Jake’s anger drained away as if someone had pulled a plug. His shoulders sagged. His eyes filled with tears.
“I thought…” His voice broke. “I thought you cheated on me. I thought I couldn’t give you what you always wanted.”
My heart shattered at the sound of his pain. All those years of quiet guilt, of believing he wasn’t enough, had come crashing down on him at once.
“I never doubted you,” I said, crossing the room to him. “Not for a second.”
He sank onto the couch, burying his face in his hands. I knelt in front of him, resting my forehead against his knees as his sobs shook his body.
“I don’t deserve you,” he said through tears. “I don’t deserve this chance.”
I lifted his face, making him look at me. “You deserve love. You deserve joy. And you deserve to be a father, if that’s what you want.”
He nodded desperately. “I swear to you, I’ll make it up to you every day. I’ll be the best husband. The best father. I promise.”
I leaned into him, and he wrapped his arms around me, holding me like he was afraid I might disappear. Between us now was more than just forgiveness—there was a future. Fragile. Uncertain. But real.
“We’ll figure it out,” I whispered.
Jake pulled back just enough to rest his hand on my stomach, tentative, reverent. For the first time in years, I saw something new in his eyes.
Hope.
And this time, I let myself believe in it too.
Note: This story is a work of fiction inspired by real events. Names, characters, and details have been altered. Any resemblance is coincidental. The author and publisher disclaim accuracy, liability, and responsibility for interpretations or reliance. All images are for illustration purposes only.
