Love in the ER

CHAPTER 45

Life in Paris, France, had been beautiful, almost dreamlike. Paris could hardly believe her surroundings—her uncle's condo was nestled in one of the most picturesque areas of the city, just minutes from the Eiffel Tower. Every morning, when she stepped out onto the balcony, the sight of the Eiffel Tower greeted her, its towering beauty glistening in the sunlight. The view never got old. Paris loved the city, the quiet walks along the Seine, the art, the food... yet, as breathtaking as it all was, something was missing.

Oliver.

Even surrounded by all the beauty of Paris, her heart ached with the emptiness he left behind. She thought about him every day. She missed the way he laughed, the way he made her feel like everything would be okay, no matter how hard things got. And she often wondered if she had made the right decision leaving him behind.

Sitting on her balcony one afternoon, Paris sipped her coffee, staring at the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Her phone buzzed, and she immediately picked it up, seeing it was a message from Clara.

Paris: How is everything over there? How's... Oliver?

It wasn't the first time Paris had asked Clara about Oliver. Every few days, she couldn't help herself. She needed to know.

A moment later, Clara's message came through.

Clara: Oliver is... okay, I guess? He was miserable for a while after you left, but I think he's been trying to move on. He's not seeing Denise, though.

Paris's heart twisted as she read the message. The idea of Oliver being miserable tore at her, but she reminded herself that this had been her decision. She had chosen to walk away, to give him space to focus on the baby and his life without her. But still, knowing that he had suffered because of it made the ache in her chest deepen.

Paris: And the baby?

She hesitated before hitting send, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer.

A few moments later, Clara replied.

Clara: Denise is getting close to giving birth. Oliver's been waiting for that moment. Apparently, he's agreed to marry her if the baby is his, but he wants to do a paternity test first. He's been adamant about that. If the baby's not his, no marriage.

Paris exhaled slowly, her mind reeling from the thought of Oliver marrying Denise. The very idea made her stomach turn. She had known this was a possibility when she left, but hearing it now made it real in a way she wasn't ready for.

"What if the baby is his?" Paris thought to herself, her heart sinking. "What if this really is the end?"

But Clara's next message made her pause.

Clara: But to be honest... I don't think Oliver's ready to accept the baby is his. He hasn't exactly trusted Denise throughout the pregnancy. And from what I've heard, he's been waiting for the paternity test before making any real decisions. He hasn't forgotten about you, Paris. He's just... stuck.

Paris's breath caught in her throat as she read the last part of the message. Oliver hadn't forgotten about her. Despite everything, despite the drama with Denise, he still hadn't moved on.

"What does that even mean for us?" Paris wondered, her thoughts racing. She had left because she thought it was the right thing to do—for both of them. But now, knowing that Oliver was still thinking about her, that he was still stuck between the past and the future, made everything so much more complicated.

Back home, Oliver was going through his own torment. The past few months had been a blur of uncertainty and stress, his thoughts consumed by two things: Paris and the baby.

After Paris had left, he had been a wreck. There were days he didn't even know how to function without her in his life. He had spent weeks drowning in regret, thinking about what he could have done differently, wondering if he would ever see her again. But with Denise constantly looming over him, her pregnancy growing more visible by the day, Oliver had been forced to face reality.

Denise had made it clear that she was certain the baby was his. She had assured Mrs. Salameda repeatedly, telling the entire family that they should have no doubts about her. But Oliver couldn't trust her. Not after everything she had done to manipulate him, to pull him away from Paris.

He was holding out for one thing—the paternity test. He had agreed that if the baby was his, he would do the right thing. He would marry Denise and raise the child. But if the baby wasn't his... then there would be no marriage, no future with Denise.

Oliver spent every night replaying the possibility in his mind. What if the baby was his? What if he was about to be tied to Denise for the rest of his life? But worse than that... What if this truly meant the end of his chances with Paris?

He couldn't stop thinking about her. Even now, months later, Paris was still the first thought in his mind every morning and the last thought before he went to bed. He had tried to move on, tried to focus on the baby, but his heart was still with Paris. The guilt, the regret... it ate away at him.

As the due date for Denise's baby drew closer, Oliver became more and more anxious. Everything hung on that test. His entire future would be determined by the results, and he felt like he was waiting for a bomb to go off.

Every time he saw Denise, his stomach twisted. He felt trapped between responsibility and his broken heart, and no matter how much he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that everything was falling apart.

He looked out of his office window, his mind drifting back to Paris. What was she doing right now? Was she thinking about him? Did she miss him as much as he missed her?

But there was no answer to his questions. All he could do was wait—for the baby, for the paternity test, and for whatever the future had in store.

As Paris sat on her balcony in France, staring out at the Eiffel Tower, a sense of longing washed over her. She had made the decision to leave, and it was supposed to be the right one. But no matter how much she tried to distract herself with the beauty of Paris, her heart was still with Oliver.

The city was everything she had dreamed of, but he was missing from the picture. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't let go of the part of her that still loved him.

"Maybe someday, I'll have the closure I need," Paris thought to herself as she watched the sun set over the city. "But until then... I just have to wait."