Shayla tells Anthony Arby knows it’s not his baby
The room was dimly lit, the gentle hum of city life filtering in through the window. Shayla sat on the edge of her bed, fidgeting with her phone. The weight of her secret pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe. She knew she had to tell Anthony, but how could she break the news?
Her heart raced as she replayed the events of the past few months in her mind. Anthony had been her rock, the steady presence in her chaotic whirlwind of a life. But now, the thought of shattering his world was paralyzing. She glanced at the bedroom door, half-expecting him to walk in at any moment. They had built a life together, and the news she carried threatened to pull it all apart.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed. It was Anthony. “Hey, babe! Can we talk? I’ll be home soon.”
Shayla took a deep breath, her fingers shaking as she typed a quick reply: “Yeah, that sounds good.” She flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling, searching for the right words.
When Anthony walked through the door, his smile lit up the dim room. He dropped his bag, his eyes sparkling with excitement. “Hey! You’ll never guess what happened today!” He launched into a story about his day at work, but Shayla struggled to listen. Her thoughts were consumed by the truth she had hidden for too long.
As he spoke, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt. Anthony had always been there for her, and he deserved so much better than what she was about to tell him. After a few minutes, she interrupted him gently.
“Anthony, can we talk about something important?”
His expression shifted instantly, concern clouding his features. “Of course. What’s on your mind?”
Shayla felt a lump form in her throat. “It’s about the baby.”
Anthony's face lit up with a mixture of joy and apprehension. “You mean the baby we’ve been talking about?”
She nodded, her heart pounding. “There’s something you need to know. I’m not sure how to say this… but Arby knows it’s not his baby.”
Anthony’s smile faltered, confusion marring his features. “What do you mean?”
“Arby and I… we had a brief thing before I met you. When I got pregnant, I thought it was yours because we were trying. But… I wasn’t sure. I thought I could pass it off, but he knows.” Shayla’s voice shook as she spoke, pain flooding her chest. “He confronted me about it a few days ago. I’ve been so scared to tell you, I didn’t want to lose you.”
The silence that followed was deafening. Anthony ran a hand through his hair, his expression mixed with disbelief and hurt. “So… you were with him?”
Shayla nodded, tears welling in her eyes. “It was a mistake. You know that. I didn’t want it to happen this way.”
“Did you even think about the consequences?” he asked, his voice shaky. “This isn’t just about you and Arby anymore; this is about a life.”
“I know! I know! And I’m so sorry! I just didn’t know what to do,” she cried. “I love you, Anthony. I want you to be the one who’s there for this baby.”
He stepped back, shaking his head slowly, the hurt evident in his eyes. “But how can I be sure it’s mine? How can we move forward when there’s this shadow over us?”
“I’ll take a paternity test. I’ll do whatever it takes,” she pleaded, desperation coloring her words. “I just want a chance to make things right.”
Anthony leaned against the wall, his expression torn between love and betrayal. He stared past her, lost in thought. “I need time to think, Shayla.”
With that, he walked out, leaving Shayla alone in the heavy silence of the room. She felt the world crashing around her; the prospect of losing Anthony felt like losing a part of herself. She sank to the floor, tears streaming down her face, knowing that she had opened a door she couldn’t close again.
The following days were a blur of turmoil. Each moment stretched thin as she awaited Anthony’s return, haunted by doubt and regret. She wanted to reach out to Arby for answers, but she knew she had to focus on the choice ahead. A choice that would determine the future of the family she so desperately wanted.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Anthony returned. This time, he held a small box in his hands—a paternity test kit. His expression was resolute, the hurt still lingering but tempered by the hope of truth.
“I want to do this,” he said, his voice steady but tinged with uncertainty. “Let’s find out together. I don’t want to walk away from you, but we need to face this head-on.”
Shayla nodded, relief flooding over her as she reached for his hand.
“Thank you,” she whispered, knowing that the road ahead would still be difficult but that together, they could navigate through it.
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