Chapter 2: The Night He Couldn’t Remember

...WHEN THERE’S NOTHING LEFT BUT LOVE...

...By Adengggxxxzzz...

Emery remained frozen on the hospital bed, her trembling fingers gently tracing the black-and-white ultrasound image resting on her lap. The tiny life growing inside her was barely visible, yet it already occupied every corner of her heart. She had imagined this moment countless times over the past three years. There were nights when she would secretly smile at the thought of one day telling Tyrone they were finally going to have a baby. In every version of that dream, he would pull her into his arms, kiss her forehead, and promise to protect both of them. But reality had always been far crueler than her imagination.

She slowly looked up at Dr. Amelia Carter, whose gentle smile remained unchanged. “Is… is the baby healthy?” she asked in a trembling voice.

“So far, everything looks perfectly normal,” Dr. Carter replied reassuringly. “You’re still in the early stages of your pregnancy, but you’ll need plenty of rest. Stress, exhaustion, and skipping meals can affect both you and the baby.”

Emery lowered her gaze in embarrassment. She had lost count of how many times she had skipped meals while waiting for Tyrone to come home. Sometimes she would spend hours preparing dinner, only to receive a brief text from Lucas saying that his boss had another business meeting and wouldn’t be coming home. Other nights, there wasn’t even a message.

“I’ll take better care of myself,” she whispered, placing a protective hand over her stomach.

Dr. Carter nodded before handing her a small envelope containing the ultrasound photos and prenatal vitamins. “Congratulations again, Mrs. Miller. Becoming a mother is one of life’s greatest blessings.”

A mother.

The words echoed repeatedly inside Emery’s mind even after the doctor left the room. She stared at the ultrasound for several minutes before a small smile slowly formed on her lips. For the first time in years, she felt as though she had something that truly belonged to her.

The soft knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

Lucas Bennett stepped inside, carrying a neatly folded black coat over one arm. As Tyrone’s personal assistant for nearly six years, Lucas had witnessed almost every interaction between the couple. Although he rarely showed emotion, he couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Emery.

“Mrs. Miller,” he greeted politely. “Are you feeling better?”

Emery quickly slipped the ultrasound back into its envelope before offering him a gentle smile. “Much better. Thank you for bringing me here.”

Lucas hesitated for a brief moment before speaking again. “Actually… it wasn’t me who carried you inside.”

Her brows lifted in surprise.

“It was Mr. Miller.”

Emery blinked. “Tyrone?”

Lucas nodded. “When you collapsed in the company lobby, Mr. Miller immediately canceled his meeting. He carried you himself and drove you here.”

For a moment, Emery couldn’t say anything.

She tried to imagine the scene in her head.

Tyrone… carrying her?

It sounded almost impossible.

In three years of marriage, he had never once shown affection toward her in public. Even when attending charity galas or business events, they looked more like strangers than husband and wife.

“Where is he now?” she asked quietly.

Lucas glanced toward the door. “He’s outside.”

Emery’s heart skipped a beat.

“Why hasn’t he come in?”

Lucas lowered his eyes. “I believe… he’s waiting.”

Waiting?

For what?

Before Emery could ask another question, the door slowly opened.

Tyrone Miller stepped inside.

He looked exactly as he always did—perfectly dressed in an expensive charcoal-gray suit, his expression unreadable and his posture straight. Yet something about him seemed different. His sharp gray eyes briefly swept over Emery before settling on the envelope resting beside her.

“You’re awake.”

His voice remained calm, but there was a trace of relief she had never heard before.

Emery offered a small smile. “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he pulled a chair closer to the bed and sat down, keeping a respectful distance between them.

“You should’ve taken better care of yourself,” he said after a long silence.

Those simple words almost made Emery cry.

It was the closest thing to concern she had received from him in years.

“I’ll be more careful,” she replied softly.

Neither of them spoke again.

The silence between them wasn’t unfamiliar. It had always existed, stretching across every breakfast, every dinner, and every anniversary they had spent together. But this silence felt different. It wasn’t cold. It was awkward, as though both of them wanted to say something but didn’t know where to begin.

Finally, Tyrone broke it.

“The doctor said…”

He paused.

“…that you’re pregnant.”

Emery instinctively lowered her gaze to her hands. She tightened her grip on the envelope before giving a small nod.

“Yes.”

Another silence followed.

Tyrone leaned back in his chair, his expression impossible to read.

“I wasn’t expecting this.”

Neither was I, Emery thought.

She waited for him to ask if she was happy.

She waited for him to smile.

She waited for him to say something—anything—that would make this moment feel real.

Instead, he quietly asked, “How far along are you?”

“Five weeks.”

His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly as he mentally calculated the date.

Five weeks ago…

The annual charity gala.

The night he had returned home unable to remember anything.

Fragments of that evening flashed through his mind—a pounding headache, the faint scent of lavender, gentle hands helping him remove his jacket, and a soft voice calling his name. Every memory after that was blurred, disappearing into darkness before he could make sense of it.

He pressed two fingers against his temple.

“I don’t remember that night.”

Emery’s smile faded, but she forced herself to remain calm.

“I know.”

Tyrone looked at her for several seconds before speaking again.

“If this child is mine…”

He stopped, choosing his words carefully.

“…I’ll take responsibility.”

Responsibilty.

The single word shattered every fragile hope Emery had built inside her heart.

Not our child.

Not our family.

Only…

Responsibility.

She smiled anyway, hiding the sting in her chest.

“I never doubted you would.”

Outside the hospital window, the rain continued to fall over the city, washing away the afternoon sunlight. Neither of them noticed that, from the opposite end of the hallway, a woman wearing oversized sunglasses had been quietly watching the room through the glass.

The corners of Fiona Lewis’s lips slowly curled into a smile.

“So…” she murmured under her breath.

“She’s pregnant.”

Her eyes darkened with calculation.

“That changes everything.”

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