Chapter 75

*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