After the Bloom,No Looking Back

Vera tugged at his sleeve.

"I spoke with the station director last night. The new program is going to be co-anchored by you and me."

"If word gets out that you have a child, it could create problems with the network."

I stared straight at Ferdinand until my eyes burned, refusing to show weakness in front of them.

Ferdinand turned away and pulled me back into the bedroom, shutting the door behind us.

He crouched in front of me and gently placed his hand on my stomach.

The tenderness almost softened me, but then his voice came out cold as stone.

"Jade, we can have a baby later. Can we just wait a little longer?"

Every last trace of warmth inside me went dead. I wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes.

"Ferdinand, is that what it is? In your mind, in your family's mind, in everyone's eyes, I'm just never going to be good enough for you?"

Ferdinand gripped my hand tight.

"Jade, that's not it. Don't overthink this."

"Once this program wraps, we'll try for a baby. It's just a matter of timing. Can't you cut me some slack?"

I let out a bitter laugh and yanked my hand free.

"Ferdinand, is this really about the program, or is it about Vera?"

"Are you still dreaming about rekindling things with her? Picking up right where you left off?"

The color drained from his face.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

I pulled up the trending photos and shoved my phone in front of him.

"Am I making things up? Do I need to catch you two in bed before it counts?"

"Ferdinand, I may not have your fancy degrees, but I'm not stupid."

Ferdinand stared at me, his breathing ragged.

"You've been investigating me?"

I laughed. The tears fell anyway.

"Investigate? The whole world already knows you two spent last night together."

Ferdinand finally lost his patience.

"Jade, can you stop being so unreasonable?"

"Even without Vera, I wouldn't have wanted this baby. If you want to blame someone, blame the kid's bad timing for showing up when it shouldn't have!"

I stood up and glared at him with every ounce of fury I had left.

"Ferdinand, don't you dare regret this."

Seeing that I'd finally given in, Ferdinand exhaled with relief.

"Jade, I'll go with you to the hospital."

Before I could refuse, Vera winced and clutched her stomach.

"My period just started. It hurts so bad."

Ferdinand's parents shot to their feet, urging him to help Vera to our bedroom to rest.

The two of them rushed into the kitchen together to boil her brown sugar water.

I turned on my heel without a word and took a cab to the hospital.

Right before I was wheeled into the operating room, a new set of photos hit trending: Ferdinand, Vera, and his parents, all four of them at dinner together.

"Vera Summers and Ferdinand Sanchez meet the parents. Wedding bells on the horizon?"

I opened my email and sent Ferdinand's oligospermia report to a tabloid reporter.

When I woke up from the procedure, his diagnosis was already the number one trending topic.

My phone was flooded with missed calls.