My boyfriend, Jacob Torrance, claimed he hated being touched.

Five years together, and all I got were stiff hand-holds and the rare side-hug.

Even in bed, he kept his distance.

I figured he was just emotionally shut off.

Then he dropped this: he wanted a kid—with his mentor's daughter.

"Take it as a sperm donation," he said. "Dr. Lynn asked me before he died. Wendy's got no one else."

I smiled. "You don't have to explain. I support you."

When you're over someone, there's no point fighting about what's right or wrong.

Jacob Torrance and I were together five years.

Day one, he laid it out: "I'm not comfortable with too much physical affection. If that's something you need, I get it if you want to walk away."

I figured it was just one of those genius quirks, so I brushed it off. We held hands, hugged now and then—nothing past that.

Then everything flipped.

Dr. Lynn, Jacob's longtime mentor and career gatekeeper, landed in critical condition.

The second Jacob got the call, Jacob threw on whatever was nearby and bolted to the hospital.

Didn't come back till morning, looking wrecked and quiet.

We were halfway through breakfast when he said it:

"I'm planning to have a child with Wendy."

I froze. Thought I misheard. "Sorry, what?"

His tone didn't even change. "Dr. Lynn doesn't have much time left. His biggest wish is to see his daughter settle down with someone reliable. He's done a lot for me. I owe him."

I was stunned. "But... she could find someone else. Wendy can get a boyfriend or—"

Jacob rubbed his forehead, cutting me off. "Feelings don't work like that. And it's just a kid. I'm basically donating sperm. It's not like I'm marrying her."

He said it like he was talking about running errands.

I slammed my fork down, eyes locked on his. "Jacob Torrance, do you even hear yourself? We're getting married in a month, and you're telling me you're having a baby with someone else?"

His brow twitched, eyes flashing with that quiet, irritated look he always gave when I didn't fall in line. "Wendy's Dr. Lynn's daughter. She's like a sister."

I snapped. "Since when does a sister ask her brother to knock her up?!"

I couldn't wrap my head around it. None of it made sense.

Jacob flinched for half a second, then slipped right back into that blank, unbothered look.

"Nina, don't be unreasonable, I—"

His phone rang mid-sentence. He answered, and whatever was said made his face change.

"Okay. I'll be right there."

He stood, didn't even look at me, and rushed out.

The breakfast I'd made? He left it untouched—barely sipped the cream soup.

As the door clicked shut, all the strength just vanished. I dropped into the chair, numb.

When did it all start falling apart?

I kept thinking back to college—back when Jacob was this cold, untouchable guy.

Anyone who tried getting close? Shut down, fast.

People even whispered he didn't like girls. I didn't buy it.

I kept pushing, stubborn as hell.

Took three years, but he finally gave in.

Even after we got together, he stayed cold—always a little out of reach. I didn't care. He was mine.

But I never thought he'd pull something like this, not with the wedding so close.

He's the one who couldn't handle being close to women. And now? He's acting like it's just sperm, like it means nothing.

I sat on the couch for hours, waiting.

Jacob never came back.

Instead, I got a video from Wendy.

Jacob was at Dr. Lynn's bedside. The guy looked wrecked, barely holding Jacob's hand.

"Jacob, I don't have much time left," Dr. Lynn said. "I've never asked for anything, but I just want Wendy to have someone. Someone stable."

Jacob's eyes were red. He didn't say a word.

Then Wendy's voice slid in, all soft and sad. "Jacob, for my dad's dying wish... I'll be waiting in my room tonight."

My hand curled into a fist.

At the end, I heard Jacob whisper, "Okay."

Even after the video ended, I just stared.

I kept rewinding the last part, over and over—

Jacob's final "okay."

Like some idiot clinging to hope, I tried to twist that word into something it wasn't.

By the thirteenth replay, a tear smacked the screen.

I wiped my face fast, only just realizing I was already crying.

Was I heartbroken?

Not really.

Sad?

Kinda.

Then why the tears?

I hit the bathroom, splashed cold water on my face. Looked up.

Didn't recognize the girl in the mirror.

Hair? Wrecked.

Skin? Dull.

Eyes? Puffy and red.

I didn't look like this this morning.

Guess you really can lose yourself for love.

I'd loved Jacob for years. With the wedding coming up, I thought we'd finally made it.

Didn't see it was already falling apart.

I took a deep breath, tried to shut down the spiral, and grabbed my phone.

[Short one groom for this wedding. Anyone want the job?]

Friends jumped in fast, filling the comments with jokes.

Everyone knew I was head-over-heels for Jacob.

No one took it seriously.

I stared at the laughing replies, gave a crooked smile.

Then my phone lit up.

The name made me squint.

Seth Stratford.

We'd grown up together—childhood friends, kinda.

Not exactly tight. We bickered a lot.

Back then, he'd always toss an arm around me and shout that he had my back.

From elementary to high school, same energy.

Used to call me his "little bro."

We drifted after graduation. Different colleges, different cities.

Didn't even text anymore.

Honestly, I was the one who pulled away. Got too caught up chasing Jacob.

So why was Seth calling now?

I hesitated, then picked up.

"Yo, what took you so long?"

His voice—teasing and familiar—cut through the fog in my head.

I smirked. "What's up? Why the sudden call?"

He paused, which wasn't like him. Then, serious: "That post on your feed. Were you being serious?"

I didn't catch the shift in his tone. Just laughed. "Why? You want the 'job'?"

"Yeah. Is that a problem?"

I froze.

Now that I thought about it, if I really was swapping grooms... Seth made sense.

Good family.

Shared history.

After a beat, I said, "Sure. But tell me why."

"Why? Because I like you, duh." Seth's voice was back to bold. "I've liked you for a long time. I've dreamed about marrying you. You made the first move—no way I'm letting that slide."

I let out a half-laugh. "This is marriage, not a joke."

"I know." He chuckled. "That's why I don't just wanna marry you. I want you to love me more than you ever loved Jacob."

More than Jacob...

I wasn't sure I had that in me.

But maybe that didn't matter anymore.

"Okay," I said. "Once I wrap things up here, I'll call you."

Seth didn't push. He never did. He'd always been sharp—knew when to ask, when to let it go.

After we hung up, I deleted the post, pinned him to the top of my chats, and changed his contact name to "Hubby."

Jacob picked someone else to have a kid with.

So I picked someone else to marry.

Jacob still hadn't come back.

I didn't call.

The only updates came from Wendy—random videos—each one oozing smug energy.

Them playing house didn't faze me. I just kept moving with the wedding prep.

Only difference? The groom's name on the invites wasn't Jacob anymore. It was Seth.

Didn't take long for the calls to start.

"Nina, did you mess up the groom's name?"

"Nope," I said coolly. "Groom's changed. Seth Stratford. Childhood friend."

That threw them even more.

"You and Jacob... had a fight?"

Their voices were careful, confused.

I got it. I'd never hidden how hard I fell for Jacob. Everyone knew I'd bend over backwards for him.

But Jacob—the one being loved—never looked back.

Or maybe he did. Maybe he just didn't care.

Cold. Distant. Always that untouchable golden boy, standing on his pedestal while I broke myself trying to get close.

I didn't explain. Just smiled and said nothing.

My friends relaxed, started cracking jokes, like it was just some goofy couple drama.

Nobody really thought I'd walk away from the guy I'd chased for three years.

Couldn't blame them.

Even I felt weirdly numb saying I'd swapped grooms.

Didn't think letting go would feel this easy.

But maybe that was a win.

No one would run off and tell Jacob.

And it gave me time to get everything locked in.

***

About a week later, Jacob showed up looking wrecked—like sleep hadn't been a thing for days. Faint shadows clung under his eyes.

I caught the love bite on his neck, then looked away fast.

"Rough week?" I asked, flat.

He didn't answer. Just swapped his shoes and dropped beside me, face blank.

I turned to him. "You good?"

"Yeah. Let's call off the wedding. Dr. Lynn just died. I'm not in the right headspace." He paused, guilt flickering in his eyes. "Sorry, Nina..."

I stared at him, confused.

Sorry for what?

For trashing the one thing I'd been dreaming about for years? Or for hooking up with someone else while still engaged to me?

Didn't matter anymore.

"Okay. My condolences."

Jacob looked at me like I'd grown a second head. Brows tight, eyes searching—like he couldn't figure out why I wasn't blowing up. Maybe 'cause I already had. Back when I found out he wanted a kid with Wendy.

He didn't sit in it long.

"Dr. Lynn's funeral's today. Come with me."

That tone? Definitely not a question.

I didn't say no.

That so-called mentor? The guy who thought it was totally normal to ask someone else's fiancé to get his daughter pregnant. Still, now that he was gone, I wasn't mad.

Honestly? I was kind of thankful.

He'd pulled the mask off everyone.