*JORDYN’S POV*As soon as I saw Brianne standing there in the hallway with Janette, I knew everything had crumbled. The way they stood, side by side, Brianne’s eyes filled with questions and Janette’s with discomfort, told me what I needed to know. They had talked. They knew. The weight of Amelia’s pregnancy was no longer a secret between us. I felt as if my heart had dropped right to my stomach.I wasn’t ready for this. Not now, not like this. The elders already knew, my family had known for days, and now, Brianne. Of all the ways she could have found out, this was the worst possible one. I should have told her myself, but I had waited too long, let it drag on until the inevitable happened. What would she think of me now? Could she ever forgive me?I had been returning from a long meeting with Josh when I saw them, and as soon as our eyes met, I regretted everything. Not just the silence, not just my failure to tell her, but the entire mess that had unfolded over the last few weeks.
*JORDYN’S POV*I stormed into my office with my mind racing, my jaw clenched tight. I had just seen the hurt in Brianne’s eyes, and my heart sank further with every step I took. All I could think about was the pain she must be feeling, and now, the frustration boiling inside me was directed straight at Amelia. How could she come to my office, knowing full well the mess it would cause?Amelia was seated on the edge of the couch, flipping through a file. She looked up as the door slammed behind me, raising a brow at my expression. “You’re mad,” She observed calmly, clearly unaffected by my entrance.“What were you thinking?” I demanded, my voice sharp. “Why are you even here in the first place?”Amelia looked taken aback but quickly recovered, her eyes narrowing slightly. “What do you mean ‘why am I here’? I need to talk to you, Jordyn. Or is that not allowed anymore?” Her tone was dripping with sarcasm.“You know exactly what I mean, Amelia. Brianne was here. She saw you…” My voice fal
*JORDYN’S POV*I paused, staring at the spot where Amelia had been sitting just minutes ago. Her words echoed in my mind, sharp and biting. ‘If I could undo it, I would.’The reality of what she had said hit me hard. She hadn’t wanted this any more than I had. Neither of us planned for it, and now we’re both stuck with the consequences.I could still see the flash of anger in her eyes as she stormed out. It wasn’t just about the child or the pregnancy—it was about everything that had happened between us. Our relationship had ended in uncertain terms, but this…this was something neither of us had expected. Amelia was angry, frustrated, and trapped by a situation neither of us could control.As my pacing slowed, my mind wandered back to Brianne. I had to talk to her, to make her understand that none of this was planned, that I had never wanted to hurt her. But how could I possibly explain this in a way that would make any of this better?I ran my hand through my hair, letting out a frus
*BRIANNE’S POV*(Present day)I sat with Marcus in a warm cafe, the heat from my untouched cup of tea rising in thin wisps between us. He had managed to convince me to leave the bus stop a few minutes ago, urging me into the warmth and away from the cold emptiness I was feeling. The world outside the glass walls of the café moved on without me. People bustling about, cars honking in distance—but inside, everything was still. Too still.I stared blankly at the people passing by, my thoughts a jumble of emotions I couldn’t begin to untangle. The moment I had seen Amelia in Jordyn’s office replayed in my mind like a broken record. Her smile, so casual, do comfortable. And now I knew why—she’s carrying his child. It felt like the final blow to an already wounded heart.I could feel Marcus’s gaze on me, studying me closely. He always has a way of seeing through me, reading me like a book I didn’t want anyone to open. The weight of his stare felt suffocating, but I couldn’t bring myself to
*BRIANNE’S POV*As I stepped out of the cafe, I bumped into someone—solid and unyielding, like hitting a wall. I stumbled back a few steps, my hand instinctively going to my chest.“Sorry, I didn’t mean to…” The words trailed off as I looked up, only to be rendered speechless by the sight in front of me.“Jordyn?” I stuttered, my chest skipping several beats.He stood there, his tall figure looming over me, his ever-beautiful eyes locked onto mine. His presence was magnetic, making everything around us disappear for a moment. My mind, which had been a whirlwind of confusion and hurt, suddenly went quiet as I took him in. How did he always do this to me? He had this way of making the world stop spinning, even if only for a second.“Bri.” He called softly, snapping me out of my reverie. His deep voice wrapped around me like a warm blanket.I shook my head slightly, trying to regain my composure. “What are you doing here?” I asked in a whisper, my voice betraying the storm of emotions sw
*BRIANNE’S POV*The air was thick with tension as I stood between them, my body trembling from the chaos that had just unfolded. Jordyn and Marcus both stood frozen, staring at me as if they had just realized the gravity of what they’d done. The raw emotion in their eyes was almost unbearable, a mixture of anger, guilt, and something I couldn’t quite place. But I didn’t care. I couldn’t care. Not after everything.“I can’t do this,” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. The weight of those words hit me as they left my lips, and it felt like something inside me was breaking.I turned my back on both of them, my head spinning as I tried to make sense of the mess I had somehow found myself in. I took a few steps away, feeling their gazes still heavy on me, but neither of them said a word. The silence between us was suffocating, and I could feel the emotions clawing at me, trying to tear me apart.How did it come to this? I wondered as I wrapped my hand around myself, trying to hol
*BRIANNE’S POV*The night air was cool against my skin as I turned to a corner, putting as much distance between myself and the two of them as possible. I could feel the tears welling up again, but I swallowed them back, determined not to break down until I was far away. Far away from the man I loved who was about to become a father with someone else. Far away from the ex who was trying to work himself back into my life.I stopped for a moment, leaning against a street lamp, trying to catch my breath. My head was spinning and the weight of the past few days felt too much to carry. I had loved Jordyn so much, and yet, here I was—caught between him and a reality I wasn’t ready to face. And then, there was Marcus, lingering like a shadow from my past, showing up when I least expected it.I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. I didn’t have all the answers yet, but one thing was clear—I needed to figure out what I wanted. For once, I had to put myself first, and not let the chaos of thei
*JORDYN’S POV*After the fight with Marcus, my mind was a tangled mess of regret and frustration.My knuckles were still raw from the impact, the ache reminding me of just how out of control things had gotten. Seeing Brianne standing there, caught between the two of us, hurt more than I was willing to admit. She looked so small, so torn, and I hated myself for being the cause of her pain. I could still see the look in her eyes. The mixture of betrayal and confusion. She didn’t deserve any of this.As I walked away from the scene, my heart felt heavy, like a weight pulling me down deeper into the darkness. I tried to steady my breathing, but everything just kept coming back to one thing—I should’ve told her. I should’ve told her everything from the start. But I don’t, and now it felt like everything was slipping through my fingers.I needed to clear my head. I need to apologize. Not just to Brianne, but to Amelia too. I hadn’t been fair to her either. The things I said in my office—ask