The next morning, Emily met Adrian at his office again, but this time, there was no anger, no harsh words. Only quiet understanding. Adrian had taken it upon himself to arrange for a private meeting with the doctors to confirm everything about their son.
They sat together, side by side, in the sterile, quiet room of the hospital. The doctor handed Emily a photograph of their child. A photograph that confirmed the unimaginable. Their son was alive, healthy, and growing.
"You should have told me," Adrian whispered, staring at the photograph. His voice was thick with emotion. "I would have been there, Emily."
Tears welled in Emily's eyes as she reached for Adrian's hand. "I didn't know what to do. I thought… I thought you'd hate me."
Adrian squeezed her hand, his heart finally breaking free from the cold walls he had built around it. "I could never hate you, Emily."
For the first time in years, Emily felt like she could breathe again. She wasn't alone anymore.