Chapter 1 Crumbled world

EDINA'S POV

While waiting in the doctor's office, I held onto the chair tightly, feeling nervous as I looked down at the paper on my lap.

The bold letters confirmed it-I was pregnant. The realization echoed in my mind, stirring feelings I thought I had buried.

Maxwell and I had been married for three years, and I had longed for this moment. Finally, I thought, maybe this news would bridge the gap between us.

The gap between us that had suddenly appeared.

It hadn't been there the first time, he loved me and had always done but recently something was definitely not changing about him and I felt it work.

My heart raced with excitement, but a thread of fear lingered somewhere in me. Maxwell had always seemed so distant and detached lately.

I told myself that things would change this time. I thought he would notice me differently - he had to, didn't he? Had to love me more too.

I stole a glance out the window, observing the bustling street filled with people moving around. I envied them-the strangers who likely had lives that felt so much more fulfilling than mine. I sighed and tried to push that happiness back in me.

My grip on the paper tightened; this news felt like my opportunity to change everything.

As I got home, I noticed Maxwell's car in the driveway and rushed inside, excitement bubbling up in me.

I felt excited to share my news with him, hoping it would make him want to stay.

He was in our room, smiling and speaking excitedly on the phone

"Don't worry, I'll be there soon. I promise, I won't leave you, my love," he said gently and a sense of hopelessness came over me.

The excitement within me quickly turned cold, leaving an emptiness in its wake.

I could barely hear my breathing as he ended the call and turned to face me, his expression as hard as ever.

He hardly acknowledged my presence, his gaze washing over me as if I were merely part of the background, Like I wasn't there.

"Edina," he said in that usual flat tone, "I'm going to the hospital. Kourtney was just rushed to the hospital right now."

The mention of Kourtney struck me like a blow. I knew who she was, despite trying to ignore the late nights and excuses that had formed a growing distance between us.

I swallowed hard, struggling against the lump in my throat. "You...you're going to the hospital? Why?"

"Yes." He adjusted his tie, hardly meeting my gaze. "She needs me there. I can't leave her alone right now."

My throat felt dry. He had never said anything like that about me.

"But...Maxwell, I..." My voice faded, courage melting under his cold stare. How could I tell him of the news when his heart seemed so far from me already?

"What?" His voice was impatient, a hint of annoyance in the air as if my presence was a bother.

"Edina, I don't have time. Kourtney and the baby needs me. I heard she slipped and fell, so she might be having some complications. I have to get going."

The baby? His baby? The weight of those words felt suffocating. I was just a ghost in my own home, a shadow he hardly noticed, and now I carried a part of him in me.

But would he even care?

In a whisper, I managed to say, "I'm pregnant, Maxwell."

He froze for a moment, hand resting on the doorframe. I thought I saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes, maybe even shock, but it vanished quickly, replaced by the same detachment that tore our relationship.

"Oh," he said flatly, void of any warmth. "That's...unexpected."

Unexpected? That was all he could say?

I felt sick to my stomach as my excitement turned into a sad feeling. I was pregnant with his baby, but he didn't show any emotions.

I searched his face, hoping for any hint of care, but found nothing.

"Aren't you...happy?" I asked, my voice shaking.

He shrugged, reaching for his coat. "It doesn't change anything, Edina."

"I need to go to Kourtney right now," he said, pausing to look at me with a mix of annoyance and sympathy. "We can discuss this further later. Don't make it a big deal."

As he stepped out, I felt something inside me break. He didn't care. This child-our child-meant nothing to him.

I immediately put my hand on my tummy, as if trying to protect the little life inside from the tough reality of my situation.

He walked away without saying anything else, the door closing with a click, and I was left in complete silence.

Alone, I sank onto the couch, feeling my heart break into pieces.

How had I reached this point? How had I become so weak, so voiceless, clinging to someone who acted as if I was invisible? I tried to hold back tears, but they came anyway, each one showing another shattered hope. I had waited so long, wanting him to see me, to care. To love me. I felt like an idiot.

I had convinced myself that by loving him more, he would change. However, it was a false belief that I used to avoid the harsh reality: he never truly loved me, and I was just a temporary presence in his life.

I looked around the room at the bare walls and the furniture that had not been used, reminders of the life we had created together, or at least the life I had wished would be meaningful.

And now, they did not hold any meaning. Loving him was a waste of time.

As I placed my hand on my belly, I knew that this little life in me was my only hope, to see life beautifully and live. I felt like crying out loud but our nosy neighbors might hear and Maxwell will hate me more.

Even though I didn't know how to be strong for myself, I will learn for my child. I took a deep breath, wiped away my tears, and whispered.

"I'm here for you, I promise."