I received an invitation from a prestigious art school nestled in the Alps; one of my jewelry designs was going to be featured at their upcoming exhibition. When Skyler Jackson found out, his immediate reaction was to urge me, despite my pregnancy, not to take the trip.

I met his gaze, my eyes growing colder. "Being a designer has always been my dream. Are you really trying to use our child as an excuse to hold back my career?"

Skyler appeared shocked, then quickly knelt beside me. "I'm sorry, Caroline. I'm just concerned about your health. I never intended to hold you back," he said sincerely, his voice full of genuine concern.

His worry for me was real, and so was his desire not to be an obstacle. But the fact that his first instinct was to stop me—that was real, too.

Perhaps the boy who once loved me so deeply had gradually faded away without even realizing it.