I Stopped Waiting for the Man I Loved for Ten Years Who Never Stood by Me Chapter 03

I Stopped Waiting for the Man I Loved for Ten Years Who Never Stood by Me Chapter 03

I met up with a good friend. She sighed but said she was happy for me.

“Okay, so there’s something I never told you.

“Remember your birthday party three years ago? On the rooftop pool. When Dylan kissed you, I honestly thought it was so romantic.

“But then the next second, he pushed you into the water. And everyone laughed. Like, the vibe was fun and all, but I just felt so bad for you.

“You did your makeup all nice, put in so much effort. And the cake had just come out. You didn’t even get one bite. Then he shoved your face right into it.”

She was still frowning as she brought it up.

“That stuff isn’t mature at all. I wanted to say something, but everyone else seemed to be having such a good time.

“I didn’t want to ruin the mood.”

I felt dazed. His immaturity. Other people could see it right away.

I stayed at my friend’s place for the night. When I saw her grab a pad, I suddenly realized—

I hadn’t had my period in a long time.

I thought back to the last time.

A little over two months ago, I’d come home from drinking with a client.

Tipsy, lying on the couch.

Dylan came up behind me. He was too rough. I was so tired I just wanted to sleep. That time wasn’t good. We hadn’t done it since.

I grabbed my phone immediately. Opened our chat.

[Last time, did you use a condom?]

The typing bubble appeared… Almost a minute later, he replied.

[Are you pregnant?]

So I had my answer. He didn’t.

I wanted to scream at him. But first, I needed to get checked.

I’d just registered at the hospital when Dylan showed up.

He grabbed my hand. “Do you have the results yet?”

He looked genuinely worried, then guilty a second later. “That night, I saw a male coworker dropping you off. I got jealous and…”

“I wasn’t thinking.”

I pulled my hand back. “Why are you here? Go home. I’ll send you the bill for everything.”

Dylan froze for a second. “So now you only talk to me about money? Paige, pregnancy is a big deal. I should be here with you.”

So annoying.

I shot back, “You didn’t think it was a big deal when you didn’t use one. Now it is?”

He didn’t say anything else. His phone buzzed first.

A message from Tinsley. [Mandarin Music Festival in Orchard City. You down? Gotta leave now if we’re going. It’s an 8hour drive.]

He didn’t reply. But I saw him open the poster and look at it more than once. One of his favorite bands was playing.

I didn’t say anything. I went into the exam room by myself.

The results came back. Ten weeks pregnant.

The doctor said my body was in great shape and the embryo looked healthy.

Go figure. I was working nonstop, he was drinking every day, and we got it on the first try.

“I don’t want this baby,” I said.

The doctor suggested I talk it over with my husband.

At my age, it was a good time to have a child.

I said I didn’t have a husband.

She asked, “And the father?”

“We broke up,” I said firmly. “Schedule the procedure for me.”

When I came out of the exam room, Dylan was nowhere in sight.

Then my phone rang. My mom.

As soon as I picked up, I heard her crying, panicked.

“Paige, it’s your dad. He took some beef jerky all the way to Harbor City to see you, and he got in a car accident. The doctor just called me. He’s at City General. Can you come? Right now?”

My legs went weak. I almost collapsed.

Then I realized—I was already at City General. I ran to the front desk.

My dad had been brought in minutes ago. He was in emergency surgery right now.

One form after another.

I ran around paying and signing.

No life-threatening injuries, but… they had to amputate his leg.

My dad was a highway construction worker. A laborer. Losing his leg would destroy him.

I took his medical records and went to the police station to see the driver who’d been detained.

When we came face to face, I froze.

All the blood in my body turned to ice.

Dylan.

And sitting next to him was Tinsley.