When I confront Jason, he says he’s sorry. Has all kinds of excuses, but I’m not buying any of them.

I’ve never been the type of girl to like conflict. In fact, I actively avoid it. I only yelled at Axel to convince him that I had changed, to convince myself I’m not the same girl who needs him anymore—but, after giving so much to him, I expected him to at least care.

I started having my doubts about Jason when he started coming home from work later and later, saying there were scheduling issues. But he takes good care of me and Lark, and, well, I need something normal so badly.

Now I find out he’s cheating on me. Of course, this would happen to me. I never loved Jason, but that doesn’t mean I deserve this. But clearly, he doesn’t love me either.

Jason raises his hand to touch my shoulder, but I shrink away from him like he’s a snake, poisonous. I tried to be the most caring girlfriend—and fiancée—I could be for him, but it clearly wasn’t enough.

“We’ll be okay, sweetheart,” he says, and I recoil again, feeling physically sick.

I may puke.

Even though I don’t love him, it still hurt.

“No.” I shake my head, blinking back tears.

Why am I crying? It doesn’t matter. None of it does. I slip his ring off my finger, shove it in his face before dropping it at his feet. He looks stunned. He didn’t expect this from me.

I didn’t, either. My mouth opens and it’s as if the words are coming from someone besides me, but they feel so right. “The wedding is off. Don’t talk to me, don’t call me, don’t go looking for me. Just enjoy fucking Becky.”

He flinches. I hadn’t been sure it was Becky until I see his reaction. I don’t care who it is. I just want Jason out of my life. I turn on my heel and go back the way I came—to Selena, and to my daughter—the people I belong with, now that I don’t have a fiancé.

For a moment, I stand outside the door watching Axel and Selena speak in hushed tones. Lark is sitting in the corner, playing with her Barbies. Every once in a while, Axel steals a glance over at her.

I wonder how he would feel if he knew he was her father. Would he even care? Did he want kids? I have no idea, but he did ask about her earlier.

I couldn’t tell him then. But now, I see he’s joined her playing with the Barbies. She’s given him Barbie’s horse and he’s pretending to make it prance around. I smile despite myself, and realize I want to tell him.

“Knock, knock.” My hand hits the frame outside the door, and I try for a cheerful tone. It doesn’t work. Axel looks up, concerned, and Lark runs to me, wrapping her arms around my legs as she buries her face in my dress.

“Mommy, where did you go?” Lark wants to know. “Where’s Jason?”

I pick up Lark, kiss her on the head, and tell her Selena has a surprise for her. My friend gives me a worried look, but I give her a pointed look.

I’m not worried about Lark at the moment. Selena’s been babysitting her for ages, and she knows what to do. I’ll explain later, but right now I need to speak to Axel.

The girls file out of the room, Selena holding Lark’s hand. Axel’s gaze follows them, and I can see the wistful look in his eyes. He’s wondering if she’s his child. But I’ve had enough for one day. I don’t think I can handle one more surprise.

Axel coughs, his hands held in front of his mouth like a paper bag to breathe in as soon as my baby and Selena are gone.

“So Olive,” he says, a worried expression on his face. “I’m so fucking sorry, I … you shouldn’t have had to find out that way. I didn’t know how to tell you.”

I press a finger against his lips, shushing him. I don’t want to touch him. It sends shivers through my body, and I’m afraid where this could go. But I need to be the one to speak first, or he’ll dominate the conversation.

“So what happened? Are you calling off the wedding?”

I nod simply. There’s nothing else to say. As much as I want a father for my baby girl, I’m not going to marry that cheating prick Jason.

“We need to talk about Lark,” I say.

He drops to the floor, sitting in what Lark calls “crisscross applesauce” style.

Ugh. I’m not sure I can do this. “I’m cancelling everything.”

I sigh, dropping to the floor across from him, holding my head in my hands. “I never wanted Jason, you know? I just wanted a father for Lark.”

He grabs my face and forces me to look at him. “You went on a date with him once. You went back to him.” They’re both statements, not questions. He’s not accusing me, just stating facts.

“I know, I just …” I trail off, trying to drop my head again. His grip tightens, his thumb runs along my lips. I make a face, but he doesn’t stop.

“Olive,” he begins, his tone careful. “Is she mine?”

I don’t respond.

“Lark,” he clarifies. Like he thinks I don’t know.

I close my eyes. I can’t bow my head, but that doesn’t mean I need to look at him. He waits for an answer, but it just never comes. I can’t say the words. Isn’t it goddamn obvious enough?

“Olive, Olive … Olive,” he says my name over and over, his thumb moving from my lips to my eyelids, begging for me to open them. I do.

His eyes are so sad. He looks like he’s on the verge of tears. Of all the things I expect from him, I never expected this. He’s the same boy he always was, just hidden beneath a tough exterior.

“Please. Give me a chance. Let me make this right. I want to tell you everything about our last night together,” he says with a pinched voice. “It was so fucking perfect. I knew I would be leaving.”

I pull away from him, shooting him an accusatory look.

So he knew.

He knew he’d walk out of my life the very next day.

Yet he still kissed me.

Touched me.

He fucked me, for God’s sake!

His hands are stroking my cheeks and I gulp at something rising in my chest.

Anger.

He shouldn’t be doing this. Acting like a broken man when he was the one who left me alone. I’m the one who just found out she’s being cheated on and had to call off her engagement two days before the wedding.

I don’t yell at him, though.

“We paid for the honeymoon in advance.” I keep my voice still. “I’m keeping it for myself. I’m going to go to Greece with Selena and …”

I can’t say “our baby.” I force myself through the sentence. “… Lark. I’m leaving, Axel.”

I need him to know that we’re not going to be together.

Instead, he draws me closer to him, and that closeness is so agonizingly bittersweet.

He leans in to kiss me, and I shove him away.

Not expecting this, it knocks him off balance. I stand up and rush out to the garden where Lark is with Selena.

He calls to me, but I run away.

I can’t allow myself care for Axel Reign ever again.