Ethan had spent the past nine months preparing for fatherhood. He had read every book, attended every doctor’s appointment, and held Julia’s hand through every craving, every sleepless night, and every moment of anticipation.
The moment he saw the little blue plus sign, he knew—this was what he was meant for.
And now, standing in the hallway of the maternity ward, everything was crashing down.
The words echoed in his head, over and over again.
“Only the real father is allowed in the room.”
Maggie’s voice, the nurse who had laughed with them, who had been part of this journey, was now filled with steel.
It had to be a mistake. A cruel joke.
Ethan had never doubted Julia. Never.
But when the doors slammed shut in his face, reality came crashing down.
The Betrayal
He paced the hallway, his hands shaking.
Julia was in the delivery room. His son—or was it his son?—was coming into the world.
Maggie wouldn’t say that unless she was sure.
Had Julia betrayed him?
No. She couldn’t have.
Or had he missed the signs?
Had he been so blinded by love that he had ignored the late nights at work, the extra-long phone calls with her “old college friend,” the sudden distance in her eyes?
Ethan clenched his fists, pushing the thoughts away.
None of it mattered right now.
Julia was giving birth.
And he needed to be there.
But before he could demand an answer, the doors to the delivery room opened.
Maggie stepped out, her scrubs stained with blood.
The moment Ethan saw her face, his heart stopped.
“How is she?” His voice was barely above a whisper.
Maggie swallowed.
“I’m so sorry, Ethan.”
The world tilted.
