Page 98 of Burned By the Broken Doctor

“Oh, uh…” I stammer, searching for an evasion. “A few days ago, maybe?”

Damon's eyebrows shoot up. “A few days ago? Em, this morning, he called me at three fifteen, practically frantic looking for you. He said you disappeared from the hospital and wouldn't answer your phone.”

My eyes widen in surprise. Three fifteen? That was… Liam hadn't even tried to reach out to me before talking to Damon? A surge of hurt mingles with a flicker of anger.

“He did?” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah,” Damon confirms. “He's going nuts trying to find you. Em, what's going on?”

Taking a deep breath, I force a nonchalant shrug. “We just…had a fight,” I explain, hoping to downplay the situation. “Big wedding jitters, you know the drill.”

“Wedding jitters?” June scoffs. “You sounded about ready to walk down the aisle the last time we spoke.”

I wince at her words, a reminder of my own shattered dreams. “Things changed, June. Sometimes things don't work out the way you plan.”

“Well, whatever happened,” Damon interjects, his voice serious, “you two need to talk. He's worried sick about you, Em.”

“He'll be alright,” I mumble, more to myself than to them. “He just…needs some time to cool off.” A blatant lie, I know, but all I can manage at the moment.

“And what about you?” June asks, her voice laced with concern. “Are you going to be okay?”

I force a smile, the image of the positive pregnancy test flashing through my mind. “Yeah, June, I'll be fine. Just need some space to clear my head. I'll… I'll talk to Liam tomorrow, alright?”

“Promise?” Damon presses, his tone firm but laced with concern.

“Promise,” I echo, the word a bitter pill to swallow. The truth is, I have no intention of seeing Liam. Not until I figure out what I am going to do, how I am going to navigate this new reality.

As the call ends, a heavy silence descends upon the room. The weight of my lie presses down on me, suffocating. I toss the phone onto the bed, the artificial light from the screen flickering eerily.

Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision. With a choked sob, I collapse back onto the bed, clutching the positive pregnancy test to my chest. It is a stark reminder of the life growing inside me, a constant echo of the future Liam and I were supposed to have.

But according to him, a future he doesn't want.

The image of his face, the way it had hardened with anger during our fight, replays in my mind on a loop. His words, laced with hurt and betrayal, echo in my ears. There is no room for a child in the picture he paints, no acceptance of the life that blossoms within me.

My heart aches with a fresh wave of grief. Leaving Liam is the hardest thing I've ever done, but staying feels like a slow, agonizing death. I can't face the possibility of his rejection, the confirmation that all his affection has been a sham.

I have to get out. Start over. New York City, with its bustling energy and anonymity, suddenly feels like a beacon of hope. There, I can face motherhood head-on, away from the prying eyes and judgmental whispers.

This weekend, I will pack my bags and leave. Leave behind the shattered remnants of my relationship, the life I thought I would have, and embrace the unknown. Liam Miller has changed me, yes. He's opened my eyes to love, to the possibility of a future. But he's also shattered that future, leaving me with a broken heart and a life growing inside me.

This baby, my baby, is all I have left. And for this tiny spark of life, I will be strong. I will navigate the challenges of prenatal care, build a new life for myself, and learn to love being a mother. It won't be easy, but it will be mine.

As the first rays of dawn peek through the window, casting a soft glow across the room, a steely resolve settles in my heart. Tears have dried, replaced by a quiet determination. I will face whatever life throws my way, for myself and for the tiny miracle growing inside me.

Clutching the test tighter, I close my eyes, and for the first time since leaving, allow myself to imagine a future, not with Liam, but with the child that is a part of me. A future filled with uncertainty, yes, but also with the promise of a love unlike any other.

The insistent buzz of the doorbell pierces the silence of the room, shattering the fragile cocoon of my resolve. I frown, wiping away a stray tear that clings stubbornly to my lashes. Room service? Unlikely at this hour.

Pushing myself off the bed, I straighten my rumpled clothes and head towards the door. Taking a deep breath, I swing it open, expecting to see a harried waiter with a breakfast tray.

Instead, a pair of familiar grey eyes stare back at me, their intensity stealing the breath from my lungs. Liam stands there on the doorstep, looking like a man haunted by ghosts.

My heart hammers against my ribs, a chaotic drumbeat echoing the turmoil within me. Before I can react, the words tumble out in a furious rush.

“What are you doing here, Liam? I told you I need some space.”

He doesn't move, his gaze locked on mine with an urgency that makes my stomach clench. “Emma, please,” he pleads, his voice rough with emotion.

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