#Chapter 54 At First Sight

I hated medical facilities. I hadn’t always—I used to be fine with doctors’ offices, but after months of painful, pointless fertility treatments that I didn’t even need, the smell of antiseptic brought nothing but dread. It didn’t help that I was in the exam room with Elroy, another constant cause of heartbreak and trauma. But I couldn’t deny him this—and besides, a part of me was deeply glad he was here. It was ridiculous to feel comfort from his presence, but I couldn’t help it. It was the Mate bond at work, regardless of whether we wanted it or not. And it was obvious I wasn’t the only one resenting it. Elroy refused to look at me, and we hadn’t spoken a single word to each other even though it was the first time we’d seen each other in days. The air between us was icy, like this wasn’t supposed to be one of the best moments of early pregnancy. Having him here felt weighted and bitter. And yet, still, I was glad he was there. The hypocrisy of my own emotions was killing