Page 44 of When Love Changes Everything

The weight I didn’t even realize I was carrying lifts, leaving behind a sense of relief so profound it feels like I can finally breathe again.

"Thank you," I say, my voice thick with gratitude, before pulling her into a tight hug. When I pull away, her gaze lingers on me, studying me carefully. She knows I’m still caught up in Marian’s words, the doubt clinging to me like a shadow.

"Marian’s an expert at planting seeds of doubt," she says firmly, her tone grounding me. "And she plays dirty. Her lying skills? Unmatched. I don’t believe a word she said."

I nod but remain silent.

"Go home to Dad," Lily continues, using a tone that’s meant to give me strength. "Talk to him about Marian’s claim and let him explain. I’m sure there’s nothing to what she said. But if there is… well, you deserve to hear it from him, not from her."

Her words hang in the air, offering both clarity and the space I need to make sense of everything. "I love you, Lily," I say.

"I love you too," she replies. In that simple exchange, I feel it—our friendship, unshaken by the storm, still standing strong and unbreakable.

Chapter 18

Mateo

“How did it go?” I ask, as I watch Lisa walk through the door and hang up her coat. She moves with a tired grace, dropping her purse and keys on the coffee table before turning her full attention to me.

Her face betrays the weariness of the day, but there's something else—a storm I can’t quite read.

“We were in the middle of our conversation when Marian showed up,” she says, letting out a heavy sigh that echoes in the quiet room. She sinks onto the couch, her expression clouded with exhaustion and frustration.

“Marian?” My heart stirs with unease at the mention of her name.

"She was there to visit Davey," she murmurs. “But as soon as she saw me, she forgot all about him, and wasted no time in telling me you two... hooked up the last time she was here.

"We didn't." I exclaim, my tone defensive.

"No, wait," she says. "It gets better. She said she's pregnant with your child.”

I freeze. "What?" I mutter, my voice cracking with disbelief. "If Marian is pregnant, it sure as hell isn’t mine. Nothing happened between us."

I step closer, my gaze locked with hers, silently begging her to see the truth in my eyes. Slowly, I sit beside her, my fingers gently wrapping around hers. As I shift my weight to face her, her eyes drift over me—searching, assessing—and I feel it, that lingering shadow of doubt hanging between us.

“She’s beautiful,” Lisa whispers, her words barely audible. "You were single. Unattached. I don’t know... she seemed so sure of it."

Her words feel like a heavy stone pressing down on me, but I can’t let her think for one second that I’ve betrayed her. I shake my head, my voice filled with urgency. “Nothing happened, Lisa. You have to believe me.” I move closer still, letting the sincerity in my words sink in. “For the last six months, my every thought has been of you. I haven’t been with anyone—not even casually.And by casually, I mean not even a cup of coffee. My heart’s been yours,hermosa.”

She nods, but the hesitation in her eyes doesn’t disappear. I brush my thumb over her knuckles, trying to reassure her.

"I have no reason to lie to you," I whisper, my voice pleading. "Please... please tell me you believe me."

Her eyes search mine for the truth, and I can feel the tension between us. I need her to trust me, to see past the doubts and remember the love and commitment we share.

"I trust you," she finally says, her tone steady. "You're going to be my husband. The father of my children. If there's no trust between us, then there’s no future for us."

"I have never lied to you," I say, my voice filled with conviction. "And I never will."

Her lips twitch into a hesitant smile, but the doubt lingering in her eyes doesn't escape me. It weighs heavily on me, pushing me to prove every word, every feeling I have for her.

"How could I ever look at another woman?" I whisper. "When everything I've ever wanted is right here, with you."

"I believe you," she says, her gaze unwavering as it meets mine.

"Can I kiss you?" I whisper, wanting to confirm that the connection we've built remains intact.

"I'm your fiancée, silly," she says softly. "Of course you can kiss me."

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