quickly. I  couldn't blame her. I had been a monster to her. I was mean, cold, and dismissive. I treated her badly because I was scared of how much I liked her. I was a jerk, and she was just trying to protect herself.

Sam stood up, shaking a little. "Can I see her?"

"Yes," the doctor said. "But only for a few minutes. She needs to sleep."

"Can we all go?" April asked, looking at Sam. "If that’s okay with you?"

Sam nodded. "I hate hospitals. I don't want to be there alone. It would be good to have you both." He looked at me and gave a small smile. "You too, Mr. Douglas. You’ve been like her guardian angel tonight."

I felt sick. A "guardian angel"? I was the person who put her in that bed. I had no right to be there, but I couldn't stay away. I followed them down the hall toward Gwen’s room.

"We are moving her to a private room soon," the doctor said as we walked. "She will get the best care."

"Yeah, because my dad is paying for it," April whispered to me.

"April, please," I said.

She leaned in close to me. Her voice was sharp. "It’s not right, Dad. She should get the best care because she needs it, not because of money."

"I agree," I said quietly. "But let’s not argue with the staff right now. Let's just focus on Gwen."

We reached the door. Sam rushed to the bedside first. "Gwen? You're going to be okay. I'm here. We’re all here."

April moved to the other side of the bed. "You gave us a big scare, Gwenny."

I stayed in the doorway. I didn't want to crowd her. Gwen’s eyes were tired and blurry. She slowly turned her head and saw me. For a second, she just stared. Then, her face changed. She looked terrified.

She lifted her hand, shaking it as if to push me away. "No," she gasped. Her voice was weak but full of fear. "I don't want him here. He can't have my baby!"

April and Sam both froze. They turned around and looked at me, then back at Gwen.

"Gwen, it's okay," April said, trying to calm her. "It’s just my dad. You know him. He’s helping us."

But Gwen kept shaking her head, tears filling her eyes. "No! Get him out!"

"I'll leave," I said quickly.

My heart was breaking. I wanted to tell her I was sorry. I wanted to tell her I would change. But I knew that seeing me was hurting her. The best thing I could do was get out of her sight.

I turned and walked away. I got about ten steps down the hall when I heard April running after me.

"Dad! Wait!"

I stopped and took a deep breath before turning around.

"I don't know why she said that," April said, looking confused. "She’s just tired and scared. Please don't be mad. Don't stop helping her because of a misunderstanding."

"It’s okay, April," I said. It hurt that my daughter thought I was the kind of man who would take away help just because my feelings were hurt.

But Gwen’s words were stuck in my head: He can't have my baby.

She knew. She knew I was the father, and she was terrified I would take the child away from her.

I realized then that I couldn't keep the secret anymore. I had two choices. I could give her the money, stay away, and let her raise the baby with Sam. Or, I could be a father.

I was a good father. April was the proof. I loved her more than anything in the world. And now, there was another child. I wanted to be there for every doctor's visit. I wanted to hear the heartbeat. I wanted to hold the baby when it was born. And I realized... I wanted to be with Gwen, too.

I was an idiot for fighting it for so long. But if I wanted a chance at this life, I had to be honest. I had to tell April the truth.

"April," I said, my voice serious. "Let’s go to the cafeteria. I need to talk to you."

"Now?" She looked at her watch. "I have class soon."

"This is more important than class," I said. "It’s about Gwen. And it's about me."

She looked worried, but she followed me to the elevator. We didn't speak as we rode up. I bought two coffees and we sat at a small table in the corner.

I couldn't look her in the eye at first. I stared at my cup. Finally, I looked up. It was time.

"April," I said, my voice steady. "I have something to tell you. I'm the father of Gwen’s baby."