A soft knock landed on the bathroom door.
Then Lewis's voice came through, low and steady. "Elena, are you in there?"
My pulse jumped like my body was already answering him before my mouth could. "Yes, I'm here."
"I need to talk to you about something."
"Come in," I said, too quickly.
I stared at the test stick in my hand. Just one line.
Lewis had been right.
I wasn't pregnant.
I waited for relief to wash over me, but it didn't come. What I felt instead was a quiet, sharp letdown that made my throat tighten.
The truth was… a part of me had wanted it.
The door opened, and the moment Lewis stepped in, his eyes found my face. He read me the way he always did—like he could hear my heartbeat from across a room.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
I held up the test, forcing my voice to stay casual. "I took it. It's negative."
He didn't look surprised. He just crossed the space and patted my head, gentle, grounding. "It's okay. You're still young. You'll have children one day."
