Chapter Fourteen

**TARA**

The silence in the hospital room was deafening. As I lay on the stiff bed, staring at the sterile white ceiling, my mind swirled with a thousand questions. What if the baby had a serious condition? What if this was all my fault? The fear was almost paralyzing, and I couldn't stop the tears from slipping down my cheeks.

Ryan had left to confront his ex, and I was alone with my thoughts. I tried to be strong, but the uncertainty was eating away at me. My phone buzzed on the nightstand, and I reached for it, hoping for some distraction.

It was a message from Becca: "Hey, how are you holding up? Let me know if you need anything."

I took a deep breath and replied: "I'm scared, Becca. They found complications with the baby. Ryan's dealing with some personal stuff. I feel so alone."

Almost immediately, she responded: "I'm coming over. Hang tight."

The thought of seeing Becca brought a small measure of comfort, but it was fleeting. My mind kept drifting back to the cryptic conversation with Dammy, and the tension in Ryan's eyes as he left. What was going on? Why did everything feel like it was spiraling out of control?

A knock on the door jolted me from my thoughts. Dr. Collins stepped in, her expression kind but serious. "Tara, we're going to run some more tests. I know this is difficult, but it's important we understand what's going on with your baby."

I nodded, trying to muster some semblance of courage. "Okay. I trust you."

As the nurses prepared the equipment, I felt a wave of nausea. Not just from the pregnancy, but from the overwhelming fear of the unknown. I closed my eyes, willing myself to stay calm.

**RYAN**

Dammy's voice on the other end of the line was tense. "Ryan, there's something you need to know. It's about Tara."

My heart pounded in my chest. "What is it, Dammy?"

"She's in danger. Your ex... she's not just after you. She has a grudge against Tara."

"What?" I felt a surge of panic. "Why?"

"Remember that job Tara had before she started working for you? The one where she got fired?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"That was orchestrated by your ex. She wanted Tara out of the picture even before she knew about the baby. She's been watching her, Ryan. And now that she knows about the baby, she's even more dangerous."

I clenched my jaw, trying to process the information. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"I didn't have proof. But I've been digging, and I found emails, messages. She's been planning this for months."

I glanced at my ex, standing by the lake with that smug look on her face. "I'll deal with her. Thanks for the heads-up, Dammy."

"Be careful, Ryan. She's not someone to underestimate."

I hung up and took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. I walked back to my ex, my mind racing. "What's your endgame here?"

She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk. "Endgame? Oh, Ryan, you always did think in such black-and-white terms. My goal is simple. I want what's mine. And if I can't have that, I'll make sure you lose everything you care about."

"I won't let you hurt Tara," I said, my voice firm.

"Don't be so sure," she replied, her eyes glinting with malice. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

I felt a cold dread settle in my chest. "Stay away from her. This is between you and me."

She laughed, a harsh, chilling sound. "You really think you can protect her? You're more naive than I thought."

I took a step closer, my fists clenched. "Try me."

**TARA**

The tests seemed to drag on forever. The constant beeping of the machines, the sterile smell of the hospital, and the worried glances from the nurses were all starting to wear me down. I wanted Ryan here, by my side, reassuring me that everything would be okay. But he was dealing with his own battles, and I had to be strong.

The door opened, and Becca rushed in, her face etched with concern. "Tara! Oh my God, are you okay?"

I managed a weak smile. "I'm... I don't know, Becca. I'm scared."

She sat down beside me, taking my hand in hers. "I'm here, okay? Whatever happens, we'll get through this together."

"Thank you," I whispered, feeling a small measure of comfort in her presence.

Dr. Collins returned, her expression serious. "Tara, we've completed the initial tests. There are some irregularities that concern us, but we need more information. I recommend staying in the hospital for further observation."

I nodded, feeling the weight of her words. "Okay. Do whatever you need to do."

Becca squeezed my hand. "You're strong, Tara. You can get through this."

I wished I could believe her. But the fear was a constant, gnawing presence, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

**RYAN**

As I drove back to the hospital, my mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. My ex's threats, Dammy's revelations, the complications with the baby—it was all too much. I had to stay focused, for Tara's sake. She needed me to be strong.

When I arrived, I found Becca in the waiting room. She looked up, relief flooding her face. "Ryan! Thank God you're here."

"How is she?" I asked, my voice strained.

"They're running more tests. She's scared, Ryan. She needs you."

I nodded, feeling a surge of determination. "I'm going to see her."

As I entered Tara's room, she looked up, her eyes filled with relief and fear. "Ryan."

I rushed to her side, taking her hand in mine. "I'm here, Tara. I'm not going anywhere."

She squeezed my hand, her grip surprisingly strong. "What did your ex want?"

"She's trying to mess with us," I said, deciding to keep the details to myself for now. "But she won't succeed. I won't let her hurt you."

Tara nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I'm so scared, Ryan. What if something's wrong with the baby?"

"We'll face it together," I said, my voice firm. "No matter what."

We sat in silence for a while, the weight of our situation pressing down on us. I wished I could take her pain away, make everything better. But all I could do was be there for her, hold her hand, and hope for the best.

**TARA**

Ryan's presence was a balm to my frayed nerves. I leaned on him, drawing strength from his steady calm. But the fear was still there, a constant, gnawing ache. What if the baby had a serious condition? What if this was all my fault?

Dr. Collins returned, her expression serious but kind. "Tara, Ryan, I have some preliminary results. There are some anomalies in the baby's development that concern us. We need to run more tests to be sure, but there's a possibility of a congenital condition."

I felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me. "What kind of condition?"

"We're not certain yet," Dr. Collins said gently. "But we need to monitor you closely. This could be serious, Tara."

Ryan squeezed my hand, his grip firm and reassuring. "We'll do whatever it takes."

Dr. Collins nodded. "We'll start with some additional scans and tests. I recommend we keep you under observation for a few days."

I looked at Ryan, my eyes filled with tears. "Ryan, I'm scared."

"We'll get through this," he said, his voice steady. "We're in this together."

As Dr. Collins left, Ryan turned to me, his eyes filled with determination. "We're going to face this head-on, Tara. Whatever happens, we'll deal with it together."

I nodded, trying to muster some semblance of courage. "Okay."

**RYAN**

As the hours passed, I stayed by Tara's side, holding her hand, offering what comfort I could. The fear in her eyes was a constant reminder of how fragile our situation was. I wished I could do more, but all I could do was be there for her.

My phone buzzed again, and I glanced at the screen. It was Dammy. I stepped out into the hallway to take the call.

"Dammy, what's going on?"

"I found out more about your ex's plans," he said, his voice urgent. "She's not working alone, Ryan. She has connections, powerful ones. She's been planning this for a long time."

My heart sank. "What do you mean?"

"She has ties to some dangerous people. If she's serious about her threats, she could cause a lot of damage. You need to be careful."

I felt a cold dread settle in my chest. "What should I do?"

"Stay close to Tara. Protect her. And don't let your ex get to you. She's counting on you to make a mistake."

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Thanks, Dammy. I appreciate it."

"Take care, Ryan. I'm here if you need me."

As I hung up, I felt a surge of determination. I wouldn't let my ex