Page 93 of Burned By the Broken Doctor

I sigh, my thoughts turning to Jacob Miller. How long will Dr. Miller keep the secret? Days? Hours? When Liam finally finds out, it won’t be pretty. He’ll be furious. He’ll probably throw those “I told you so's” my way, remind me that this was why he was mad and say we should have been meticulous with taking precautions, and then when he calms down, the inevitable pressure to “take care of it” might follow.

The thought makes my stomach churn, but I know one thing for certain: I’m keeping this child. I will love this baby with all my heart, even if its father can’t.

Liam Miller is the only man I’ve ever truly loved, and I know I’ll never love another the way I love him. It’s probably why I never married all these years. My love came late, and it came wrong, but it came all the same. And now, it has brought this new life with it.

A sharp jolt from the bed startles me. My phone, abandoned on the dresser, buzzes impatiently. Liam. A knot tightens in my stomach. Has Dr. Miller already spilled the beans? No, the man is honorable. He’ll keep his promise for as long as possible.

Swiping the call button to decline, I ignore the pang of guilt that flares briefly. I’m not ready for the conversation, not yet. The notification bar buzzes again—a text from Liam. He wants to see me, wants to know why I left the hospital without saying goodbye.

I let out a humorless chuckle. Leaving is precisely the point. To avoid the tangled mess of emotions churning within me, to buy myself some time to process this bombshell life has dropped at my doorstep.

I bury my face in my hands, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on me. What am I going to do? Suddenly, I hear Ethan’s voice calling from downstairs.

“Auntie Emma! Mom and Dad want to see you!”

I wipe my eyes and take a deep breath. I can’t let them see me like this. I clear my throat and practice a smile in the mirror before climbing off the bed. I have to face my family and pretend everything is okay, even though my world is crashing down around me.

As I descend the stairs, the voices of June, Damon, and Ethan fill the house. They’re excited, preparing for their honeymoon trip. I can’t let my problems overshadow their happiness. I force a smile as I reach the bottom of the stairs and join them in the living room.

June looks up and smiles warmly. “There she is! How are you feeling, Emma?”

I manage a smile. “I’m fine, just a bit tired.”

Damon steps forward, concern in his eyes. “Are you sure? You gave us quite a scare yesterday.”

“I’m sure,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel. “Dr. Miller said it was just stress. I’ve been overworking myself with the wedding preparations. Now I can rest, and I’ll rest better with y’all out of my hair.”

Ethan rushes over and hugs me tightly. “I’m glad you’re okay, Auntie Emma.”

I hug him back, feeling a pang of guilt for hiding the truth from them. “I’m okay, buddy. Don’t worry about me.”

June and Damon exchange a look, and I can tell they’re still concerned. “We were just about to head out to the hotel,” June says, her tone hesitant. “The flight’s early tomorrow. But we can postpone the trip if you need us here.”

I shake my head firmly. “No, you two need this time together, with Ethan as well. I’ll be fine. Really.”

Damon frowns. “Are you sure? We don’t want to leave you if you’re not feeling well.”

“I’m sure,” I insist. “Go and enjoy your honeymoon. You both deserve it.”

June steps forward and hugs me. “Thank you, Emma. We’ll call and check in on you as soon as we can.”

I nod, trying to keep my emotions in check. “Have a great time, you two. And take lots of pictures.”

As they gather their bags and head for the door, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of loss. I’ve always been the strong one, the one who takes care of everyone else. But now, I’m the one who needs support, and I don’t know how to ask for it.

Ethan lingers behind, looking up at me with wide eyes. “Auntie Emma, I’ll miss you.”

I kneel to his level and ruffle his hair. “I’ll be fine, Ethan. Don’t worry about me. Go have fun with Dad and Mom.”

He nods, but I can see the doubt in his eyes. “Okay. I love you, Auntie Emma.”

“I love you too, buddy.” I give him one last hug before he runs off to join his parents.

As the door closes behind them, the silence of the house is deafening. I stand in the empty living room, the weight of my situation pressing down on me. I look at the test results in my hand and feel a surge of determination. I may not have all the answers, but I know one thing: I will do whatever it takes to protect my child and give them the best life possible.

I head back to my room and sit on the bed, my mind racing with thoughts of the future. I don’t know how Liam will react when he finds out, but I can’t worry about that now. My priority is this baby and making sure they come into this world safe and loved.

I pick up my phone and see another message from Liam, asking if we can talk. I hesitate for a moment before typing out a response: “Not now. I need some time.”

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