Chapter 212

Evelyn

The soft sound of someone shifting and moving around the room pulled me from the depths of sleep. My eyes blinked open, heavy with lingering grogginess, and I saw Jacob getting ready-probably for the office, judging by his sharp suit.

Dragging myself up despite the weight of sleep threatening to drag me back into the sea of the mattress, I yawned. Maybe it was just another side effect of pregnancy—this constant, consuming need to rest.

"What are you doing?" I mumbled, voice thick with sleep.

his gaze

Jacob froze mid-motion, his hand hesitating as he fastened his watch. He turned toward me, softening as he abandoned the task and approached the bed. “Sorry, baby, did I wake you up?” he murmured, leaning down to caress my cheek.

“Not really.” I let out another yawn. "But why are you leaving so early? You usually head out much later than this."

A small chuckle escaped him as he caught my hands, preventing me from rubbing the sleep from my eyes. "Don't do that,” he teased. "If you wake up too much, you'll struggle to fall back asleep—and you'll end up bored out of your mind while I'm gone. Better to get some extra rest.” He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead, and I nodded reluctantly, already feeling the warmth of his touch ease me.

“But you still haven't told me why you're heading out so early," I pressed, narrowing my eyes.

Jacob chuckled again, his smile widening as if I'd said something endearing. “There's an early meeting today -new deals for the upcoming project. It's nothing for you to worry about, baby. Just boring business stuff."

I frowned, still half-dazed but not entirely convinced. "When will you be back?"

He leaned in closer, brushing his lips over the corner of my mouth. “I'll be home early, don't worry.”

Unsatisfied, I tilted my chin up with a quiet whine, silently demanding more. His smile softened, and he indulged me with a proper kiss, warm and unhurried but brief enough not to completely pull me from my sleepy haze.

When he pulled away, I pouted, but he simply chuckled and guided me back down, tucking the covers snugly around me like I was something fragile.

"Bye, love,” he whispered, brushing his lips across my cheek one last time.

I mumbled sleepily as he grabbed his suit jacket and headed for the door. “Come home soon.”

His laugh echoed softly through the room, light and affectionate. “Okay, love,” he called back, his voice warm as sunlight.

The sound of the door clicking shut was the last thing I heard before sleep reclaimed me, pulling me back into its embrace.

***

I found myself rummaging through a stack of books that likely belonged to Jacob from his university years. None of them were fiction. These were all about life lessons and self-improvement. Titles like Rich Mindset and Atomic Habits caught my eye, their well-worn spines suggesting they had been thoroughly read. But one title stood out above the rest, stopping me cold:

Your Unhealed Trauma Will Hurt Everyone Around You.

My fingers tightened around the book. I knew parts of Jacob's past—just fragments, really—but never in detail. He rarely talked about it, preferring to keep those memories buried like whispers lost in the night. Unearthing them would mean digging through layers of pain, and neither of us wanted that. I didn't want him to dive into the same darkness just to let me know what he'd been through. I'd rather have him stay happy and kept everything forgotten even if it meant that I'd never get to know a part of his past.

So, he stayed silent, and I never pushed.

I didn't fully understand how those early childhood events had shaped him. I had hoped things had improved after his adoption, but trauma isn't so easily washed away. You can pour clean water into a glass full of soil, but it won't turn clear-it'll always stay murky.

A hollow feeling settled in my chest as I put the book down. I didn't want to dwell on thoughts I couldn't change. Instead, I walked into the hall and picked up my phone, focusing on the task I'd meant to do all along -call Bianca, and then Clara.

Opening FaceTime, I tapped Bianca's name. It only took a few seconds for her to answer, her face lighting up the screen.

“Hey, cutie pie!” she beamed. “What's up?”

"Hey, Bee." My voice lacked her usual enthusiasm, weighed down by the bomb I was about to drop. "I have something to tell you."

Straight to the point, Evelyn. Good.

"What is it?” She casually plucked a slice of cucumber from her salad and popped it into her mouth.

“Well,” I inhaled deeply, steadying myself, “I know this might come as a shock, but—”

"Oh, trust me, nothing about you and my brother shocks me anymore," she laughed, waving her hand dismissively. You two are like those criminal couples who would rip each other's clothes off even in jaib Like, even if they had a death sentence hanging over their heads, they'd find a way to―" s

"Bianca," I cut in, bracing myself.

Her brow furrowed, and she finally paused. “What's wrong?"

"I'm pregnant."

She froze. Completely. For a moment, I thought the call had dropped. Then, she shot upright, coughing violently. Grabbing a glass of water, she chugged it down before turning her wide eyes back to the screen.

"Tell me you're joking."

"I'm not."

"What the—” She pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling sharply. “Evelyn, you're too young for this! No. Don't even think about keeping the baby."

“I've already made up my mind, Bee,” I said softly. “I'm keeping the baby.”

"Evelyn "

“It's our baby mine and Jacob's. I don't even throw out his old clothes; I add them to my wardrobe. What makes you think I'd give up a part of him? Apart of us?" I smiled faintly, determined. "Even if the whole world is against me I'm keeping this baby, You can side with Jacob you want, but my decision won't change." s

Her expression shifted, panic flickering in her eyes. “Wait... Jacob knows?”

"Yeah, he found out, though not in the best way," I admitted. "And as of last time we talked which was yesterday morning, he wasn't willing to keep the baby."

Bianca's brows furrowed. "What do you mean, 'last time you talked'? Did you guys not discuss it afterward?"

“We did,” I said, fiddling with the hem of my sleeve, “but not about this. After our argument yesterday, he's been avoiding the topic entirely. And he had to leave early for a meeting this morning, so I didn't get the chance to bring it up again."

She didn't seem surprised, just... resigned.

"So when are you planning to talk about it again?" she asked with a sigh. “You both know delaying the conversation won't solve anything, right?"

"I know," I said with a shrug. “But Jacob? I'm not so sure. Whatever he decides, I won't argue. He can take all the time he needs, but my decision isn't going to change.”

Bianca sighed again, rubbing her temples. “Honestly, I don't know what to say about this. On one hand, having a baby in the family sounds... nice. But on the other hand, I can't say I'm thrilled about the timing. Still, it's your body, your decision. You get the final say, Evie."

She hesitated, her tone softening. "But Jacob don't think he's ready. I'll let him explain his feelings, but you need to know-this is a tough situation for him. His whole life, he's

resented things about himself that he can't change. So please try to understand his perspective, and don't take his impulsive words to heart, okay?" s

Her words left me unsettled, but I could tell she wouldn't elaborate further. So I nodded.

“Okay, then. Take care,” she said, exhaling heavily. “I need a little time to process this, but I'll call you back

soon."

And with that, she hung up.

For a moment, I sat alone in the hall, her words replaying in my mind. What did she mean? What was Jacob

hiding? I couldn't find an answer, no matter how hard I tried.

So I picked up my phone again, determined to try someone else. Clara.

She answered on the second ring. "Hello, Evie—”

Before she could say more, I blurted, “Clara, I'm pregnant.”

Her expression shifted, and I saw her glance behind her. That's when I noticed him.

Dad.

Fuck. No.