No Such Thing As A Hollywood Ending

chapter 38

Henry and Lucy sat together at the lunch table, but something felt off. Henry had barely touched his food, his hands fidgeting nervously under the table. Lucy, meanwhile, gently cradled her now noticeably rounder belly, her protective instincts kicking in as she felt the weight of their child growing inside her. She glanced at Henry, who hadn't even looked at her all lunch period, much less tried to hold her hand. She missed the small, comforting gestures they used to share, but she knew why he was keeping his distance—Amelia had left a scar on his trust, a wound that had yet to heal.

Henry's eyes darted across the cafeteria, his body tensing as if he was waiting for something—*or someone*—to jump out at him. His fear was palpable, and Lucy could feel it between them like a thick wall. She opened her mouth to say something, to try and ease his mind, when suddenly, a familiar figure appeared at the edge of their table.

Amelia.

Lucy's stomach twisted as she saw Amelia approach. She didn't belong here, not after what she had done to Henry. But something was different about Amelia today. She wasn't her usual confident self. She moved slowly, deliberately, holding up her phone for them to see. Henry stiffened instantly, his eyes locked on the device. Amelia placed the phone down on the table, the camera clearly recording the entire scene.

"What the hell is this?" Lucy demanded, her voice low and protective.

Amelia's face was pale, and her hands trembled slightly as she brought the phone closer to her mouth. "I want Henry to have proof," she said, her voice quiet but clear. She took a deep breath, making sure the phone picked up every word. "Henry... I raped you. I know what I did was wrong, and if you ever take this to the police, I want you to have my confession."

Henry's face went blank, his mind reeling from the weight of Amelia's words. He had never expected her to admit it so openly, much less record it for him. Lucy's protective grip on her belly tightened as she glanced between them, her heart aching for Henry, for the pain that was now resurfacing in his eyes.

Henry finally found his voice. "Why?" His voice cracked, and Lucy could hear the hurt beneath it. "Why are you doing this now?"

Amelia's shoulders slumped as if a great weight was pressing down on her. "Because what I did to you was wrong. And..." She faltered, hesitating for a moment before continuing. "I might be pregnant, Henry. I thought you had the right to know."

Lucy's breath hitched, her fingers reflexively tightening on the table's edge. She looked at Henry, her eyes wide with shock. Henry's hand trembled as he tried to process what Amelia had just said. Another pregnancy? Another child?

Amelia continued, her voice softer now, almost apologetic. "If I am pregnant... I'm not going to ask you to take responsibility. You shouldn't have to. Not after what I did to you. I'll make sure you never have to be involved if you don't want to be."

There was a heavy silence between them. Henry's eyes flicked to Lucy, his face filled with confusion, fear, and uncertainty. Lucy met his gaze, trying to offer some kind of reassurance, though her mind was spinning with the implications of what Amelia had just said.

After what felt like an eternity, Lucy spoke, her voice steady but firm. "It should be up to Henry to decide if he wants to be a part of the child's life," she said, her eyes never leaving Henry's face.

Henry swallowed hard, his thoughts racing. He felt trapped between two lives, two futures that he had never asked for. But one thing was clear to him—he couldn't abandon a child, not his own flesh and blood. Not even after everything that had happened.

"I want to be a part of the child's life," Henry said quietly, his voice filled with a quiet resolve. "But..." He hesitated, his gaze dropping to the table. "I don't know how. I don't even know if I can ever trust you again, Amelia, after what happened. I'm scared of you. And I don't want to hurt Lucy, either."

Lucy's heart ached as she listened to him, understanding the weight of what he was saying. She knew how much Henry had been through, how much he was still hurting, but she also knew that he wouldn't walk away from his responsibility, no matter how difficult it might be.

"We need to figure out how this is going to work," Lucy said softly, her hand reaching across the table to touch Henry's. He flinched slightly but didn't pull away. "With our baby... and now with this other child. We have to find a way."

Amelia nodded, her face grim. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make this right. I'll stay out of your life as much as I can, Henry. I even went and got the paperwork for you to file a restraining order against me. But the child... if you really want to be in the child's life, it will be difficult."

Henry closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on him. "I'll think about all of this. But for right now, you should go. I don't want to talk to you right now." And Amelia hesitantly left Henry and Lucy to think about what to do