Love Beyond Bargain

ght-the intensity of Liam's touch, the rawness of their kiss, and the overwhelming rush of emotions she hadn't expected. She tried to keep herself busy, moving from class to class,

ore. Maybe it's time you stop running from it and figure out what you really want." Liam didn't respond right away. He stared down at his empty glass, the last remnants of his drink sloshing inside. There was a gnawing feeling in his gut, an uncomfortable tension he couldn't shake. Williams' wordsstuckwithhim. Was it more than just a one-night stand? Was it possible that he was feeling something deeper than just guilt or confusion? It had been a few weeks since that fateful night, and Lila had tried her best to move on, to focus on her studies, to just keep her head above water. But something was wrong. Her body was changing in ways she hadn't expected. She'd missed her period-two weeks late, to be exact. At first, she brushed it off. Stress, the pressure of her classes, the exhaustion of working multiple jobs; she thought it was just that. But then, the nausea started, the morning sickness and it became impossible to ignore. She stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring at the pregnancy test in her hand. The two pink lines stared back at her, undeniably. Her stomach dropped. The world around her seemed to spin as the reality hit her. She was pregnant. The thought alone felt surreal. The overwhelming wave of emotions flooded her at once: fear, confusion, uncertainty. But underneath it all, there was something else-a strange, unexpected sense of protectiveness, a desire to keep the baby. She sat down on the edge of the bathtub, trying to catch her breath. She had no idea what to do next. Her mind raced through a million possibilities, but the one thing that kept repeating itself was the truth: she couldn't ignore this. She couldn't pretend it wasn't happening. The next logical step was clear, even though her hands trembled as she reached for her phone. She needed to tell Liam. Lila's thumb hovered over Liam's contact name. Her heart pounded in her chest as she debated whether to call him or not. But she couldn't do this alone. She had to tell him. She had to tell the father. With a shaky breath, she pressed the call button. The phone rang a few times before Liam picked up. "Liam?" Lila'svoicewasquieterthansheintended,ahintofanxietybreakingthrough. That voice felt very familiar "Lila?" Hisvoicesoundeddistant,likehewasn'texpectingtohearfromher. "What'sup?" "I... I need to talk to you about something. It's important," she said, her words rushed. She could barely get them out. There was a long pause on the other end of the line. "What's going on?" Liam asked, his tone a mix of curiosity and concern. Lila took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "Liam, I'm... I'm pregnant." The silence that followed felt like an eternity. Her heart raced, the seconds stretching painfully. " Wait, what? " Liam ' s voice was sharp, his surprise evident. " You ' re pregnant? " His words seemed to echo in her ears, but his shock didn't make the reality of the situation any easier to handle. "Yes," Lilasaid,hervoiceshaking. "It'syours.Ijustfoundout." Liam'sresponsecamequickly,buthisvoicewascold,distant. "You'resure?" "I'msure," shereplied,herthroattight. "I'mtwoweekslate,andthetestcamebackpositive." TherewasanotherlongpausebeforeLiamspokeagain. "Whatdoyouwantmetodoaboutit?" Lila's heart sank. The question wasn't what she had expected. She had hoped for some empathy, some understanding. Instead, he sounded like he was trying to distance himself from it. "I... I wanted to tell you," Lila said, her voice barely a whisper. "I don't know what to do, but I need you to know." Liam's next words were flat, almost mechanical. "I don't want to have anything to do with this, Lila. This was a mistake. We made a mistake." Lila felt the words hit her like a punch in the stomach. "What do you mean?" she whispered, trying to hold back the tears. "I don't want to be tied to this. I don't want to be tied to you. I'm sorry, but I don't think we should go through with this. I'll give you money. I'll pay for whatever you need to get rid of the baby. But I don't want to be a part of it," Liam said, his voice tinged with finality. Lila's breath caught in her throat. The words felt like a betrayal, a sting she wasn't prepared for. "You want me to... abort it?" she asked, her voice trembling. "I'm not saying that. But I'll help you. I'll give you the money to get rid of it if that's what you want. It's the easiest way to handle this, Lila. Just forget about it." Lila ' s eyes filled with tears as the weight of his words sank in. She had hoped for a different reaction-anything but this. But the offer of money, of an easy solution, was more than she could bear. She wiped her eyes quickly, trying to hold it together. "No," she said, her voice firm despite the lump in her throat. "I want to keep the baby." Liam 's disbelief was palpable. " What? Are you out of your mind? Lila, this isn ' t just some decision you can make on your own. You're not even thinking clearly. This is going to change everything." "I know it's going to be hard," she said, her voice soft but resolute. "But I'm keeping it. I don't want money to fix this. I don't want an easy way out. I want the baby." There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Lila's heart beat in her chest, t