I was basically telling him to leave, but Darien did not seem to understand. "I don’t need you."
"Elodie," he said softly, "you don’t have to pretend to be strong in front of me."
I looked up at him, my voice cold and unwavering. "Darien Eugene, where were you when I needed you the most?"
"Do you even know what it feels like… to feel life slipping away from inside you, piece by piece?"
"You don’t. You never will. And honestly? I don’t think you even care. Because in your eyes, I was never as important as Vienna. Not me. Not even my child."
His body stiffened. His lips parted in disbelief, words stumbling out of him. "What? Our… our child is gone? No… that can’t be…"
I stared at him, unmoved. "Don’t pretend. Isn’t that what you wanted all along? Wasn’t that the plan? To get rid of it?"
"No! No, it’s not like that." Darien grabbed my shoulders, his eyes frantic, his grip trembling with desperation. "I would never harm our child. I only lied to Vienna because if I didn’t, she would’ve come after you both. I was trying to protect you!"
I let out a bitter laugh, hollow and exhausted. "The truth doesn’t matter anymore, Darien. Not after everything."