Ava's POV

I slump against the couch, my phone still warm in my hand. “Thanks for listening,” I mumble to the last friend I called, my voice hollow. All morning, I’ve been calling everyone I know, swallowing my pride to beg for loans, favors, anything to keep me afloat. I’ve never thought of myself as too proud, but groveling like this? It’s like scraping my soul raw.

I wish I could help Sophie too. She’s still waiting to hear if the clinic’s firing her, clinging to her job by a thread. They’re letting her run my pregnancy test today, since I’m already inseminated, her boss figured there’s no risk of her screwing it up.

But walking into that fancy Midtown clinic, with its glass walls and soft jazz, I’m not hopeful like I was ten days ago. Back then, I was heartbroken but dreaming of a baby. Now, I’m just scared.

The second I step inside, a weird feeling hits me, like Liam Carver’s nearby. It’s stupid, he’s the last person I want to see after he got me fired and left Sophie hanging.

But my skin prickles, and sure enough, I spot him through a glass conference room, all sharp suit and sharper eyes, talking to Sophie’s bosses. I don’t know why I feel him before I see him. It’s not like he’s got some magic aura.

He is simply a beautiful irate man who has ruined my life. As I make my way to Sophie's office my sneakers squeak on the marble floor and I wipe my eyes away. When I arrive she is in a state of disarray with blotchy cheeks and puffy eyes from crying all morning.

I gently say Hey and take her in my arms. Desperately she holds on to me for a longer period of time than usual. I give her a back rub and ask “Any news?”

She says her voice thick “Liam’s in there now sealing my fate. This afternoon they will give me the documents pertaining to my termination.”

“Oh Soph.” I squeeze her closer. “I’m very sorry.”

She wipes her eyes and pulls back. “How about you? Are you doing okay?” I confess my stomach churning Barely.

I'm terrified of this test.With tears threatening to spill again she nods. How quickly everything falls apart huh? What will we do Ava?. I try to sound strong when I say We'll figure it out.

We have experienced more. Do you recall the summer we spent couch surfing after leaving foster care?

“Yeah.” She gives a sad little smile. “But it’s winter now. And you weren’t pregnant then.”

My breath catches. “If I’m pregnant…” I can’t see her eyes. “I don’t think I can keep it.”

“What?” Sophie’s voice cracks, horrified. “Ava, this is your shot. You’ve got time to figure something out.”

I shake my head, my throat tight. “I can’t afford a kid, Soph. Jake’s debt got me buried. I told you what he did, those credit cards, Lila’s pregnancy.” My voice breaks as I spill the rest, how Jake’s been bleeding me dry behind my back.

“That’s not fair!” Sophie explodes when I’m done, her hands balled into fists. “You’ve been through enough, Ava. You deserve to be a mom. No one loves kids like you.”

“And you deserve to be a doctor,” I shot back. “You earned it.”

“Don’t give up yet,” she pleads. “You’ve got weeks before you’d have to… you know. What if you pull off a miracle? Don’t close that door.”

“It’ll hurt worse the longer I wait,” I whisper. “I’ll love it too much.”

“It’s gonna hurt either way,” she says softly. “Just… keep the hope.”

“Let’s see if there’s even a baby to worry about,” I say, dodging the thought. But deep down, I feel it, that strange, quiet certainty I’ve had all week, like I’m already different.

Sophie hands me a plastic cup, still sealed. “You know the drill.”

I duck into the bathroom, my hands shaky as I do the test. Back in her office, I pace, my sneakers thudding on the floor while she runs the sample. “Well?” I ask, my heart pounding as her computer chimes.

She turns, her eyes soft but sad. “Congrats, little sister. You’re pregnant.”

I promised myself I wouldn’t break, but her words hit like a tidal wave. Tears spill over, joy and pain tangling so tight I can’t breathe. I’ve waited years to hear this, dreamed of it through every negative test with Jake. Now it’s real, and I might lose it. “Really?” I choke out.

“Really.” Sophie pulls me into a hug, her own tears falling. “Let’s do an ultrasound. Hear the heartbeat.”

“Isn’t it too soon?” I ask, wiping my face.

“Not here.” She forces a grin, bittersweet. “This place has tech you wouldn’t believe.”

I climb onto the exam table, tugging up my sweater. Sophie rolls in the ultrasound machine, squirts cold gel on my stomach, and presses the wand down. A fast, tiny thump-thump fills the room, and I’m crying again, my heart splitting open.

But Sophie’s frowning, her eyes glued to the screen. “This is weird,” she mutters. “The baby’s… advanced. Bigger than it should be for ten days.”

“What does that mean?” I ask, panic creeping in. “Is the donor just tall or something?”

She says in a low voice that sounds like she's speaking to herself “It's not just size. The development’s off. It’s… unusual.”

“Unusual how?” I press my pulse racing. “It’s just a blob, right?”

“Our tech’s next-level,” she murmurs. “It scans deeper, shows more than shapes.” Before she can explain, the door flies open, and I nearly jump off the table. Liam Carver stands before me, his expression fierce and his blue eyes aflame.

"What is happening here? " he inquires forcefully.

"What is happening? " I retort, tugging down my sweater. “You’re barging into my exam!”

“Because,” he growls, stepping closer, his voice low and fierce, “that’s my child you’re carrying