Chapter 14

As I lay in bed, my hand instinctively went to my stomach, feeling the slight swell that had begun to appear. Three months pregnant, and the reality of my situation was starting to sink in. I couldn't help but think of Doctor John's words, his promise to be a great father and a good husband.

At the time, I had dismissed it as a manipulative tactic, but now, as I felt the first flutters of life within me, I couldn't help but wonder if I had been too hasty. Would it be so bad to have him in our lives? To give my child a father, no matter how imperfect?

The questions swirled in my mind like a maelstrom, each one a tiny pinprick of doubt. I thought of all the times I had vowed to never let him near me or my child, but now, as the reality of single motherhood loomed before me, I wasn't so sure.

I tossed and turned, my mind racing with thoughts of the future. What would happen when my child asked about their father? What would I say? The truth - that their father was a manipulative liar who