PART ONE
I accidentally saw my pregnant daughter with my 48-year-old best friend at a restaurant.
My 18-year-old daughter, Mia, moved out about six months ago after we had a huge fight. I didn’t stop her — she was stubborn, and I told myself she was an adult who could make her own choices. Still, I never stopped worrying about her.
Then, a few nights ago, I walked into a café downtown — and my heart nearly stopped.
There she was. My daughter. With a clear, undeniable baby bump.
But that wasn’t the worst part. Across from her sat Joshua — my best friend of twenty years. A married man. A father of two. And the person I trusted more than anyone else outside my own family.
They weren’t just talking. They were leaning close, hands brushing, her eyes glowing at him in a way no daughter should ever look at her father’s best friend. My blood boiled.
I stormed across the room, fury tightening every step. The small voice in the back of my mind whispered calm down, ask questions, don’t assume… but rage drowned it out.
“Elliot.” Joshua’s voice cracked when he saw me, his face draining of color. Mia froze, her smile vanishing, her wide eyes filling with panic.
“What is this?” I barked, pointing at them, my whole body trembling.
PART TWO
Elliot’s world shatters when he sees his estranged, pregnant daughter with his best friend.
Words fly like daggers. Elliot accuses Joshua of betrayal, Mia shouts that no one understands, and Joshua stammers excuses that only make things worse. The café falls silent, every pair of eyes on their table.
The confrontation spirals. Elliot’s anger boils over, and in the chaos of shouting and pushing, Joshua slips, hitting his head against the edge of a table. The sound is sickening. He collapses, unconscious.
For one awful moment, time stops.
Mia screams, cradling Joshua, tears streaking her face. Elliot’s fury is replaced with horror. Sirens wail in the distance as someone calls for help.
And as Elliot stands there, trembling, he realizes the awful truth: his rage has blinded him. His daughter is pregnant, terrified, and lost — and instead of being her protector, he may have just destroyed everything.
Now, Elliot must face the consequences: the betrayal of friendship, the collapse of trust, and the unbearable possibility that his actions have forever fractured his family.
