“A lot of things happened.” She avoided my gaze. “But…this is about us. And the baby.”
Something in my chest tightened. “Did something go wrong at the appointment this morning?”
“No. The baby’s fine.”
I exhaled, tension easing—just slightly.
“But he’s not going to be Asher Jr.”
“I told you the name was up to you.”
She finally looked at me.
“He’s not yours, Asher.”
For a moment, everything around us seemed to fall away—the city, the noise, even the air between us—until all that remained were those four words, sitting heavy and immovable between us.
“I’m sorry?” I stepped closer. “What did you just say?”
“He’s not yours,” she repeated, her voice quieter now. “I thought the timeline felt off, but then?—”
“You’ve been sleeping with someone else?”
She didn’t answer right away, just pressed her lips together in a way that told me everything I needed to know.
“Why would you wait until now to tell me this?” I asked, my voice lower than I expected. “You had days…weeks—hell, months.”
“I didn’t want to hurt you.”
I let out a hollow laugh. “Well, you’ve managed it anyway.”
“I still love you,” she said quickly. “I always will. But I don’t think we’re right for each other long term. Don’t you see that too?”
“Yeah,” I said. “That must be why I proposed in front of all your friends and family.”
“We’re both struggling, Asher,” she pressed. “We don’t have any money. We don’t have anything stable yet.”
“So that gives you a free pass to cheat and lie about the baby being mine?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.” She stepped closer. “We’re living off ideas and hopes instead of reality. You told me yourself you might have to move in with a friend because you can’t cover rent.”
“I’m choosing to invest in my company,” I said.
“The same company you’ve been building for four years?” she asked, her tone sharpening. “With nothing to show for it?”
I held her gaze. “So this is about money.”
“I want to be with someone who has their life figured out,” she said, the words coming faster now. “Someone who isn’t going to drag me down with him.”
She froze immediately after, like she wished she could take it back. “I didn’t mean?—”
“It’s fine,” I cut in. “You said exactly what you meant.”
I pulled off my engagement ring, staring at it for a second longer than I should’ve.
For a split second, I considered throwing it into the street below—watching it disappear like everything else—but I didn’t.
I turned toward the door.
