My ex called to invite me to his wedding. I told him I’d just given birth, thirty minutes later, he came running into my hospital room and in that moment, I understood why he was really sca:red.

The room fell silent.

“What are you doing here?” I snapped.

He turned to me, panic flooding his face.
“Why didn’t you tell me she was a girl?”

I laughed bitterly.
“Why would I tell you anything? You said the baby wasn’t yours.”

“That’s not what I meant,” he said quickly. “I thought… I thought you lost the baby. My fiancée—she told me you weren’t pregnant anymore.”

My chest tightened.
“Your fiancée lied to you. Congratulations.”

Ryan ran a hand through his hair, breathing hard.
“I invited you to the wedding because she demanded it. She wanted proof you were completely out of my life. But when I told her you’d just given birth…”
His voice cracked.

“She screamed,” he continued. “Said the baby couldn’t exist. Then she fainted.”

I sat up slowly.
“Ryan… what exactly did you do?”

He swallowed.
“I ran. Straight here.”

That was when Lena Hart, his fiancée, stormed into the room behind him—face twisted with fury, pointing at my child and screaming words that froze every nurse in place.

“THAT BABY IS RUINING MY LIFE!” Lena shrieked, her perfect hair disheveled, mascara streaked down her cheeks.

Security rushed in, but Ryan raised a trembling hand.
“Give us a minute,” he said hoarsely.

Lena laughed hysterically.
“You promised me there was no baby! You said she was lying!”