The Love Of My Life

Chapter 8

Maya's POV

I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing too fast for sleep. The house was quiet, but my thoughts were anything but. They were loud, relentless, and full of guilt. I glanced over at my phone on the nightstand—2:50 a.m. The glow from the screen made my heart ache even more. How had it gotten this late? How had we gotten this far apart? I turned onto my side, pulling the blanket tighter around me, but it didn't help. Nothing did. I thought about Tony—about the look on his face earlier, the hurt in his eyes, the way I had pushed him away again. He didn't deserve any of this.

I couldn't keep doing this to him. To us. The truth I'd been holding onto felt like a weight I couldn't carry anymore. I had been stubborn, keeping him at arm's length because I didn't know how to tell him, didn't know how to share the pain that was tearing me apart. But I needed him. God, I needed him more than anything. I sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. My chest felt tight, my hands shaking as I stood and made my way down the hall. I paused outside the guest room, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might wake him before I even opened the door.

Pushing it open slowly, I saw him lying there, his face barely visible in the dim light from the hallway. He looked so worn, so tired, even in sleep. I felt a fresh wave of guilt crash over me. "Baby," I whispered, my voice trembling.

He didn't stir. I stepped closer, kneeling by the side of the bed, and gently touched his arm. "Tony, wake up." He blinked a few times, his eyes adjusting to the light. When he saw me, confusion flashed across his face, quickly replaced by concern. "Baby?" His voice was groggy, but his worry was clear. "What's wrong?" I looked at him, my throat tightening. I could feel the tears building behind my eyes, but I forced myself to speak. "I need to tell you something." He sat up, fully awake now, his eyes searching mine. "What is it?" He asked, My lips trembled as I tried to find the words. "I—I lost it, Tony," I said, tears in my eyes. The words hung in the air, heavy and raw, and I finally broke, the tears I'd been holding back falling freely. I buried my face in my hands, sobbing, unable to look at him. "Lost what, sweetheart?" he asked, looking at me in my eyes, searching for something. "The baby, I lost the baby," I said, breaking down some more. "I'm so sorry," I choked out. "I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't know how to face it."

I felt his arms around me, pulling me close, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself lean into him, let myself feel his strength, his love. "You don't have to face it alone," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm here, baby. I'll always be here." He said, and with those words coming out of his mouth, I couldn't hold it together anymore. The moment Tony wrapped his arms around me, I crumbled. I broke down completely, my body shaking as I sobbed into his chest. The dam I had built to keep it all in—the pain, the fear, the guilt—finally burst, and it all came rushing out at once.

His arms, strong and steady, held me tightly, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I felt safe. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed this—missed him. The warmth of his embrace, the way his presence could make me feel like I wasn't drowning. "I'm so sorry," I choked out, my voice barely audible through the sobs. "I'm so sorry for everything—for pushing you away, for the things I said, for all of it." I said, "Shh," he murmured, his hand running gently over my back. "It's okay, baby. You don't have to apologize. I've got you." His words, his voice, broke me even more. He wasn't angry, wasn't blaming me, even though I felt like I deserved it. He was just there, holding me together when I couldn't do it myself.

"I didn't know how to tell you," I whispered. "I didn't know how to say it out loud." I said, looking at him in his eyes "You don't have to say anything right now," he said, his voice steady but filled with so much emotion. "I'm here. That's all that matters." I clung to him, gripping his shirt like letting go might make me fall apart again. His heartbeat was steady against my ear, a reminder of everything I had been pushing away. This man, this incredible man, was still here, still holding me, even after everything I'd put him through.