Page 211 of Fame & Rhythm

“You’re going to have a family now,” I cut in, shoving past him. “So go be with them.”

He grabs my arms, pulling me back. “Annie… stop.” I struggle, trying to wrench free. “Annie, I love you. Stop.”

The words hit, and everything in me collapses. My strength drains, and I break, tears spilling again as my body sags.

“Will you just listen to me?” he says, his voice firmer now.

I shake my head, fury surging again. “No, you listen. You don’t get to go and knock someone up and expect me to be okay with it!”

I rip free and slap him across the face.

Hard.

The sound echoes through the room.

I drop to the floor, curling in on myself as sobs tear out of me.

“Jesus, baby…” he mutters.

I flinch at the word.

Baby.

He crouches beside me and pulls me into his lap. I don’t have the strength to fight him anymore.

“Annie, stop. Please, baby… just breathe. It’s not what you think. You’re spiraling over nothing—”

“Stop calling me that!” I choke out. “It is what I think. She’s six months pregnant. You were with her six months ago. It doesn’t take a genius!” My chest tightens again, my breath catching painfully as the panic builds.

He cups my face, his hands firm enough that I can’t look anywhere but at him. “A-Annie.” His voice cracks, desperation bleeding into every syllable. “The baby isn’t mine.”

The words hit me… and my brain rejects them.

They don’t make sense.

They can’t.

I’ve spent the last twenty minutes building a future around one devastating certainty, and now he’s asking me to tear it apart with a single sentence. My chest is still heaving, each breath catching painfully as I stare at him, searching his face for the lie I’ve already convinced myself has to be there.

But I don’t find one.

I find panic.

Hurt.

Fear.

And something else…

Relief.

The relentless pressure crushing my ribs falters, not disappearing, just… cracking enough for a breath to force its way in. My knees wobble so violently I don’t trust them to keep holding me, and the tears I’d been fighting spill over before I even realize they’re there.

I blink at him…

Once.

Twice.