Chapter 173 Zoned Out Savannah I knew it wasn’t a good idea to be holding a knife when my hands were trembling this badly. The blade shook with every shallow breath I took. One wrong move, and I could’ve sliced more than just the carrots. But I couldn’t stop. Chopping, stirring, cleaning—anything to keep my hands busy, anything to drown out the storm inside my head. Every few seconds, my gaze darted to the clock on the wall. Roman would be home soon. And he was expecting good news. My stomach twisted painfully. The kind of twist that made me want to curl up and disappear. Because when he walked through that door, smiling like he always did, carrying flowers or that bottle of wine I liked, I’d have to tell him the truth. There was no baby. That all the hope we’d built was slipping through my fingers like sand. Lizzie was talking somewhere behind me. Her voice came in waves—soft, then hard—but I couldn’t make out the words. My pulse was too loud, pounding in my own ears like a drum. The walls felt smaller, the air tighter.This was bad. So bad. How was I supposed to tell him? How do you tell the man who’s finally ready to be a father that you might never be a mother? My throat constricted. Shame swelled like a lump I couldn’t swallow. Before, the problem was him. Roman didn’t want kids, and I thought that would be the end of us. But then everything changed. He changed. And now, when we finally want the same thing, I’m the one who can’t deliver. Why do I always end up being the disappointment? A flicker of panic raced through my mind. Could something be wrong with me? Did the years of birth control really mess up all my chances? Was my doctor right when she said it might be difficult? Or… maybe it might never happen at all? The thought hit like a sledgehammer. What if I can’t have children? What if that’s the truth I’ve been running from all along? A sharp gasp tore from me before I could stop it. “Oh, God.” “Sav!” Lizzie’s voice sliced through my spiral, snapping me back to reality. “Are you even listening to me?” I blinked rapidly, realizing I hadn’t heard a single thing she’d said. The knife clattered onto the counter and I picked it up. “What? I—sorry. I just…” “Zoned out,” she finished for me, crossing her arms. “Yeah, I noticed. What’s up with you, Sav?” My lips trembled. I bit them hard enough to taste metal, forcing the tears back. “Nothing.” Lizzie frowned and stepped closer, peering into my face. “Sav, are you crying?” I quickly dropped the knife and carrot, shaking my head too fast. “No. I’m not. Something just got in my eyes.” She gave me a deadpan look. “Right. And I’m supposed to believe that because I’m stupid?” My resolve crumbled. My knees gave out before my pride did, and I slowly slid down the counter until I was sitting on the cold floor. The tears came hard and fast—hot streaks that burned down my cheeks before I could stop them. “The tests came back negative, Lizzie,” I whispered hoarsely. Then louder, as if saying it might make it make sense. “The tests came back negative. Again.” Lizzie’s expression softened instantly. She dropped down in front of me, legs crossed, worry written all over her face. “That can’t be right. You’ve looked different lately. I swear, Sav, I thought you were glowing. And maybe, even a little chubbier too.” She added the last part carefully. I shook my head miserably. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me losing my mind. Maybe something’s wrong with me.” She reached out, pushing her glasses up before taking my hand. “Hey. Stop that. There’s nothing wrong with you. The only thing you need—” “There is something wrong with me!” I snapped, voice breaking. “This is the second time, Lizzie! Two tests—two different results—and both negative! What if I can’t have children? What if—” “Sav—” “I can’t get pregnant!” I cried, clutching my hair in frustration. “Something’s wrong with me, Lizzie. I just know it. I can feel it.” For a moment, the kitchen went silent except for my sobs. Lizzie squeezed my hand tightly. “Listen,” she said gently, “I think you should talk to Roman first. Both of you should see a doctor. Get checked together. You never know—it might not even be you. It could be—” “That’s bullshit.”The voice was cold and hard. We both turned toward the doorway. Reese stood there, his jacket hanging from one hand. His expression was hard—flat, detached, like someone who’d walked into a scene he’d already judged. I quickly wiped my face with the back of my hand and scrambled to my feet. “I didn’t hear you come in.” He ignored the comment, his gaze fixed on me like a spotlight. “Who said you can’t get pregnant?” I opened my mouth, ready with a sarcastic remark, but nothing came out. My throat felt raw. “The tests,” I finally said quietly. “Twice I tested, and both came back negative.” He took a step closer, his tone cutting through the air like ice. “And a doctor told you that you can’t?” “No.” I swallowed hard. “But the first time was at a hospital with my doctor. Today I took a test at home. Both were negative.” His jaw clenched. His voice was calm, but the calm was worse than anger. “We’re not friends, Savannah. You probably hate me. And that's cool. But I’d hate to see you make yourself miserable. You’re not pregnant yet—then keep fucking trying until you are.”The words hit like a slap. Brutal. Direct. Typical Reese. His eyes flicked toward Lizzie. “And don’t ever insinuate that my brother’s the problem, Elizabeth. Roman is not sterile.” Lizzie straightened, folding her arms. “I never said he was. You did. Your words, dude. Not mine.” Their standoff was electric—silent, dangerous. I could practically feel the tension buzzing in the air between them. “Enough,” I muttered, stepping between them. My voice cracked under the weight of everything. “Reese, just… go. Dinner will be ready soon.” “I’m not hungry,” he said flatly. “I’m making sandwiches.” He paused. For a long, heavy moment, no one breathed. Then his jaw ticked, and without another word, he muttered, “I’ll be down soon,” before walking out. The moment he left, Lizzie exhaled loudly and threw her hands up. “What the actual hell was that?” she hissed. “That man has the emotional range of a teaspoon! He's as sexy as he is annoying.” I tried to smile, but it felt wrong. My face was too tight from crying. Lizzie went on, pacing a little. “I swear, if I didn’t have the slightest intention of sleeping with him, I’d have slipped something deadly into his tea just to watch him squirm.” I managed a weak laugh, barely more than a breath. “You’re ridiculous.” She rolled her eyes but her tone softened when she looked at me again. “You okay?” No. Not even close. But I nodded anyway. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.” Lizzie didn’t look convinced. She stepped closer and hugged me briefly. “Don’t torture yourself, Sav. One test doesn’t define anything. Neither does two. Stress alone can delay things. You’ve been through a lot. Just breathe, okay?” I nodded again, but my gaze drifted back to the clock on the wall. Roman would be home any minute now. I could almost picture it—his footsteps in the hall, the scent of his cologne filling the air before he even spoke. He’d smile, wrap his arms around me, and ask, “So, is it positive?” And I’d have to look into those hopeful eyes and shatter them.