?Chapter 346:

    For a moment, I can’t breathe. My chest feels tight, my heart pounding so hard it drowns out everything else. But then, slowly, the realization sinks in, and a wave of joy—pure, unmeasurable joy—floods over me.

    My baby didn’t die.

    After everything—after Dr. Lee told me I was pregnant, after the endless excitement and hope I’d felt, after Jason kidnapped me and threw my life into chaos—I hadn’t lost the baby.

    I’d been so consumed by everything going on around me that I hadn’t even thought about it, hadn’t dared to hope. But now, holding this confirmation in my hands, I feel like I can finally breathe again.

    “Heaven,” I whisper, my voice barely audible. “We didn’t lose the baby.”

    La hums in agreement. “Of course we didn’t. Our pup’s a fighter, just like us.”

    My hands shake as I fold the paper carefully, tucking it into my pocket like it’s the most precious thing in the world. Ryder needs to hear this.

    The thought hits me out of nowhere, and for a second, I hesitate. Do I really want to tell him? After everything that’s happened, after all the lies and half-truths, does he even deserve to know?

    La growls low in my head. “Don’t be an idiot. He’s the father. He deserves to know.”

    “Yeah, yeah,” I mutter, rolling my eyes even though no one can see me. “Don’t get all preachy on me.”

    But she’s right. As much as I want to keep this moment to myself, to hold onto this secret like a shield against everything else going on, I know Ryder has a right to know.

    Doesn’t mean I have to make it easy for him, though.

    I stand, smoothing down the oversized sweater I’ve been living in for the past two days, and take a deep breath. My body still feels weak, like I’ve been run over by a truck, but the nausea and dizziness have subsided, and the rage that’s been simmering under the surface feels more manageable now.

    “Let’s get this over with,” I tell La, squaring my shoulders.

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    “That’s the spirit,” she replies, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

    I find Ryder in the room we provided for him. He’s hunched over a stack of papers like the fate of the world rests on whatever he’s reading. His hair is a mess, his shirt wrinkled, and those damn dark circles under his eyes make him look even more tired than I feel.

    For a second, I just stand there, watching him. He looks… rough. But also so infuriatingly perfect that it makes my chest ache.

    “Snap out of it,” La snaps. “We’re not here to drool over him.”

    “Shut up,” I hiss under my breath before clearing my throat.

    Ryder’s head snaps up, his eyes locking onto mine instantly. The relief that washes over his face is almost enough to make me forget why I’m mad at him. Almost.

    “Jasmine,” he says, standing so fast he knocks over a pen. “Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

    I hold up a hand, stopping him in his tracks. “Rx,” I say, my tone sharper than I intend. “I’m fine.”

    He studies me for a moment, his eyes narrowing like he’s trying to figure out what’s going on. “You sure? You look—”

    “Don’t,” I cut him off. “Don’t tell me I look tired, or weak, or anything remotely patronizing. I’m not here for that.”

    He raises his hands in surrender, but the corner of his mouth twitches like he’s fighting a smile. “Okay,” he says cautiously. “What are you here for?”

    I take a deep breath, my hand instinctively moving to my stomach. For a moment, I hesitate, unsure how to break the silence between us, but I know what I have to say. He deserves to know.

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