Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Derek looked like I’d physically struck him.
His eyes locked on my stomach, and I watched something die in his expression-the light just draining out completely.
I turned away first, taking Alex’s hand as we walked off.
Even from a distance, I could feel Derek still standing there, ooted to the spot like he’d forgotten how to move.
I’d told Alex everything about my past before we got serious
He’d listened without judgment.
“Everyone has history,” he’d said simply. “What matters is who we are now p>
And we worked-our values aligned, our interests overlapped, and after everything we’d been through together,
what we had felt solid. Real.
The life I was building with him was quiet and good.
I wasn’t going to let Derek ruin that.
I assumed he’d leave after that encounter. Derek Connor didn’t handle humiliation well-his pride wouldn’t survive watching his ex-wife pregnant with another man’s child.
But I was wrong.
A week later, I learned he’d bought the house next door.
He actually moved in. Set up a home office and started working remotely from Finland like it was the most normal thing in the world.
He cleaned himself up too-stopped looking like he’d been sleeping in his car. But he never knocked on our door. Never tried to talk to me.
He just… watched.
I’d catch him standing at the low fence between our properties, staring at nothing. Or everything.
He watched Alex and me take evening walks through the yal.
Watched us playing in the snow with our Labrador.
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Chapter 13
Watched us grilling in the backyard on those rare warm nights.
Watched us plant flowers together when spring finally came
At one point, he even brought Simon over.
The kid had grown-taller, healthier-looking. The Connors had clearly taken good care of him.
He’d learned some manners too, which was an improvement.
But there was no bond between us. Derek kept engineering these awkward encounters, clearly hoping I’d feel some maternal instinct kick in.
It never did.
Simon seemed relieved when Derek finally sent him back home.
After that, Derek went back to his quiet observation routine.
I couldn’t figure out why he was doing this. What he possibly thought would come of it.
But it wasn’t my problem to solve.
Even when I went into labor and came home from the hospital with our daughter, he was still there.
The day we brought her home, our yard was buried in gifts. Expensive baby things, all tastefully wrapped.
The cards were blank except for short messages written in Derek’s handwriting.
Alex returned everything to Derek’s porch that same afternoon.
The next morning, I found it all in Derek’s trash bins.
When our daughter was three months old, the northern lights put on an incredible show. I bundled her up and took her outside to see them.
That’s when Derek appeared at our gate with a suitcase.
He looked like he’d lost a fight.
For a long time, he just stood there. Finally, he walked closer his voice rough when he spoke.
“Annie, I have to go back. I can see you’re happy-I’ve been watching, and I know you’ve built something good here p>
He stopped, like the next words were physically painful.
“I know I don’t deserve to ask. But if I don’t, I’ll spend the rest of my life wondering. Is there any chance-any at
You Troded Our Son for Her? Your ‘Ha’py’ Ending Just Crashed, Asshole!
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Joseph King
Joseph King is an editor and storyteller who ensures every chapter is clear, polished, and engaging for readers.