Who Is The Father In 'Best Friend Divorced Me When I Carried His Baby'?

In 'Best Friend Divorced Me When I Carried His Baby', the father is the protagonist's former best friend turned husband, Ethan Blackwell. Their relationship starts as a deep friendship that slowly morphs into a marriage of convenience when the protagonist gets pregnant. Ethan is a complex character—he's emotionally distant, driven by societal expectations, and initially sees the marriage as a duty rather than love. His cold demeanor contrasts sharply with his eventual character growth, where he begins to question his choices. The novel explores his internal conflict between responsibility and genuine affection, making him a flawed but compelling figure. His actions drive much of the drama, especially when his past insecurities resurface, threatening their fragile bond.

Ethan Blackwell, the father in this story, is far from your typical romance novel lead. He starts as the protagonist's childhood friend, the kind who'd stay up all night comforting her after breakups but somehow never made a move himself. The pregnancy changes everything—his proposal feels more like a corporate merger than a declaration of love. His character arc is fascinating because it's not about grand gestures; it's about subtle shifts. You see him memorizing her coffee order in chapter three, then defending her from his toxic family in chapter twelve.

What makes Ethan stand out is how his professional life bleeds into his personal failures. As a high-powered lawyer, he's trained to see emotions as liabilities, which explains why he treats the pregnancy like a case to be managed. The turning point comes when he finds her crying over ultrasound photos he missed—that's when his carefully constructed walls start cracking. The author does a brilliant job showing how his love language evolves from expensive gifts to simply being present, like when he trades a client meeting for prenatal classes.

The novel's genius lies in making Ethan's redemption feel earned. His final act—publicly renouncing his family's wealth to choose her—isn't sudden; it's built through dozens of small moments where he slowly learns to prioritize people over perfection. It's a masterclass in character development that elevates the entire narrative.

The father role here is a deconstruction of the 'best friend to lover' trope. Ethan isn't just some sweet guy-next-door—he's a walking contradiction. On paper, he checks every box: wealthy, handsome, and loyal enough to marry his pregnant best friend. But dig deeper, and you find a man terrified of vulnerability. His entire personality is a defense mechanism, from the way he dresses impeccably even at home to how he uses legal jargon to avoid emotional conversations.

His dynamic with the protagonist is painfully real. Remember that scene where she jokes about craving pickles at 2 AM, and he actually installs a mini-fridge by her bedside? That's his love language—problem-solving instead of connecting. The pregnancy forces him to confront his issues, especially when her morning sickness triggers memories of his mother's illness. The author uses his character to explore how men process trauma differently, making him more than just a romantic foil but a commentary on toxic masculinity in high society.