She felt herself unravelling under the weight of not knowing. She began asking herself if she had ever truly known Jake, in the quiet, hidden corners of his life. Had she overlooked warning signs because hope made everything brighter? Had she mistaken his silence for stress when it might have been fear or guilt?
Fear coiled in her chest like a tightening fist. She held her baby closer, feeling the warmth against her trembling arms. The room seemed to tilt around her, every shadow lengthening with possibility. Doubt gnawed at her, relentless and cold, whispering that she’d missed something crucial about the man she loved.