Lily's POV

I felt the emptiness in my chest deepen as Richie turned his back on me. His words, cold and sharp, echoed in my mind: “It’s not mine.” I reached for him, for some shred of the closeness I had felt, but his shoulders didn’t falter. He walked away like I was nothing like I had been nothing all along.

Alone, I sank into the couch, my hands were trembling, the small life growing inside me feeling heavier than ever. My chest ached and not just from heartbreak, but from the fear and confusion coursing through me. I had trusted him. I had believed in him. I had believed...