جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 200

MABELI lasted two days before telling anyone.Two days of carrying the secret. Processing. Thinking. Trying to make sense of my emotions.On day three, I called Bella."Can you come over? I need to talk to you about something.""Is everything okay?""Yes. No. I don't know. Just come over."She arrived thirty minutes later. Liam was at school. We had the apartment to ourselves."What's going on?" Bella asked immediately. "You sounded upset on the phone.""I'm pregnant."The words just came out. Blunt. Direct.Bella's eyes widened. "What?""I'm pregnant. With Damian's baby. Three positive tests. It's real."Bella sat down slowly. "When did you find out?""Two days ago. I've been trying to process it alone but I can't. I needed to tell someone.""Does Damian know?""No. Not yet. I don't know how to tell him. Or when. Or if I should wait." I paced. "Everything is such a mess.""Okay. Okay." Bella took a breath. "First things first. How are you feeling? Physically?""Fine. Tired. No morni

MABELThat evening, Vanessa came to pick up Liam.It was her week with him. Our custody arrangement continuing smoothly despite everything else falling apart.Liam ran to get his backpack. Vanessa and I stood in the doorway."Can we talk?" I asked. "Just for a minute?""Of course. Liam, wait in the hall. I'll be right there."She closed the door partway. Looked at me with concern."What's wrong?""I'm pregnant."Vanessa's eyes widened. Then softened. "Oh, Mabel.""I know. It's complicated.""Does Damian know?""Not yet. I'm going to tell him. Soon. I just... I needed to process it first."Vanessa pulled me into a hug. "How are you feeling?""Confused. Scared. Happy. Angry. All of it." I pulled back. "I don't know what to do.""About the pregnancy or about Damian?""Both. Neither. Everything."Vanessa glanced at the door. Liam waiting patiently in the hall. "I need to get Liam home. But can I come back? After I settle him? We should talk properly.""You don't have to…""I want to. Give

MABELWe sat in silence for a while.Damian's hand still on my stomach. Both of us processing. Absorbing the reality.A baby. Our baby. Due in seven and a half months."We need to talk about logistics," I said finally."Okay." Damian pulled his hand back. Giving me space. "What do you need?""I need to know you'll be involved. That you'll be present. That this baby won't just be my responsibility.""Of course I'll be involved. Mabel, I want to be part of this. Completely.""Even if we're not together? Even if I can't forgive you? Even if we end up co-parenting from separate homes?""Even then. This is my child. I'll be there. For every appointment. Every milestone. Everything." Damian's voice was firm. "You won't do this alone. I promise."I wanted to believe him. Wanted to trust those words.But trust was the problem, wasn't it?"I'm still hurt," I said quietly. "Still angry about the lies. About the secrets. About everything.""I know.""That doesn't just go away because I'm pregnan

MABELThe first therapy session was tense.Dr. Andrew asked hard questions. Made us articulate our feelings. Our fears. Our hurts.I talked about betrayal. About Ethan. About how Damian's secret made me feel like history was repeating.Damian talked about fear. About protecting the adoption. About making bad choices to avoid consequences."You can't rebuild trust while holding onto secrets," Dr. Andrew said. "Complete transparency going forward. That's non-negotiable.""I understand," Damian said."And you," Dr. Andrew looked at me. "You can't punish him forever for one mistake. At some point, you have to choose. Forgive or walk away. Staying in the middle helps no one.""I know. I'm trying.""Try harder. For yourself. For this baby. For him."We left that first session exhausted. Emotionally drained.But we came back the next week. And the week after that.By week three, we were talking more openly. Dr. Andrew guiding us through difficult conversations."Why did you keep the secret?"

MABELAt eight and a half months pregnant, Damian asked me something.We were having dinner at his apartment. Our apartment now, mostly. I'd moved most of my things over. We were living together again. Slowly rebuilding."I have a question," he said. "And if the answer is no, that's completely fine. No pressure.""Okay. What is it?""Would you marry me? Before the baby comes?"I looked at him. Surprised. "Marry you?""Yes. Not a big wedding. No production. Just us. At a courthouse. Make it official before she's born.""Why?""Because I want to be married to you. Want us to be a family legally. Want to stand up and commit to you publicly." He took my hand. "And because we've done the work. We've rebuilt trust. We're in a good place. I want to make it official."I thought about it. About eight months of therapy. Eight months of him showing up. Eight months of rebuilding."What about a ceremony? Don't you want something more?""No. I don't need a ceremony. I just need you. And Liam. And