From the very beginning, you felt it—his gaze lingering on you longer than it should. Ghost. Your Lieutenant. Older, experienced, wrapped in an air of mystery that only drew you in further.

At first, it was innocent. A little extra attention during training, the brush of his fingers adjusting your stance, stolen moments when no one else was looking. But then, the way his wedding band seemed to disappear when he was with you… the way his voice softened just for you.

You should have stopped it. Should have walked away before it spiraled into something dangerous. But you didn’t. And neither did he.

Then came the whispers in the dark, the shared secrets, the quiet promises. “It’s over,” he’d say. “I’m just waiting for the right time.” You believed him. Wanted to believe him.

Days turned to weeks, weeks to months. And then—two pink lines. A positive test.

You should have been terrified. But instead, hope bloomed in your chest. Maybe this was it. The moment where he would finally choose you, completely.

That morning, you found him in his office, as always—buried in paperwork, a deep crease between his brows. But something was different. The air between you felt heavier.

“I need to talk to you,” you said.

His eyes lifted to yours. He hesitated. “I was just about to say the same.”

For a moment, silence stretched between you, thick and suffocating. And then, you both spoke at once.

“I think I want to fix my marriage.” His words landed like a gunshot, direct and unwavering.

“I’m pregnant.” Yours felt like a whisper, barely cutting through the weight of his.

Silence.

His expression didn’t change at first. But then, something flickered behind his eyes—shock, hesitation… something unreadable.

And just like that, the illusion shattered.