Chapter 186

I didn't catch anything Jace said afterward. The revelation hit me like a ton of bricks. All my questions were finally answered, but this was completely unexpected. Desmond, whom I knew well—thin, always smiling, the kind of guy who looked out for everyone—had died because he couldn't cope with his wife's affair with Jace.

No wonder Jace was devastated after Desmond's death; it was his fault. Suddenly, everything clicked—why Desmond's parents treated Tanya so poorly, why they rejected her unborn child. They likely didn't believe it was Desmond's.

I hadn't been terribly angry about Jace's previous infidelity, but now I saw the depths of his depravity. He was responsible for his best friend's death.

Lena must have seen the change in my expression because she pulled me aside. In her break room, I collapsed into a chair, silent for what felt like an eternity. I hadn't been close to Desmond, but imagining his desperation in his final moments chilled me to the bone. I felt the crushing weight of it all.

"Jace is unforgivable," Lena spat, her voice tight with fury. "And now Tanya has him wrapped around her finger. Even if he doesn't want her, he probably feels obligated. Honestly, he deserves it. And Tanya—blaming Jace, as if she didn't encourage him? Please. If she hadn't led him on, none of this would have happened. It takes two to tango, and now she's pinning everything on him. Worst of all, she's willing to discard Desmond's only child to insinuate herself into the Johnston family. She's disgusting."

Lena's words were sharp, laced with anger, but I sat picking at my nails, barely registering them. Finally, in a quiet voice, I murmured, "Lena, try to save the baby."

I knew I had no right to dictate Tanya's actions, but this wasn't about her anymore. It was for Desmond. She owed him that much.

Lena gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I understand, but even if we stop her now, she could still seek an abortion later if she truly wants one." She paused, her voice softening. "Tanya's focused on marrying Jace. As long as that's her goal, she won't keep the baby. And honestly, even if she did, what kind of life would that child have, entangled in all this?"

A quote popped into my head: "No one has the right to decide someone else's life." Yes, I had no right. But the baby growing inside Tanya was already a life—Desmond's legacy. If it were gone, Desmond would be completely erased from this world.

A wave of helplessness and sorrow washed over me. This hurt even more than when I first learned about Jace and Tanya.

"If Jace has even a shred of conscience left, he won't let her go through with it," Lena said, understanding the baby's significance.

I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly. "Let's hope he has some conscience left."

As I sat in Lena's break room, trying to process everything, my phone buzzed. Jace's name flashed on the screen. I answered, and before I could speak, he began talking.

"Can you ask Lena to postpone the procedure? Don't let Tanya go through with it."

For once, he sounded like a decent human being.

I repeated Lena's words. "Jace, Tanya's been using the baby to keep you close, and now she's ready to get rid of it to be with you. Whether the baby stays or goes isn't up to Lena—it's up to you."

Jace froze. "You knew?"

"Tanya came to me. She asked if Matthew and Lindsey would accept the baby," I said, revealing the truth.

Jace remained silent. He probably knew my answer. After what felt like forever, he hung up, and I left the hospital.

When I reached Steve's pool hall, he greeted me with a grin. "Want to shoot some pool?"

"Do you know where Desmond's grave is?" I asked.