Chapter 42: Chapter 40
As Marshall turned to leave, Emily's voice stopped him in his tracks.
__Emily: "Marshall, wait!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with desperation.
__Marshall: "What is it, Emily?" he asked, his voice softening as he turned back towards her.
She hesitated for a moment before finally saying it.
__Emily: "I'm pregnant."
Marshall's eyes widened, and he felt his heart skip a beat. The news hit him like a ton of bricks, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts. He had never thought he would be a father. In fact having kids had never been in his "list to do". But here the woman he loves is caring their child, his first child.
He knew he had to take responsibility, to do the right thing for her and their unborn child. But he's not a good influence. He was mentally unstable, he took pleasure doing the most horrible things, there's no good in him. Darkness was his only salvation. He could never raise a child, could never guide him in the right path.
And even if he wanted to stay, to be there for Emily, he knew that he couldn't. His past deeds had caught up with him, and if he stayed, their lives would be a living hell. And he couldn't risk that.
He took a step towards Emily, his face filled with conflicting emotions. He took her face in his hands, his touch gentle and loving.
__Marshall: "Is it true? Are you really... pregnant?"
She nodded, her eyes filled with tears of joy and fear.
__Marshall: "Yes, Marshall. I'm pregnant. But I can't do this without you. I need you. Please, don't go."
__Marshall: "Emily, I can't stay," he said, his voice full of regret and sadness. "I wish I could, but I can't. I hope you understand."
The young woman's expression fell, and tears welled up in her eyes once again. Her heart sank as she realized that she couldn't change his mind. She knew that she couldn't force him to stay, but she still had to try.
__Emily: "Marshall, please," she pleaded, her voice trembling with emotion. "What about our child? What about us? We have to think about our family now."
He couldn't just abandon her and their unborn child. But there's no other choice
__Marshall: "Even if I stayed, there's no future for us together Emily. I'm sorry. In fact you're life and that child's life will be way better without me."
Marshall pressed his lips against Emily's forehead, savoring the familiar feel of her skin against his. He then leaned in and gently kissed her lips, pouring all of his love and regret into that single gesture.
As he pulled away, he looked into her eyes, his own filled with sorrow.
__Marshall: "I'm sorry, Emily," he said, his voice heavy with emotion. "I wish things were different. I love you, but I can't stay. I have to leave now."
She looked at him with tears streaming down her cheeks, longing for him to change his mind. With one final peck on her forehead, he turned and walked away, leaving her alone in the darkness.
She could feel her heart breaking into pieces as she watched Marshall leave. She sank to her knees, her body shaking with sobs. She couldn't bear the thought of raising their child alone, of not having the man she loved by her side.
Emily sat alone in the darkness, tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't believe that just a few moments ago, she had been happy and in love. Now her whole world was falling apart.
She had hoped that Marshall would stay, that he would choose to be with her and their unborn child. But now he was gone, and she was left alone to pick up the pieces of their shattered dreams.
As she lay there, sobbing, she couldn't help but wonder what the future held for her and her child. Would Marshall ever come back? Or would he disappear forever, leaving her to face the challenges of parenthood alone.
Her thoughts were filled with confusion and uncertainty. Marshall had been so cryptic, so secretive about his actions. She didn't know why he had chosen to flee Delaware, leaving her and their unborn child behind. What had he done, and why was it so bad that he had to disappear?
She ran over every conversation, every moment they had shared together, trying to find some clue as to why he had felt the need to leave. But nothing came to mind. She felt lost and confused, unable to make sense of the situation.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized how little she actually knew about Marshall's past. He had never talked about his family, his childhood, his struggles. He was a closed book, and now she realized he had been deliberately hiding his true self from her. She wondered if she had ever truly known the real Marshall, or if she had only seen what he wanted her to see.
She felt frustrated and disappointed, but deep down she still loved him. She couldn't just forget about him, about them.