I'll Marry You

"WHAT? Did I hear that right?" Nadine stared at Ethan, half shocked, half furious.

"You heard me just fine. Your ears are working perfectly," Ethan replied, unfazed.

"Don't joke around!" Her arms, once crossed, were now clenched into fists. She was clearly pissed.

Is this guy for real? Nadine seethed silently. A guy who changes girlfriends like playlists wants custody of my child? What a joke. The baby's not even born yet and he's already making demands. He probably doesn't even know the laws around custody, but here he is, acting like it's as easy as buying a concert ticket. This is my kid, not some backstage pass.

"I'm serious," Ethan said calmly.

He walked over to the small sofa in her office and sat down like they were about to discuss dinner plans, not who gets to raise a human being. His eyes didn't leave hers.

"Oh, wow. You're really that confident, huh?" Nadine shot him a sarcastic smile and followed, taking the seat across from him. "You really think you're gonna win against me?"

She wasn't playing. From the moment she found out she was pregnant, she'd done her homework. Everything from legal rights to worst case scenarios. And clearly, it wasn't for nothing.

He's too calm. That's never a good sign. She narrowed her eyes, watching him closely.

"I'm pretty damn sure I will," Ethan said with a smug little smile.

Nadine frowned. "And how exactly? Before you run your mouth, do you even know what the law says about child custody?"

Without waiting for him to answer, she reached into her drawer and pulled out a large brown folder. She placed it on the table between them.

"Here. Listen carefully," she said, flipping it open. "The law generally grants custody of children under a certain age to the mother. Unless the mother is proven unfit or dangerous. Can you prove that? No? Thought so."

She leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with him.

"Now picture this. A guy, rock band frontman, always traveling, known for dating around. Versus a woman with a stable corporate job, solid income, and no scandals. You think the court won't take sides?"

But Ethan didn't flinch. If anything, he looked more confident.

"Wrong," he said, raising a finger. "I'm ready to change. For my kid."

His tone was firm. "And who's to say the court won't believe me? I'll tell them everything. That I wanted to do the right thing. That I asked to marry you to take responsibility and you turned me down. That's gonna count for something."

Nadine could feel her blood pressure rising. Every time she spoke to Ethan, her stress levels spiked dangerously.

God, this guy. He's such a pain in the ass. Infuriating. Shameless.

"I never said you couldn't take responsibility," she snapped. "I said you don't have to marry me."

Truth was, Nadine had never said he couldn't take responsibility. She wasn't trying to keep him away from the baby. She wasn't cruel like that. If anything, she knew better than to come between a father and his child. But what she didn't want was his version of "being responsible", which apparently meant marriage.

"My way of taking responsibility is marrying you and raising our child together," Ethan said, his tone serious, voice low. He motioned to her belly, now twenty-one weeks along.

"I already told you," Nadine replied, her voice tight. "You don't have to marry me out of guilt. And I don't want your life, your freedom, your career, your late night gigs crumbling just because you feel obligated. Do you even get what marriage means, Ethan?"

She knew exactly the kind of man Ethan was. Commitment wasn't something he did lightly. The idea that he'd be okay sacrificing his chaotic but exciting life for a ring and a crib? Not likely.

No way he's giving up the rockstar life for some fairytale ending. Nadine looked at him again, half expecting him to snap out of it.

Ethan didn't. He just stared back, clearly annoyed. His laid-back vibe had completely vanished,vnow he looked like a man dead serious about what he just said.

"My parents didn't raise me to run from things," Ethan said firmly. "If they knew I got someone pregnant and didn't step up, they'd be disappointed as hell."

Something in the way he mentioned his parents made Nadine's heart tug. She hadn't meant to hit that nerve.

A soft knock on the door cut through the tension in the room. Monika stepped in, carrying two cups of coffee. Without saying a word, she set them down on the table and quietly slipped out, leaving the two of them alone.

The air shifted. The whole vibe of the office suddenly felt heavier.

Ethan took a calm sip of his coffee, looking way too relaxed for someone in the middle of a conversation like this. Nadine, meanwhile, looked like her brain was running a mile a minute. Her eyes were distant, her expression unreadable.

His words kept echoing in her head. About how his parents never taught him to run from responsibility. And suddenly, Nadine felt selfish. Like she was the one pushing him away. Like maybe people would think she was keeping their child from its father. That she was refusing to acknowledge Ethan as the dad of the baby growing inside her.

She let out a shaky breath. Her father's voice echoed in her memory, always reminding her to know the difference between right and wrong, to own up to every decision she made. Especially the big ones.

And this... this was big.

It wasn't just about what she wanted anymore. It was about her baby. Their baby. And how every decision she made from here on out would shape that little life.

She glanced over at Ethan. Still calm. Still sipping coffee like this was any other Wednesday.

"Ehem... ehem," Nadine cleared her throat, trying to get his attention.

Ethan looked up, placed his cup down, and raised one brow like he was ready for whatever was coming.

"I'll marry you," she said flatly.

Ethan blinked, surprised but before he could say anything, Nadine added, "But there's a condition."

He frowned. "What kind of condition?"

"I want the wedding to be simple. No big party, no drama. Just family and close friends."

Ethan's lips curled into a smile, real, relieved, and just a little amused. "Alright," he said. "Just that? Or is there more?"

Nadine looked away, trying to calm her nerves and the loud thump of her heartbeat. She reached for her coffee, taking a sip to stall.

"There's more."

Ethan's eyebrow shot up again. "Yeah? What is it?"

***