Shock left Elissa silent. Nothing seemed real anymore. She was pregnant. Of all possible moments—why now? Life had a strange sense of humor. And her husband? The nurse could only mean Ernest. He must know by now.

Sure enough, the news had already reached him.

“Pregnant?” The doctor’s words sent Ernest out of his seat, barely able to contain himself. He leaned in, voice urgent. “Are you certain? Could there be a mistake?”

“That’s not likely at all,” the doctor said with a reassuring smile. “You can rest easy, Mr. Flynn. Both the blood work and the urine test confirmed it. There’s no error.”

“Is there any chance it’s ectopic?” Worry flickered across Ernest’s features. He remembered what Hadley had once gone through.

“It’s not out of the question,” the doctor admitted. “However, it’s much too soon to know for sure. It’s best to keep a close eye on things for the next two months. Please monitor for any pain or unusual bleeding, and come back in two months for another check. Don’t hesitate to reach out if there are any changes before then.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Ernest expressed his thanks and made his way toward the exam room.

The door swung open, revealing Elissa, led by the nurse.

“Elissa.” His eyes lit with joy. Calling him happy wouldn’t come close—he was elated. The timing of this child couldn’t have been better. Locke alone no longer seemed enough to keep Elissa by his side, yet with this baby, everything might change. Maybe she would never want to be with him again, but at least Ernest finally had a reason to keep her close.

“Easy now.” He closed the distance between them, steadying Elissa with a gentle touch. “You’re not alone anymore. How could you not notice something so important? Pregnant, and you didn’t even realize?”

A soft chuckle slipped out as he continued, “Makes sense, though. You had Locke, but you don’t remember any of that. You were still young—no real experience back then.”

His gaze drifted to her stomach, flat beneath her clothes. “This time around, you won’t have to go through it alone. I’ll make sure you have the best doctors watching over you.”

Elissa just stared, watching his lips move without hearing a word. Her brow furrowed, concern darkening her expression. Had he already decided to keep the baby? Not a single question for her—just his own choice. The happiness on his face left no doubt.

Silently, Elissa turned away and closed her eyes, determined not to say anything.

Ernest noticed but wasn’t fazed. “Feeling tired?”

He didn’t hold her mood against her. With pregnancy came all kinds of emotions; that much, he understood. People said hormones made women unpredictable when expecting.

“Let’s get you home to rest,” he suggested, slipping an arm around her shoulders and guiding her toward the door.

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