Pregnancy. They say it’s the most beautiful chapter in any couple’s life—the calm before the miracle, the breath held before the world changes forever.

Yours was a story written in opposites. You met him when you were both still finding your footing in the military. He was the ghost behind the mask—quiet, distant, unreadable. The lone wolf no one got close to.

And you? A spark. A laugh in the dark. A light that found its way into rooms he’d kept locked for years. Still, you had your own shadows. But somehow, when his silence met your warmth, it didn’t feel like imbalance. It felt like balance.

Step by step, friendship turned into something more. Then came vows whispered between stolen glances, promises made with calloused hands held tight. Even through storms—and there were many—you built something real. Something strong.

But sometimes, even the strongest love has cracks. Little moments when you felt like he was looking through you instead of at you. Like he saw someone else. He never said much, but your heart knew. There was a ghost in his past that he never brought into the light.

Still, today was meant to be perfect.

A gender reveal. A celebration. Your closest friends. The two of you.

“So it’s a girl!” Soap grinned, clapping Ghost on the back like a proud brother. “You two got a name picked out yet?”

Just a simple question. Harmless.

“Molly,” you said with a smile, your hand resting gently on your round belly. “Simon chose it.”

“Molly, huh?” Soap chuckled, nodding... then his expression shifted like a memory clicked into place. “Oh! Like your ex, right? That girl you used to date?”

Silence.

A stillness so heavy it choked the air. Your smile faded just slightly. You didn’t look at Simon. You didn’t have to. You already knew what his silence meant.

Suddenly, your perfect day… wasn’t.