But Ethan knew.
He had known all along.
“You knew there were two babies,” I said slowly, “and you still let everyone call me a liar?”
“I was scared.”
“Scared of what?”
He didn’t answer.
“Your mother?”
His silence was enough.
I felt tears running down my cheeks.
“You weren’t scared of losing me.”
Ethan flinched.
“You were scared of disappointing her.”
The doctor cleared his throat.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but there’s something important you should know.”
I turned toward him.
“One of the babies is responding well to treatment,” he explained. “We’re going to continue doing everything we can to protect the pregnancy.”
My hand instinctively covered my stomach.
One baby was fighting.
Maybe both were.
And somehow, despite everything, I had to fight too.
I looked back at Ethan.
“I only have one question.”
He said nothing.
“If I had never woken up today…”
My voice broke.
“Would you ever have told me the truth?”
Ethan couldn’t answer.
His silence hurt more than any confession.
I turned my face away.
After several seconds, I whispered,
“What else are you hiding from me?”
Ethan instinctively took a step backward.
That reaction told me everything.
“There is something else,” I said.
He swallowed.
“Three months ago,” he finally admitted, “my company offered me a transfer to Chicago.”
I froze.
“You were leaving?”
“I hadn’t made a final decision.”
