Chapter 3

I sat motionless in Calvin's office, feeling as though I'd been hollowed out from the inside. The revelation about Violette's pregnancy hung in the air between us, heavy and undeniable. My hand instinctively moved to my own belly, to the child I'd been so excited about just months ago—before everything fell apart.

Calvin pulled his chair closer, his presence steady and reassuring in a way I'd forgotten people could be.

"Skylar," he said gently, "I want to be clear that I'm speaking to you as your doctor right now, not as..." He paused, and something flickered across his face. "Not as someone from your past. You have options, and whatever you decide, I'll support you professionally."

He outlined those options with careful precision—continuing the pregnancy, adoption, termination—without pushing me in any direction. Each word was measured, respectful of the weight of the decision before me.

"Would you like some tea while you process this?" he asked after finishing his explanation. "Chamomile, right? No honey, just a slice of lemon?"

The fact that he remembered how I took my tea—a detail Carson had never bothered to learn despite two years together—made my throat tighten.

"How did you know I still drink it that way?"

A small, sad smile touched his lips. "Some things you don't forget."

While he stepped out to arrange for the tea, I noticed the small details of his office—the ergonomic chair adjusted perfectly for my height, the room temperature set just warm enough to be comfortable in a thin hospital gown, the box of tissues placed within easy reach but not thrust in front of me. Everything arranged with thoughtfulness, with care.

When he returned, tea in hand, I found myself asking, "Why obstetrics and gynecology? Of all the specialties?"

Calvin handed me the cup, careful not to let our fingers touch. "I wanted to be where I could help when it mattered most."

The simple honesty in his voice made me look up sharply. There was something in his eyes—something he wasn't saying—but before I could question him further, he gently redirected the conversation.

"Take some time to think about your options, Skylar. Don't make any decisions under duress. And please," he added, his professional demeanor softening slightly, "call me if you need anything. Medically speaking."

The careful boundary he maintained only highlighted how much Carson's had blurred with Violette.

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Three hours later, I stood in what used to be my home, staring at the scene before me as though watching a play where I had no role. Carson and Violette sat cross-legged on the floor of what should have been our nursery, surrounded by birthday decorations and wrapping paper. Tyler played with his new toys in the corner, oblivious to the adults' tension.

"Skylar," Carson looked up, his expression momentarily guilty before settling into defensive irritation. "Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you all day."

"I had a doctor's appointment," I said, my voice sounding strange and distant to my own ears. "About our baby."

Violette's hand moved to her own stomach in what seemed like an unconscious gesture. The movement drew my eyes to the subtle curve there—a curve I hadn't noticed before, or perhaps hadn't wanted to see.

"Is Violette pregnant with your child?" I asked Carson directly, refusing to dance around it anymore.

The color drained from his face. "It's complicated, Skylar. She was going through a really hard time after her breakup, and—"

"Yes or no, Carson."

"Yes," he admitted, standing up. "But it was just one night. It didn't mean anything. I was just being a good friend when she needed me."

"A good friend," I repeated hollowly. "Like you're being Tyler's godfather? Like you converted our baby's nursery into his playroom? Like you keep postponing our wedding?"

"You're overreacting," he said, lowering his voice. "It's probably just your pregnancy hormones making everything seem worse than it is."

Behind him, Violette's lips curved into a small, triumphant smile as she deliberately smoothed her hand over her belly again.

"The doctor says stress isn't good for the baby," she murmured, her eyes never leaving mine. "Either baby."

I looked between them—Carson's dismissive frustration, Violette's calculated victory—and felt something final settle inside me. This wasn't love. It had never been love. It had been convenience, and the moment I became inconvenient, I became invisible.

"You're right about one thing," I said quietly. "Stress isn't good for my baby."

And in that moment, I knew exactly what I needed to do.