A New Heartbeat, A New War

Camilla sat in silence on the clinic's examination bed, a low buzz filling her ears as the nurse handed her the ultrasound image. A small, bean-shaped blur, barely developed, yet alive and beating.

Her baby.

His baby.

Drew's baby.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" the nurse asked softly.

Camilla nodded slowly, though she felt anything but okay.

She murmured a thank-you, hardly registering the nurse's advice or the scheduling of her next appointment.

Dazed, she left the clinic, clutching the ultrasound photo in her shaking hands. The seaside town, once a refuge, now felt eerily quiet, disconnected from the reality that was crashing back into her life.

She strolled along the pier until she found a bench with a view of the ocean. The salty breeze tossed her hair across her face, but she didn't bother to fix it. She just sat there. Thinking. Breathing. Feeling.

Three months pregnant. How had she missed it? Perhaps it was the stress, the heartbreak, the emotional turmoil. She had attributed her symptoms to everything else.

But now, it was undeniable. She was carrying Drew's child.

The man who didn't remember her.

The man who had proposed to someone else in front of everyone.

A tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another, until her face was wet and her shoulders trembled under the weight of what she now bore, both literally and emotionally.

By evening, Camilla realized she needed to confide in someone. She couldn't handle this alone. She needed someone who understood her, someone who would keep her steady.

She called Lila.

Her now best friend picked up on the first ring.

"Cami? Where have you been? I've been so worried—"

"Lila," Camilla's voice broke. "I need you."

There was a brief silence before Lila's voice softened. "Where are you?"

Camilla told her the name of the town and the address of her inn. In less than three hours, Lila arrived, wrapping her arms around Camilla as soon as she opened the door.

"You look like a ghost," Lila whispered, stepping back to look at her closely. "What happened? Why did you vanish?"

Camilla walked over to the table, picked up the ultrasound picture, and handed it to Lila.

Lila's eyes widened as she took a look. "Is this—?"

"Drew's," Camilla replied.

Lila gasped and sank into a chair. "Holy sh—"

"Three months," Camilla said softly. "I just found out today. I came here to get away. I didn't want to know anything anymore. But…"

Lila stared at her, shocked, then slowly smiled, a mix of emotions on her face. "You're going to be a mom."

Camilla took a shaky breath. "Yeah. I guess I am."

Lila paused for a moment before asking, "What will you do?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't even told Drew. He thinks I'm out of his life. He's engaged now. Can you imagine how the tabloids would react?"

Lila leaned in, resting her elbows on her knees. "Do you want him to find out?"

Camilla looked down at the photo in her lap. "I want him to remember. I want him to care enough to want to know. But… I'm not sure I can face him again, especially after that proposal."

"You might not have a choice," Lila said softly. "Secrets like this can't stay hidden forever."

 Meanwhile, back in the city, Drew sat in his penthouse, staring at the ring on Tanis's finger.

She was laughing with his investors over dinner, playing the perfect fiancée, radiating elegance and charm. Everyone loved and adored her.

But Drew couldn't concentrate.

His head was a battlefield. Camilla's voice haunted him. Her eyes. Her trembling hands. Something inside him screamed that everything was wrong.

Why couldn't he release her face from his mind? Why did his heart ache every time he thought of her leaving him in that office?

And the dreams. Always the dreams. They never stopped.

He saw her. Felt her. Touched her.

But then Tanis's voice would interrupt, dragging him back to the life she had built for him.

That night, while Tanis was in the shower, Drew quietly snuck into his office. He locked the door, sat at his desk, and opened a private folder on his computer.

Inside were the files Leo had sent him before cutting off all communication, pictures of him and Camilla, videos, and voice messages.

He pressed play.

Her laughter echoed in the room, followed by her words.

"If you ever lose your way, I'll find you. That's a promise, Drew. Because love like this doesn't fade. It's a flame, a burn. And even if you forget me… your heart won't."

Drew shut his eyes, gripping his chest.

What if she was right?

What if this engagement, this whole life, was just one big deception?

 The next morning, when Tanis tried to kiss him, he flinched.

She pulled back, looking hurt. "What's been going on with you lately?"

Drew stayed silent.

She narrowed her gaze. "You've been acting weird since she came back."

"Her name is Camilla."

Tanis went still.

Drew rose to his feet. "And I need the truth. Real answers."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I think you have been lying to me, Tanis."

She laughed derisively. "Are you really going to trust some pathetic ex over me?"

He stepped closer, his voice icy. "That 'pathetic ex' knows more about me than you ever have. I'm beginning to think she's the only one who's ever been honest with me."

Tanis's facade began to crack.

"Don't turn your back on me, Drew. Don't forget who stood by you when you had no one. I cleaned your blood off the hospital sheets. I fed you when you couldn't even lift a spoon."

"You did all of that just to possess me," he said quietly. "But I'm not yours, Tanis. I never have been."

He walked away, leaving her fuming and at a loss for words.

In the coastal town, Camilla sat in a small reading nook at the local library, gazing out the window with her fingers resting lightly on her stomach.

She was still undecided.

Should she tell Drew?

Should she return?

Yet her heart continued to ache.

She got up and headed back to the inn, intending to rest, when her phone rang.

Unknown Caller.

She paused then answered.

"Hello?"

"Camilla."

Her heart skipped a beat.

Drew.

His voice was strained. Soft. Filled with a feeling she hadn't heard in ages: yearning.

She remained silent.

"I—I need to see you," he said. "Please."

Tears began to form in her eyes.

"How did you find me?"

"Leo. He's always looked out for you. I made him tell me. I remembered… enough."

"Drew—"

"I know I hurt you. I know I said things that can't be unsaid. But something inside me knows I've made a terrible mistake. And I need to fix it."

Camilla bit her lip.

"I'm not sure I can handle more pain."

"Then let me bring you comfort," he said. "I'll come to you. If you'll allow it."

She shut her eyes.

"Okay," she whispered.