The air in the library was thick, suffocatingly still, and heavy with the scent of old paper and burning wax. Clara stood frozen beneath the dim, amber glow of the desk lamp. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. Across from her stood Julian, his white shirt stark against the deep, mahogany shadows of the room.
For months, the silence between them had been a growing wall. But tonight, the wall was about to collapse.
”You have to know,” Clara whispered, her voice trembling, though her eyes locked onto his with fierce determination. Tears welled up, reflecting the faint light, catching the exact moment her vulnerability turned into raw courage. “I’m pregnant.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and irreversible.