Too Late For Regret, Mr. Harper

rs. Harper. You're

he polished desk. The word "Positi

m seemed to thin, making it hard to breathe. This wasn't joy that

fingertips trembling slightly. A baby. A life she ha

irst-time-mother anxiety. "It's perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed. We'l

ll hum. Her mind was racing, her brain completely consumed

feeling like a burning coal in her hand. On a bench outside, the roar

her phone. She had to tell him. He w

top of her contacts: Bryant. After a lo

ked up. The background was filled with the clink of glasses

clipped, impatient. A bucket

ould speak, a woman's soft, playful voice drifted through th

ess. A needle-sharp pai

ack to Stella, his voice was hard as steel. "Sienna's having a bit of an em

give her a ch

d to whisper, h

handle it. Do

ne wen

tiny flicker of hope she'd harbored was extinguished by his casual cruelt

lking with no destination in mind. Back to thei

ttering the silence. The

e screeched in her ear. "Stella! It's you

a gripped a nearby railing to keep

ctors say it's serious. Acute kidney f

her womb, the man who didn't c

ggest problem had b

mpletely trappe