Jane's POV
"I'll give you some space to think about it, press that button on the table when you're done, I'll be back immediately," He said and turned to leave.
The door shut behind Allen, and the silence he left behind was unreal. My heart was still doing gymnastics, and Celine wasn't helping. The moment he stepped out, she grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the guest room like I was a toddler about to run into traffic.
"Sit," she said.
I sat. Mostly because my legs felt like noodles.
Celine paced across the room twice, muttering to herself before she finally stopped in front of me. "Jane, listen to me. Really listen."
"I'm listening," I whispered.
"No. You're reacting. There's a difference." She kneeled down so she was eye level with me, hands resting on my knees like she was trying to anchor me in place. "This isn't just about you anymore."
"I know," I said, though my voice didn't sound convincing even to me.
"You're carrying a baby, his baby," she said softly. "Your baby. And whether you want to admit it or not, the mess your husband created? It's already reaching you. You saw what happened these past days."
My throat tightened. I did see it. I lived it.
Celine squeezed my knee. "He"—she jerked her head toward the hallway where Allen disappeared—"is the only person I've seen in a long time that people actually fear. And fear is protection too. If he says he can keep you safe, take that seriously."
I leaned back, eyes burning in that awful way that meant tears were threatening. "You think I haven't been taking it seriously?"
"I think you're overwhelmed. And scared. And running on pure survival mode. And I'm not judging you for that." She brushed a strand of hair from my face. "But don't ignore something that could actually protect you and your child."
The weight of her words sat in my chest like something heavy and undeniable.
Before I could respond, my phone vibrated in my hand.
Unknown number.
A chill crawled down my spine.
Celine raised a brow. "You're not about to pick that, right?"
I should've ignored it.
But the part of me desperate for answers—the same stupid part that still wanted closure—won.
I answered.
"YOU USELESS GIRL!"
The voice hit me like a slap.
Celine jerked back in shock.
"Dad…?" My voice cracked embarrassingly.
"You ran away and now look at the nonsense you've created!" he roared. "Do you even understand the level of shame you've brought on this family? Investors are pulling out because my daughter can't keep her legs closed!"
My lungs froze.
"Dad, please, I didn't—"
"You've cost me millions. MILLIONS! And for what? A useless marriage you couldn't even manage properly? A pregnancy that wasn't planned? You fucking had a night stand with a man you know nothing about! You want to ruin me, Jane? You want to drag my name in the mud?"
Tears blurred my vision instantly. The hurt was so sharp it felt physical.
"Dad… I'm not—"
"If your husband left, good. That man deserves peace from a daughter of a wh—"
I hung up before he could finish.
Silence swallowed the room.
I stared at the dark screen, my hand trembling so hard I had to put the phone down before I dropped it. My throat burned, my breath shuddered, but I refused to break down. Not in front of Celine. Not over him.
Celine moved beside me, her hand sliding around my shoulders. "Jane… sweetheart, I'm so sorry."
I shut my eyes tightly, forcing the tears to stay exactly where they were. I had cried enough for these people. Enough for their expectations. Enough for their cruelty.
All my life I'd been trying, trying to be good, trying to be useful, trying to not be a burden. And still, nothing was enough. Not for my father. Not for my husband. Not for anyone.
But Allen?
Allen didn't treat me like something fragile.
He treated me like something worth protecting.
That thought settled inside me, warm and steady.
I opened my eyes slowly. "Tell Allen…"
Celine straightened a little. "Tell him what?"
My voice came out calm, stronger than before.
A strength that wasn't there ten minutes ago.
"I'll marry him."
Relief washed over Celine's face, but before she could say anything, I lifted a hand.
"But…" I added.
She froze. "But what?"
I inhaled deeply, wiped the last tear before it could fall, and looked her straight in the eyes.
"I'll say yes. But only on one condition."
And that was the moment everything about my life changed direction.
Celine stood up slowly, brushed her palms against her jeans like she needed to ground herself, then crossed the room to press the small silver button on the table.
Allen walked back in almost instantly.
"You didn't leave, did you?" I asked as I rose to my feet. My voice didn't sound like mine. Too steady. Too sure. Maybe that was the point.
"I told you I'd come the second you called. Why would I leave?" His hands were on his hips, posture sharp, eyes locked on me like he was trying to read every change in my breathing.
"Em—"
"She's agreed to marry you," Celine cut in before I could finish. She had the audacity to look proud, fingers clasped like a kindergarten teacher delivering a report card.
Allen's brows lifted a fraction, the closest he ever got to shock.
"I'll give you two some privacy," Celine added, voice soft. She brushed past me, but as she left, she leaned close enough to whisper, "I'm in the next room if anything feels too much."
Then she was gone.
Silence settled between Allen and me—not awkward, but thick, full of everything we hadn't said yet.
He cleared his throat. "I'll bring the papers to be signed and—"
"I have a condition. There's a clause," I blurted out just as he said:
"There's one condition."