Ethan paced the hospital waiting room, the fluorescent lights above flickering faintly. The sterile smell of disinfectant filled the air as he replayed the events in his head. He wasn’t sure what had happened to Tania stress, exhaustion, or something more sinister? It wasn’t like her to collapse like that. And with everything that had been happening recently, it was hard to know where the truth started and the lies ended.
After what felt like hours, a doctor finally approached Ethan, a clipboard in hand. “Mr. Ethan?” he asked, glancing down at his notes.
Ethan nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. “How is she? Is she going to be okay?”
The doctor sighed softly. “Mrs. Tania is stable, but there’s something you should know. The collapse was due to extreme stress, coupled with malnutrition. She’s been under significant mental strain, which has affected her physical health. But that’s not all. She’s pregnant.”
Ethan’s eyes widened, his stomach dropping. “Pregnant?” he repeated, the word barely escaping his lips. He couldn’t believe it. After everything, after all the lies and deceit, Tania was carrying a child.
The doctor nodded. “She’s about eight weeks along. The pregnancy is fragile, and she needs to stay away from stressful situations if she wants to carry to term.”
Ethan was speechless. He had no idea Tania was pregnant, and now, with everything falling apart, the news felt like a punch to the gut. How could this happen? Who was the father? He couldn’t even begin to process the situation, his mind reeling with confusion and shock. This changed everything.
The doctor handed Ethan a few papers, instructions on Tania’s care. “She’ll need a lot of rest. We’re monitoring her closely, but for now, we’re keeping her overnight for observation.”
Ethan nodded, his head spinning as he sat down in one of the stiff hospital chairs. The news of the pregnancy weighed heavily on him, and for a moment, he felt trapped. What was supposed to be a clean break from the chaos had now become another complicated web of uncertainty.
As Ethan sat there, staring at the hospital floor, he couldn’t help but think of how the hell did Tania get pregnant. he hadn’t touched her in months, so who is responsible for her pregnancy?
And then, another thought crossed his mind if Tania was pregnant, what would that mean for his future? Would this be the thing that pulled him back into her life? Ethan thought knowing fully well that Tania would try and pin this pregnancy on him.
Ethan ran a hand through his hair, feeling more conflicted than ever.
Ethan’s mind raced as he sat in the sterile waiting room. The hum of the overhead lights buzzed faintly, mingling with the steady beep of distant heart monitors and the shuffle of nurses going about their rounds. His thoughts were a jumble of confusion, anger, and disbelief. Pregnant? He hadn’t touched Tania in months. Their relationship had been nothing but a cold, distant battlefield of lies and betrayal. How could she be pregnant?
He pulled his phone from his pocket, his fingers trembling slightly as he scrolled through his contacts. There was only one person he could call right now, Victor. He needed someone to talk to, someone who could help him make sense of this madness. After a brief hesitation, he tapped Victor’s name and brought the phone to his ear.
The phone rang once, twice, and then Victor’s deep voice answered. “Ethan? What’s going on?”
Ethan took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. “Victor, I’m at the hospital. I… I need you to come. It’s about Tania.”
There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Hospital? What happened? Is she okay?”
“She collapsed,” Ethan explained, running a hand through his hair. “I came home, and she was just… lying on the floor. I rushed her here, and the doctors said she’s under a lot of stress. But that’s not all, Victor. She’s pregnant.”
The silence on the other end was deafening. For a moment, Ethan thought Victor hadn’t heard him.
“Pregnant?” Victor finally replied, his voice thick with disbelief. “Tania’s pregnant? How… how is that even possible? Ethan, this complicates everything. Another child, in the middle of all this chaos?”
Ethan leaned forward, pressing his elbows into his knees. His head was pounding. “I know, but listen I’m not the father. I haven’t touched her in months, Victor. I’m not responsible for this.”
There was another long pause. Victor’s voice dropped to a whisper, as if even saying the words aloud would make the situation worse. “Then who is responsible, Ethan? Who’s the father?”
“I don’t know,” Ethan replied, his frustration mounting. He clenched his jaw, trying to keep his emotions in check. “I’ve been racking my brain for answers. It doesn’t make sense. I don’t know how this happened, but I’m sure it’s not me.”
Victor sighed heavily on the other end of the line. “This… this is a disaster, Ethan. Tania’s already caused so much damage. Now there’s a baby involved? You know she’s going to try and pin this on you. She’ll use this to pull you back into her web.”
Ethan’s grip tightened on the phone. “I know. That’s what I’m afraid of. She’s manipulative enough to try. But I won’t let her, Victor. I won’t let her drag me down with her lies anymore.”
Victor’s voice softened. “Look, Ethan, we’ll figure this out. But you need to be careful. Tania’s unpredictable, and now, with this pregnancy, she has even more leverage. You can’t let her control the narrative. We need to get ahead of this before she tries to turn it all on you.”
Ethan nodded, though Victor couldn’t see him. “I know. But how do I even start? This is a mess, Victor. My life’s a mess. I just wanted a clean break, and now, now there’s a baby involved. How do I move forward from this?”
Victor paused, as if weighing his next words carefully. “First, we need to find out the truth. You can’t make any decisions until you know who the father is. And more importantly, you need to protect yourself. This isn’t just about Tania anymore. There’s a child’s future at stake now, and you don’t want to get caught in her games.”
Ethan leaned back in his chair, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. “You’re right. I need to be smart about this. But every time I think I’m out, something else happens. It’s like I can’t escape her.”
Victor’s voice was steady, reassuring. “You will, Ethan. We’ll find a way. But for now, focus on getting through this. Stay calm, keep your distance, and don’t let her pull you back in emotionally. We’ll get the answers, and then we’ll figure out the next step.”
Ethan nodded again, feeling a slight sense of relief wash over him. At least he wasn’t facing this alone. Victor had always been there, his unwavering support a constant in Ethan’s life. And now, more than ever, he needed that stability.
As he ended the call, Ethan stared at the hospital’s white-tiled floor, his mind still spinning. How had things gotten so out of control? How had his life unraveled like this? He thought of Ella, of the life he had once dreamed of with her. Could there ever be a future for them, with so much chaos swirling around him?
But now wasn’t the time for those thoughts. He needed to focus, to stay sharp. There was too much at stake. He couldn’t let Tania’s pregnancy, real or fabricated, derail everything. There had to be answers. And he would find them.
As the hospital’s mechanical hum filled the silence, Ethan knew one thing for certain nothing would ever be the same again.