Leila’s POV:
I stood in front of the mirror, clutching my belly, a new warmth spreading through as I gazed at my reflection. The woman staring back at wasn’t the frightened girl I used to be. No longer the broken soul hiding behind layers of pain, doubt, and regret. Today, there was sothing different—sothing stronger. The weight of my decision settled in my chest, but this ti it wasn’t suffocating; it felt like freedom. I was going to keep this child.
For so long, I’d feared the idea of motherhood, convinced I’d repeat the sa mistakes my mother had made with . But as I stood there, clutching my stomach, I realized that I wasn’t my mother. I wasn’t trapped in the shadows of my past anymore. I had survived, I had grown, and most of all, I had love—love for Drake, and now, for the life growing inside .
"I’ll love you," I whispered softly to the tiny soul within . "I’ll give you the love I never had. I’ll protect you, nurture you, and make sure you never feel the loneliness I did."
A small smile crept across my face, surprising even . It felt like a quiet victory, a resolve I didn’t know I was capable of. For the first ti in days, the uncertainty that had been swirling in my mind faded away. I had made my decision, and I was at peace with it.
As I stood there, lost in the mont, I didn’t even hear Drake stirring from the bed. But when I caught sight of his reflection in the mirror, his sleepy eyes locking onto mine, I knew instantly that he understood. The soft smile that spread across his lips was confirmation enough.
"Good morning," he said, his voice still thick with sleep, but warm and filled with sothing deeper.
I turned slightly to face him, my hand never leaving my belly. "Good morning."
He sat up, his eyes falling to the curve of my stomach, then back to my face, searching for the answer he already knew. Without needing to say a word, the connection between us spoke volus. He knew. He always knew.
"You’ve made up your mind," he said, his voice barely a whisper, but filled with such tenderness that it made my heart ache in the best way possible.
I nodded, my smile growing wider as I felt the tears well up in my eyes. They weren’t tears of fear or sadness anymore—they were of joy. "I have."
Drake swung his legs off the bed and crossed the room to stand in front of . He gently took my face in his hands, his thumb brushing away a tear that had slipped down my cheek. His gaze was filled with love, admiration, and an emotion I couldn’t quite place—sothing deeper, more profound.
"You’re going to be an incredible mother, Leila," he said, his voice full of certainty. "I always knew you would be."
Hearing those words, the last of my doubts dissolved completely. If Drake believed in , then maybe I could believe in myself too. He was my rock, the one person who had always seen the best in , even when I couldn’t.
"I was so scared," I admitted, my voice trembling slightly. "Scared that I’d fail, that I wouldn’t know how to love this baby the way he deserves."
Drake’s smile softened as he pulled into his arms, holding close against his chest. "You’ve already given him more love than you realize. And you’ll give him even more. We’ll do this together. You’re not alone in this, Leila."
His words wrapped around like a protective shield, comforting and reassuring. I leaned into his embrace, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my cheek. It was true—I wasn’t alone. Drake would be with every step of the way, just as he had always been.
We stood like that for a while, just holding each other, the weight of the future no longer feeling so heavy. For the first ti in what felt like forever, I felt like I could breathe again.
After a few monts, Drake pulled back slightly, his hands moving to rest gently over my stomach. His eyes sparkled with sothing that looked a lot like hope, and it made my heart swell.
"I can’t wait to et him," he said, his voice full of wonder as he gazed down at my belly. "Or her."
I laughed softly, feeling a lightness I hadn’t felt in a long ti. "Neither can I."
Drake leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to my stomach before straightening up and eting my eyes again. "Thank you," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "For choosing this. For choosing us."
His gratitude took by surprise, and for a mont, I was speechless. But then I realized—this wasn’t just about . This was about us, about our future together, and about the life we were about to bring into the world. We were both making a choice. And it was the right one.
I reached up, cupping his face in my hands, and smiled through the tears that still threatened to fall. "Thank you for believing in ."
Drake leaned down, capturing my lips in a soft, lingering kiss, filled with all the love and promise we shared. When he finally pulled away, his forehead rested against mine, and for the first ti in what felt like forever, everything felt right.
As I descended the stairs for breakfast, I could already sense the shift in energy throughout the house. There was a lightness in the air, a subtle hum of excitent that hadn’t been there before. I hadn’t even reached the bottom step when Nelly rushed over, her arms flung wide, and before I could brace myself, she crashed into with a hug that nearly knocked off my feet.
"Oooh, I’m going to be the best godmother ever!" she squealed, bouncing with excitent.
I blinked, trying to steady myself, both physically and emotionally. Her enthusiasm caught off guard, and I realized instantly—Drake must have told her about my decision. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. Drake was many things, but keeping sothing like this to himself wasn’t one of them. He’d want to share the joy, the relief, with the people closest to us.
As Nelly pulled back, her hands still gripping my shoulders, her face was glowing with happiness. She looked like she might burst from the excitent, her eyes gleaming with the possibility of all the baby-related things she’d probably been dreaming about. And though I hadn’t fully processed the reality of it myself, her energy was contagious.
I found myself smiling despite the overwhelming emotions swirling inside . "Godmother, huh?" I teased, trying to match her energy, though my heart was still playing catch-up with everything.
Nelly’s eyes sparkled. "Oh, absolutely! And you’re going to be the most amazing mom, Leila! I just know it!" She hugged again, but this ti, it was softer, more reassuring. "I’m so happy for you."
The sincerity in her voice made my chest tighten with emotion. I’d been so unsure of myself, of this whole situation, but seeing the genuine happiness radiating from Nelly—soone who had been like a sister to —made feel like maybe, just maybe, I could do this.
As we stepped into the kitchen, it beca clear that this wasn’t just a normal breakfast. Lucas was already sitting at the table, his usual calm deanor softened with a smile. Drake stood by the counter, looking relaxed and content, the weight of the previous days seemingly lifted off his shoulders.
"Good morning, sunshine," Lucas said, raising his coffee cup to . "Looks like we’ve got sothing to celebrate today, huh?"
Drake’s eyes locked with mine, and that sa proud, knowing smile I’d seen in the mirror earlier reappeared on his face. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t need to. His eyes said everything—he was happy, relieved, and just as committed to this as I was.
"Co sit," Drake said, gesturing to the seat next to him.
As I moved to sit down, Nelly practically skipped to her own chair, still grinning ear to ear. The whole scene was so unexpectedly warm that I couldn’t help but feel a sense of ease washing over .
Maybe I had made the right decision after all. It felt right, sitting here with the people I loved, preparing to embark on this new Chapter of my life. It wasn’t just about anymore—this baby would be part of sothing bigger. Sothing full of love, support, and family.
The breakfast spread in front of us was more elaborate than usual—pancakes, fresh fruit, eggs, and even so pastries. It was like an unspoken celebration, and I couldn’t help but laugh inwardly at how quickly everyone had jumped into this new reality. I had only just made the decision last night, and here we were, practically throwing a party over it.
Nelly, unable to contain herself, started talking excitedly about all the things she planned to do as the godmother—buying baby clothes, planning a baby shower, and how she was going to spoil the child rotten. Lucas occasionally threw in a playful jab, reminding her that the baby wouldn’t be able to wear half the things she was imagining for at least a year.
Drake, on the other hand, remained quiet but content, his hand occasionally finding its way to mine under the table. Every ti he squeezed my hand, I felt a little more grounded, a little more sure of the decision I’d made.
It was hard to describe, but there was sothing so calming about knowing that I wasn’t alone in this. The fear I had been carrying for so long was still there, lurking beneath the surface, but it didn’t feel as heavy anymore. Nelly’s excitent, Lucas’ steady presence, and Drake’s unwavering support made feel like I could actually do this—like I could be a good mother.
As the al went on, I found myself easing into the conversation, even laughing at so of the ridiculous scenarios Nelly was coming up with. It felt good to laugh, to let go of so of the anxiety that had been gripping for so long.
At one point, I caught Drake’s eye again, and he gave a soft smile that sent warmth spreading through my chest. I knew what that smile ant—he was proud of , proud of us.
And maybe, for the first ti, I was starting to feel a little proud of myself too.
As breakfast started to wind down, I took a deep breath, feeling lighter than I had in days. The fear wasn’t completely gone, but the love and support surrounding were stronger. It was a reminder that I didn’t have to do this alone.
After all, I had a pack—a family—and together, we would make sure this child was loved. Just as I had never been.
I glanced around the table at the people I loved most, and for the first ti in a long while, I allowed myself to feel hope. Hope for the future. Hope for this baby. Hope for myself.
Maybe I was ready after all.
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