Caitlin sat in her room, staring blankly at the wall. What else could she do besides curl up in bed? Unemployed and pregnant—she hadn’t realized that carrying Daniel’s child would make her this exhausted, moody, and constantly sleepy. Where the hell was that man? The information Ariana had given her had been useless, doing nothing to help her get back on her feet.
“I want a husband,” she murmured.
She no longer cared about him, refused to overthink things that would only stress her out. Caitlin was ready to make up any story if one day her child asked who the father was and how she could’ve fallen in love with such a man. That bridge could be crossed later—once the baby learned to talk.
Just as her eyes began to close, her phone rang, snapping her back to reality. Who else would be calling at a time like this if not her money-hungry mother? Probably asking for more cash—as if Caitlin earned that much to begin with. Some parents and their adult children lived separate lives, but that rule never seemed to apply to hers.
Sometimes, Caitlin wished the government would enforce a clear financial boundary between parents and their grown children. If parents chose to raise their kids without expecting anything in return, they should stick to that promise until the end. It should be a written contract—violators punished accordingly. And if the parents believed their children owed them a debt, then they should be legally bound to write it down too, so the children could repay them properly.
“That would be better,” she muttered, staring at her phone screen.
“Yeah, hello,” Caitlin answered dryly, already exhausted before the conversation even began.
“What are you doing? Are you avoiding me?!”
She pulled the phone away from her ear. Her hearing worked just fine—there was no need to yell. Had her mother already found out Caitlin had been fired for causing trouble and tarnishing the company’s image? For sleeping with a paid escort and getting pregnant?
“What? What did I do now, Mom?” Caitlin asked.
“Why didn’t you send money for your father’s medical bills?”
Oh, great. Why was Caitlin always the last to know her father was sick? And why was he sick all of a sudden, anyway? This could easily be another one of her mom’s tricks to guilt-trip her. It wouldn’t be the first time. Maybe Caitlin had missed the message because she always ignored her mom’s texts, and now she felt like she never even got the news.
“How much do you need? Ask your other kids. I don’t have any money right now,” Caitlin replied, rubbing her temple.
She ended the call immediately. Honestly, she never understood why her mother acted more like an evil stepmother. This time, Caitlin wasn’t going to cave. She was going through enough already. After everything that had happened, she wanted to lash out—at someone, at something. Should she take it out on Tobey, Ariana... or Daniel?
“Ridiculous,” she muttered.
Caitlin grabbed a box of milk and tore the corner open. On any other day, she wouldn’t have touched the stuff. But ever since finding out she was pregnant, she had developed a craving for it. That odd mix of fishy, sometimes creamy and sweet taste brought her a fleeting kind of comfort. Unfortunately, her finances were in such bad shape that she had to ration everything.
As her body grew heavier with fatigue, Caitlin lay down on her small bed, closed her eyes, and tried to imagine sweet dreams that would never come true. Like the one where, when this baby was born, Daniel would be there—smiling gently to mask his worries as he looked at her, proud of the woman who had endured the pain of childbirth. He’d hold her hand tightly and kiss her forehead.
“I must be losing my mind.” She opened her eyes, trying to chase the image away.
A single tear slipped down her cheek. The tiny droplet rolled onto her pillow, followed by others. Caitlin cried again. How was she supposed to protect this child when she couldn’t even protect herself? It hurt so much.
***
When Caitlin woke up, someone was staring at her. Eyes she recognized. Eyes she had missed. The man she loved—but also hated. How was Daniel here? Lying next to her, looking so sweet? She must’ve forgotten to lock her apartment door. Her brain had turned to mush from all the stress.
“You’re awake?” Daniel asked.
Caitlin blinked. “I thought you were going to be gone longer. It hasn’t even been a month.”
She didn’t want to sound too eager about his presence. Caitlin was terrified he’d notice her pregnancy. And if he did notice the small swell of her belly, she planned to claim she’d just been overeating lately—anything to keep him from suspecting the truth. But why was he here?
“I’m still busy. Plans changed a little,” he said vaguely.
“How’s your insomnia?” Caitlin asked.
“It’s worse,” he admitted.
He told her he’d asked for sleeping pills from a doctor, but they didn’t help. He also confessed he didn’t want to get drunk just to pass out. That’s why he had come to see her. And as luck would have it, her apartment door had been left unlocked. Just like Caitlin had feared—he’d walked in effortlessly.
“You need to see a doctor,” Caitlin said.
She knew she needed to see one too—for her prenatal checkups. Daniel was right there, but she didn’t have the courage to tell him the truth. Caitlin was afraid he’d leave her once he found out she was pregnant. Worse, she was terrified he’d ask her to get rid of the baby.
“Why go to a doctor when my medicine’s right here?” Daniel grinned playfully.
Caitlin almost burst out laughing but settled for a wide smile instead. “Medicine? Since when am I—?” She paused, thinking for a moment. “Oh, because I always rant to you about my problems and you fall asleep before I even finish talking? Is that it? I must be incredibly boring.”
He rolled his eyes. “God, you’re doing it again, Cat. Can’t you see it from a romantic point of view? Will you be my medicine from now on? Let’s stop this fake dating. I’ll start paying you back.”
“But I’m not a hooker,” Caitlin replied.
She wanted so badly to say she was carrying his child. That she wanted to be his wife. But those words stopped in her throat—her lips parted slightly, but nothing came out.
Her answer clearly didn’t please him, as his gaze sharpened. Daniel suddenly pinned her down, making Caitlin flinch and blink in surprise. His behavior left her utterly confused.
“I’ve never thought of you that way, Cat. Will you be mine? For real this time?”
“You’re joking,” Caitlin said, trying to push his face away—it was too close.
She’d been messed with too many times by Dan. Why should she believe a word he said now? This could be another one of his games just to sleep with her again. Not that she didn’t want it, but still—this whole conversation was starting to annoy her.
“If you won’t answer, I’m going to tickle you,” Daniel warned impatiently.
He wasn’t bluffing. He tickled her all over while occasionally trying to steal a kiss. Caitlin kept dodging, but in the end, she could only laugh until tears streamed down her cheeks. His playful antics left her bedsheets in disarray.
“Stop,” Caitlin gasped between fits of laughter.
Daniel stopped, then stared deep into her eyes. “So? Will you?”
“Bastard,” Caitlin said, trying to wipe her tears, but he still had her wrists pinned.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Daniel whispered, leaning in to kiss her.