The Man I Loved

Chapter Eight- Doubt

The morning after Amara discovered she was pregnant

Damian was still kneeling in front of her.

His hands rested against her stomach.

But the happiness that had filled his face only moments ago was disappearing.

Slowly.

Amara noticed.

"Damian?"

He stood.

"How far along are you?"

She blinked.

"I don't know. I only found out this morning."

"When was the last time you had your period?"

She stared at him.

"Why are you asking me that?"

His jaw tightened.

"Just answer me."

Amara's heart sank.

"About six weeks ago."

Damian stepped away.

Six weeks.

He did the calculation silently.

Amara watched his expression change.

"What are you thinking?"

He didn't answer.

"Damian."

He finally looked at her.

"Is the baby mine?"

The question hit her like a slap.

"What?"

"You heard me."

Tears immediately filled her eyes.

"Yes. Of course it's yours."

He looked away.

"How can I know that?"

"Because you're the only person I've been with."

He gave a bitter laugh.

"Since when?"

Amara froze.

The answer was obvious.

But his question carried the weight of the betrayal from six months earlier.

"Since before I cheated," she whispered.

Damian's expression hardened.

"You expect me to just believe that?"

"I told you the truth."

"You told me you kissed him."

"I did."

"And I believed you."

"You have no reason to think I slept with him."

His eyes met hers.

"I have every reason."

Amara stared at him in disbelief.

"Because I made one mistake?"

"Because you lied to me."

"I didn't lie about this."

"How do I know that?"

She wiped her tears.

"You don't."

The words came out quietly.

"But you can choose to trust me."

Damian looked at her.

"I can't."

Silence filled the room.

Then he said the words that broke something inside her.

"I want a DNA test."

Amara's mouth fell open.

"You want me to prove that your own child is yours?"

"I want certainty."

"You think I'm capable of carrying another man's baby and lying to you?"

"I think you were capable of betraying me once."

He didn't raise his voice.

That somehow made it worse.

Amara pressed a hand against her stomach.

"I love you."

Damian's expression remained cold.

"I loved you too when you betrayed me."

Her eyes filled with tears.

"That's cruel."

"Maybe."

He walked toward the window.

"I need to know."

Amara stood completely still.

She had imagined Damian's reaction a hundred times.

She had imagined him smiling.

Kissing her.

Planning names.

Talking about nurseries.

She had never imagined him looking at her like she was a stranger.

"Fine," she whispered.

Damian turned.

"What?"

"You want a DNA test?"

She wiped her tears.

"You'll get one."

She walked past him.

At the bedroom door, she stopped.

"But when it proves this is your child, you'll have to live with the fact that you made me feel like I was still on trial for something I already confessed to."

Damian said nothing.

Amara closed the door.

And for the first time since they had decided to forgive each other, she wondered whether Damian had actually forgiven her at all.

Perhaps he had simply learned how to live with his anger.

And perhaps the baby had just given that anger a new reason to surface.