Chapter 29
Hello lovelies! Another one! Back to back. Who am I, superwoman? xx
New Year's Eve was quiet, just the way they wanted it. After the chaos of Christmas, Vanessa and Zac had decided to stay in, curled up on the couch with Kai, a cozy blanket draped over them as a movie played softly in the background. The glow of fairy lights cast a warm ambiance across the living room, and an untouched champagne bottle sat on the coffee table next to a half-eaten assortment of chocolates from a festive gift basket they had received.
Kai had fallen asleep well before midnight, snuggled between them, his little body rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm. Zac had pressed a kiss to Vanessa's temple, murmuring, "Happy New Year, Van," while she hummed in contentment, lacing her fingers with his. They didn't need fireworks or a grand celebration—this moment, just the three of them, felt perfect.
The days that followed moved quickly. Vanessa had a shoot lined up right after the new year, which meant packing, last-minute preparations, and trying to soak in every moment before she had to leave. On the morning of her departure, she stood by the door, adjusting the strap of her bag as she smiled at the two most important people in her life.
"Be good, okay?" she said, kneeling down to press a kiss to Kai's forehead.
Kai grinned. "I'll be good!"
Vanessa laughed, ruffling his hair before standing to face Zac. "You too," she said, looping her arms around his neck, "don't let him stay up all night watching cartoons."
Zac smirked. "No promises."
She rolled her eyes playfully before giving him a lingering kiss. "I'll call when I land. Bye, my boys."
"Bye, Mama!" Kai waved enthusiastically as Zac opened the door for her.
"See you soon, Ness," Zac said, watching her go with a fond smile before shutting the door.
The day started off smoothly. Zac made sure Kai had his lunch ready before stepping out onto the back porch to take a quick work call. It was just for a minute—two at most. The sun was shining, and a light breeze passed through as he answered a few questions from a colleague, his focus shifting momentarily away from the house.
Then he heard it. A muffled, strained sound.
Frowning, he turned toward the door. "Kai?"
No answer.
A second later, Zac was rushing back inside, and what he saw made his stomach drop.
Kai was standing near the kitchen island, his tiny hands clawing at his throat, his face turning red. His wide eyes were filled with panic, silent but desperate.
Zac's heart stopped.
For a split second, he couldn't move. Couldn't think.
Then he saw it—the crumpled foil in Kai's hand, the unmistakable remnants of hazelnut chocolate from the New Year's Eve basket.
Oh God.
Panic surged through Zac's veins like ice, but instinct kicked in. He dropped to his knees, gripping Kai's small shoulders. "Kai—hey, look at me! Can you cough? Try to cough for me, buddy."
Kai wheezed but no sound came out. His tiny chest heaved, his lips parting, but nothing—no breath, no relief.
Zac's mind raced. Think, think! He positioned himself behind Kai, wrapping his arms around his small frame. He balled his fist just above Kai's belly button, his other hand gripping over it, and pulled inward and upward in quick, firm thrusts.
"Come on, buddy, come on," Zac pleaded, his voice shaking. He could feel the tremors in his own hands, his pulse hammering in his ears. "Come on, Kai."
One thrust.
Two.
Three.
And then—a cough. A sputter. A small piece of chocolate shot out of Kai's mouth, landing onto the floor with a sickening wet plop.
A gasp filled the room.
Kai sucked in a shaky, desperate breath, his little body convulsing as he started to cry.
Zac exhaled sharply, pulling him into his arms, pressing a hand against the back of Kai's head. "Oh, my God," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Oh, buddy, you're okay. You're okay."
Kai sobbed into his chest, clutching onto his shirt with tiny fingers. Zac squeezed his eyes shut, trying to steady himself, but he barely had time to breathe before he realized something was still wrong.
Kai was wheezing, his breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. His tiny body trembled in Zac's arms, his lips starting to swell, his skin blotchy and red. It wasn't just choking. This was something else.
An allergic reaction.
Panic surged through Zac again, stronger this time. His mind went blank. He knew what this was—he had seen reactions before—but right now, it was like his brain refused to function. He didn't remember if Vanessa had ever mentioned Kai being allergic to nuts. Why couldn't he remember this?
His eyes darted around the room. Vanessa was on a plane—there was no way she could help. His hands shook as he ran to the fridge, eyes scanning the emergency contact list taped to the door. His heart pounded when his gaze landed on the name Cole.
Kai's father.
The logical choice. The one who would know what to do.
But Zac froze. He could already hear Cole's voice in his head, demanding how this happened, why Zac had let it happen. Would he think Zac was reckless? Irresponsible? Would he see this as proof that Zac wasn't capable of taking care of his son?
Zac gritted his teeth, his fingers curling into a fist.
No. Not Cole.
Instead, he grabbed his phone and dialed emergency services. "I need an ambulance," he said, his voice tight, frantic. "My—uh, my son is having an allergic reaction. He—he ate something with hazelnuts, I think."
It was the first time Zac had ever referred to Kai as his son to a stranger.
And at that moment, despite everything going wrong, that felt right.
The next few minutes were a blur. The paramedics arrived, taking over as Zac sat stiffly in the ambulance, watching them examine Kai while Kai's tiny fingers clung weakly to his shirt. Every second felt like an eternity.
But the time they arrived at the hospital, Zac barely noticed anything beyond Kai.
The doctor took one look at Kai and calmly administered the right medication.
"He's having a mild allergic reaction, but it's under control now," the doctor said. "His breathing isn't too compromised. He was just really shaken up from choking which strained his throat. But don't worry, Dad. He'll be okay."
Zac let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "Thank you," he whispered, running a hand through his hair. His whole body sagged with relief.
The first thing he needed to do was call Vanessa.
His hands still trembled as he pressed her contact, bringing the phone to his ear. It rang. And rang. And rang.
No answer.
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His mind raced for what to do next. Then it hit him—Mama G.
Before he could dial, the sound of rushed footsteps made him turn.
Cole.
His eyes were red-rimmed, his face tight with worry. His chest heaved as he looked around wildly. "Where is he?"
Zac hesitated for a split second. "He's in there," he finally said, gesturing toward the hospital room. Cole didn't say another word before rushing past him. Before Zac could even think about how Cole had found them he pressed call on Mama G's number.
"I'm on my way," she said immediately, not even waiting for an explanation.
In the meantime, Zac kept trying Vanessa. He called her team. No one answered. He texted her—Call me ASAP. It's urgent.
Minutes stretched on, and then finally—finally—his phone buzzed in his hand.
Her name flashed on the screen.
He answered immediately. "Vanessa—"
But she cut him off. Her voice was sharp, urgent. "Are you okay? Is Kai okay?"
"Yes, of course," Zac reassured her. "How did you know?"
"It's all over the news."
Zac's stomach dropped. What?
"What happened?" she asked.
He quickly explained, his voice steady now that he knew Kai was safe. "It was a piece of chocolate from the gift basket. I forgot he had a nut allergy. He started choking, and then he—" Zac swallowed hard. "He had a reaction. But he's okay now, Nessa. The doctors took care of it. He's stable."
A beat of silence. Then Vanessa exhaled sharply. "Okay. I can't talk—I'm going to try and come back."
Zac frowned. "It's handled, baby, I promise."
"I don't think it is," she murmured.
And then the line went dead.
Zac sat there, phone still in his hand, finally realizing the full extent of the situation.
He hadn't just scared himself. He hadn't just made a mistake.
The whole world knew.
And that's when it hit him—he had really messed up.
When Mama G arrived at the hospital, the first thing she did was wrap Zac in a tight hug. It caught him off guard, but he didn't hesitate to hold onto her.
"Thank you for being with him," she murmured before pulling back and heading straight into the hospital room.
"Oh, my baby," she cooed as she knelt beside Kai's bed, brushing his curls back and kissing his forehead. "I was so worried, but you're okay."
Kai melted in her embrace, his tiny arms wrapping around her as he buried his face in her shoulder.
Zac stood at the doorway, exhaling slowly. The tension that had been gripping his chest started to loosen—until he felt someone step up beside him.
Cole.
His face was unreadable, but his posture was stiff, his jaw tight. Zac barely had time to say, "Hey, I'm sorry—I got him here as fast as I could," before Cole cut him off.
"Why didn't you call me?" His voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it.
Zac blinked, caught off guard. "I—"
"I was literally two minutes away, man. He has an EpiPen. I could've talked you through it."
Zac's stomach dropped.
"He—he has an EpiPen?" His own voice sounded foreign to him. Why didn't he know that? Vanessa must've told him but how did he not remember it? It was information given to him months ago but that wasn't an excuse.
"Yes." Cole crossed his arms. "I keep one in his backpack and one in the kitchen at all times. If you had read his allergens sheet, which I wrote up myself, you would've known that."
Zac's throat went dry. Of course he knew about the sheet. It was pinned right next to the emergency contact list on the fridge—but they never kept any food at home that could cause a reaction so he never thought about any of the consequences. He thought back to the moment he panicked, his brain too scrambled to think of anything except getting help.
"But I got him help immediately," Zac defended.
"Yes, you did, dude," Cole admitted. "And I'm grateful for it. But you also blasted his name all over the press. You've drawn attention to him—more than we've ever had since he was born."
Zac swallowed hard. "I— I didn't know. I'm sorry."
Cole let out a sharp breath, running a hand down his face. "Look, I'm not saying I'm not grateful that you helped my son. I am. I just wish you'd have considered calling me—his father—first, like we agreed."
Zac exhaled, nodding. "I respect that, man. But I wasn't going to waste time second-guessing when he needed help. What if you hadn't picked up?"
Cole didn't answer right away. His gaze flickered toward Kai, then back to Zac. "You're right," he admitted. "In that moment, you did what you thought was best. And I'll never fault you for that."
A pause.
"But next time?" Cole's voice was firm. "Read the damn sheet."
Zac nodded, the weight of the situation sinking in even deeper.
He'd saved Kai.
But he'd also made everything worse.
Zac sat in the hospital chair, his elbows braced against his knees, hands clasped tightly. The hum of the hospital around him faded into the background, muffled by the weight pressing down on his chest. He hadn't meant for anything bad to happen to Kai. But it had.
His mind replayed the scene over and over—the sight of Kai struggling, the sheer panic that had gripped him, the way he had frozen when he should have acted differently. He had rushed to help, but had he helped in the right way? His gut twisted at Cole's words.
"I was two minutes away. He has an EpiPen. You should've called me first."
He knew Cole was right. And if Vanessa agreed, if she looked at him with disappointment in her eyes, he wasn't sure he could take it. She loved him—he knew that—but what if this changed things? What if, after today, she didn't trust him anymore?
A gentle voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"Zac."
Mama G.
He looked up, expecting a reprimand, but instead, she crouched down in front of him, her expression soft. "Have you seen him?"
Zac blinked, shaking his head. "Oh—no, I should give them some privacy."
Mama G's brow furrowed. "Why?"
Zac hesitated, gesturing vaguely toward Kai's room. "Cole's in there. He's his dad. I—" He exhaled, shaking his head. "I just—I don't want to make things worse."
She gave him a look, then reached for his hand, squeezing it firmly. "Go see him."
"But—"
"No buts." Her voice was steady but kind. "You took care of my grandbaby today. Everything else? We'll figure it out. But right now, this—" she squeezed his hand again "—this is what's most important."
He nodded, but the guilt didn't let up. He wanted to believe her, but it gnawed at him, twisting like a knife in his gut. It was one thing for Cole to be mad at him—he could live with that. But if Vanessa lost faith in him? If she looked at him differently after today? He wasn't sure he'd be able to live with himself.
Surely, she'd understand. She loved him.
Didn't she?
A few hours later, Vanessa arrived.
Zac had been pacing near the nurses' station when he heard the commotion—her voice, sharp and frantic, cutting through the noise.
"Where is my son?"
Before he could say a word, she rushed past him. He barely caught a glimpse of her face, but he knew she hadn't even looked at him.
He followed, lingering in the doorway as she entered Kai's room.
"Mommy's here," she breathed, kneeling at Kai's bedside.
The moment her voice reached him, Kai whimpered, his little hands clutching at her. All the fear and exhaustion he had been holding in seemed to break at once. Vanessa scooped him up carefully, whispering reassurances, pressing kisses to his forehead.
Zac stood frozen, watching as the two people he loved most in the world folded into each other. Cole stood beside them, murmuring something softly to Kai, his face still tense but focused entirely on his son.
Zac suddenly felt like an outsider.
He had spent so much time carving out a place for himself in this family—finding his rhythm, building a bond with Kai, growing something real with Vanessa. And yet, all it had taken was one afternoon to blow it all away.
His place in this dynamic had felt solid before. But standing there, watching Vanessa and Cole tend to their son, Zac had never felt more out of place in his life.
And he hated it.
He hated that he had caused this. That he had been reckless. That he had given Vanessa one more thing to worry about.
He hated that he had failed.
Would she forgive him?
Would she ever trust him again?
Once Kai was discharged, the four of them made it home. The house felt different—quieter, heavier—like the weight of the day hadn't quite lifted. Gina sat with Kai on the couch, stroking his hair as he sleepily leaned against her, while Vanessa moved through the house, unpacking her bags with quick, precise movements.
Zac watched her for a moment, feeling like an outsider in his own home. He wanted to talk, to clear the air, but every time he opened his mouth, she was already moving to the next thing—hanging up a jacket, zipping up a suitcase, checking her phone.
Finally, as she passed him, he reached out instinctively, his arms circling her. She let herself be pulled in, resting her cheek against his chest.
His brain knew it was her in his arms, but his heart knew there was distance between them.
"Ness," he started, voice low, "I'm sorry."
"It's fine," she cut him off quickly.
He pulled back slightly, searching her face. "No, seriously. Can we talk?"
"Later," she said, stepping away. "I need to shower."
Zac exhaled sharply as she disappeared into the bathroom, the door clicking shut behind her.
By the time she emerged, wrapped in a towel, her hair damp, he was still in the same spot, waiting.
She met his eyes, sighing. "I just want to know why you didn't call him."
Zac swallowed hard.
"You knew there was an EpiPen, too. We talked about it. Granted it was a long time ago and there's never been any need for it but that's why we have the emergency contact list AND the allergies list," she continued, her voice steady but strained. "It's just… look. I'm so grateful that you helped him. SO grateful," She hesitated, gripping the edge of the towel. "But we've talked about his privacy so many times, Zac. You know how much it meant to me to figure things out on my own, to keep him out of the spotlight. And now your 911 call is going viral on TikTok."
She rubbed her temples, exhaling sharply. "It's just… crazy."
Zac stepped toward her, voice soft but firm. "Hey, hey, it's okay. We'll figure this out. I promise."
Her lips pressed together, and after a beat, she nodded. "I know you did the right thing." She let out a shaky breath. "I just… I guess I'm upset about all the consequences now."
Zac wished he could fix it all, erase the media storm, rewind time and do things differently. But all he could do now was stand there, watching the weight of everything settle onto Vanessa's shoulders—and hating that he was the one who put it there.
"Are we okay?" Zac asked hesitantly.
Vanessa opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, a voice cut through the space between them.
"Hey, Van."
Cole stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable. "He's asking for you. Pretty restless."
Vanessa nodded. "Okay, I'm coming. I'll put him to bed." She quickly pulled on a sweatsuit and
brushed past Zac, heading toward Kai's room without a second thought. He stayed behind, running a hand down his face. He wanted to follow her, to help, to be there—but something told him that right now, his presence wouldn't make things better.
So he waited.
And waited.
An hour later, he finally pushed himself out of bed, padding quietly toward Kai's room. The soft glow of a nightlight spilled into the hallway as he reached the door. He peeked inside, expecting to find Vanessa sitting beside Kai, maybe stroking his hair until he fell asleep.
Instead, he found all three of them.
Vanessa. Kai. And Cole.
They were lying on the bed, Kai nestled in the middle, safe between his parents. All of them fast asleep.
A gut punch.
Zac's chest tightened as he stood frozen in the doorway. He knew Kai wanted his parents around him. It made sense. Of course it did. But he never thought he'd see them like this. So close. So whole—like they were the only three people in the world.
And he wasn't part of it.
His throat felt tight as he carefully, quietly closed the door. Turning away, he made his way back to the bedroom, every step heavier than the last.
Maybe he was the problem.
Maybe he wasn't vigilant enough. Not responsible enough. Maybe he wasn't enough to be in Kai's life at all.
Lying back in bed, he stared at the ceiling, deliberating his next move until sleep overcame him.
Zac woke up to the harsh glare of his phone screen, the endless string of missed calls from his publicist, and a flood of invasive headlines splashed across news sites.
"Actor Zac Efron Makes Frantic 911 Call—Who Was He Trying to Save?"
"Vanessa Hudgen's Toddler Rushed to ER Amid Emergency—Exclusive Details Inside!"
"Where Was the Mother? Inside the Chaos."
He groaned, rubbing his face before tossing the phone aside.
Dragging himself out of bed, he followed the sounds of soft conversation and the scent of breakfast wafting through the apartment. When he stepped into the kitchen, he saw them.
Cole was still there, moving comfortably around Vanessa's kitchen, flipping something in the pan as Kai sat on the counter, happily swinging his little legs. Vanessa stood nearby, pouring juice into a small cup, her face calm but distant. They all moved like clockwork—familiar, practiced, like this was just another morning.
Like he wasn't even there.
The only one who seemed happy to see him was Kai.
"Buddy!" Kai's voice rang out across the room, making all three adults look up. The excitement in his tone startled them, but Zac couldn't bring himself to feel relief.
Because all he felt was guilt.
How had he almost hurt this beautiful little boy?
"Hey, buddy," Zac said softly, stepping forward.
Kai reached for him instinctively, and Zac picked him up, holding him close. The little boy melted into him, tucking his head under Zac's chin, completely unaware of the invisible weight pressing down on his shoulders.
Vanessa and Cole, however, kept moving. Neither of them acknowledged him beyond a glance, their routine uninterrupted, their movements fluid and in sync.
It was a gut-wrenching reminder that they had done this all before—without him.
When Cole finally finished, he turned to Kai and gave him a quick hug before ruffling his hair. "I'll pick you up later tonight, okay?"
Kai nodded, still snuggled in Zac's arms, and Cole turned to Vanessa. "I'll text you when I'm on my way."
Vanessa nodded. "Thanks."
Zac's brows furrowed as he watched their quiet exchange. Cole was picking up Kai? Tonight?
Confused, he looked at Vanessa. "What's going on?"
She exhaled, rubbing her temple before finally meeting his eyes. "I still have to do the shoot, so I'm headed back out tonight." She hesitated. "Cole wants to take care of Kai while I'm gone."
Of course, he does, Zac thought.
He shouldn't have been surprised. After everything that happened, Cole was stepping in. He had the right to. But it stung.
He swallowed hard, reaching for her hand. "Look, baby, I'm really, really sorry. Can we just take some time to talk?"
Vanessa gave him a small, weak smile. "It's okay," she murmured. "We're fine. I just... I think I need some time to process some things, okay?"
Zac nodded, but his stomach churned.
Vanessa was confused, too.
When she had first seen the news breaking on the TV, she thought the absolute worst. She imagined a car crash, a fire, something catastrophic. Maybe Zac had gotten hurt. Maybe Kai had. Maybe both of them.
Her heart had nearly given out when her phone regained connection after she landed, and the notifications started flooding in. But before she could even process them, her phone rang—Cole's name flashing across the screen.
"Kai's in the hospital," he had said. "I'm on my way."
She had panicked. She didn't think about anything else—just that she had to get to them.
Then, when she saw Cole's fury at Zac, she wondered the same thing.
Why hadn't Zac called him?
Why hadn't he reached for the one person who could have walked him through it?
Zac had done the right thing in getting Kai help immediately, but something didn't sit right with her. It wasn't just about the 911 call. It wasn't just about the headlines.
Something else was going on.
For the first time in a long time, Vanessa found herself questioning things she thought she had figured out.
Was she doing the right thing by Kai?
Vanessa had spent so long trying to protect him, sheltering him from the world's prying eyes. And now, all her nightmares had come true. His name was in headlines, his privacy shattered, his little face splashed across news articles dissecting a moment that should have only belonged to them.
She had always known that dating someone in the public eye, especially Zac, would come with risks. But she had convinced herself that she could manage it, that she could balance love and privacy, that she could give Kai a safe and stable world while still allowing herself happiness.
But had she been wrong?
Had she been selfish in pursuing this relationship?
She loved Zac. She wanted him in every way that mattered. But was that enough?
Would loving him cost Kai his peace? His security?
Her thoughts swirled, tangled in emotions she couldn't untangle. Right now, she wasn't in the right headspace to process everything, to figure out what this meant for them. She needed space—needed to be away from the noise, from the headlines, from the tension hanging between her and Zac.
She needed to focus on work. On something she could control.
And she would figure out the rest later.
But Zac couldn't let it go. The weight of the unspoken words between them was too much to bear, and if he didn't clear the air now, things would remain unresolved before she left. Miscommunication had cost him too much in the past, and he wasn't willing to risk that again. Not with her, not now.
"Baby, please," he whispered, his voice raw, his eyes pleading with her. "Just tell me we're okay. We'll figure everything else out but right now I don't want to lose either of you and ever since yesterday… it's felt like I have."
She looked at him, her expression soft yet troubled, and it tore at his heart. "I don't want that either," she said, her voice gentle, but firm. "But now isn't the time, okay?"
Zac's stomach churned. He wasn't sure what to make of her words, but he needed to understand.
"You were talking about Ryan inviting you over to London next week, right?" she asked, trying to piece things together.
"Yeah," he continued, his brows furrowing. "What does that have to do with anything? I'm not going, remember? We're going on tour in January."
"I think you should go," she said, her tone steady but laced with uncertainty. "Spend some time with Ry. I know you miss him. Kai and I can do the tour. It'll give us some space, and time to figure things out too. Let's just both take a step back and see where we're at."
Zac's heart skipped a beat. What. The. Hell? Take a step back? She was asking for space?
"Are you serious? Baby, no offense but I'm really not thinking about Ry right now I'm thinking about you. About us," he continued, his voice rising, barely able to keep his emotions in check.
She didn't reply as she looked away.
"You think the best way forward is to just send me away?" His voice cracked, the words barely above a whisper.
Vanessa shook her head quickly. "That's not what I'm doing."
"Then what are you doing?" Zac's frustration boiled over, his voice rising. "Because right now, it feels like you're pushing me away, like you're running—"
"I'm not running," she snapped, but the way she averted her eyes made him wonder if that was true.
He took a step closer, his heart hammering. "Help me understand, Vanessa, because I don't get it. I love you. I love Kai. And yeah, this has been… hard, but I'm not going anywhere. Why are you trying to put distance between us?"
"I think the space will help," she said softly, her eyes not meeting his.
"Help who?" Zac's frustration boiled over. He didn't want space. He didn't want to be apart from her. He didn't want to be separated, not now when everything felt fragile but still so real.
"Help me," she said quietly. "I need to see what's best for me... and for Kai. I need to see-"
"See what?" Zac cut in, his voice a mix of anger and hurt. "If I fit into your life? If I'm worth all this trouble?"
Her eyes flashed with pain. "That's not fair."
"Isn't it?" He ran a hand through his hair, his pulse pounding in his ears. "Because that's sure as hell what it feels like right now. Like you're giving up and questioning everything, like you're deciding if we're worth fighting for. If I'm worth fighting for."
Tears burned in her eyes. "I'm not questioning you, Zac. I'm questioning me. I'm questioning if I made the right choice bringing all of this chaos into Kai's world, if I was naive to think we could do this without consequences." Her voice broke on the last word.
Zac let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Is this about what Aunt Jackie said?" His voice was laced with something sharp, something wounded.
Vanessa blinked. "What?"
"I heard her," Zac said, his jaw tightening. "Heard her telling Cole that I'm unfit. That I'm a bad influence on Kai." He exhaled harshly, rubbing a hand over his face. "Is that what this is? Did Cole tell you that last night and finally get in your head?"
"Zac, no," Vanessa said quickly.
Zac let out a dry, humorless laugh. "Right. No." His voice was thick with hurt. "Except you just said you don't know if you made the right choice. You just said you're questioning if I belong in Kai's life. So tell me, Vanessa, is that you talking? Or is that Jackie's voice in your head?"
"Zac," she pleaded, her eyes glassy. "It's not like that."
"Then tell me what it is like," he shot back, his voice cracking. "Because right now, it sounds a hell of a lot like you're starting to believe all the things people have said about me. That I'm dangerous. That I can't be trusted. That I'll bring chaos into your son's life."
Vanessa let out a shaky breath, closing her eyes for a moment. "I'm just trying to protect him," she whispered.
Zac's stomach twisted painfully. "And you think you're protecting him from me? You really think I'd ever do anything to hurt him?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper now, broken and raw.
Vanessa's breath hitched. "I don't," she said quickly, but the damage was done. "All I'm saying is I need space. I think we both do."
Zac shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. He wasn't sure if he could take a step back, not when he loved her so much. "What if I don't want that?" he whispered, the vulnerability in his voice exposing everything he had been holding back. "I love you. I don't want to fight with you."
She cupped his face gently, her own tears glistening as she spoke. "I love you too, SO much. But I can't let that cloud my decisions for Kai. Please don't make this harder than it is," she whispered, her touch warm but trembling. "I just need time to think about everything."
Zac shook his head, his own eyes shining as he tried one more time. "We can do this. We have been doing this."
"Have we?" she whispered. "Or have we just been pretending that love is enough to protect us from everything else?"
"What if I want to stay and fight for this, for us?" he asked, his voice barely holding together.
Vanessa closed her eyes for a moment, like she was gathering strength, before looking up at him with so much sadness it nearly broke him.
"I know this is hard. But I guess you'll just have to trust me."
He swallowed hard, his chest tightening with the realization that they were standing at a crossroads. "So what does this mean for us?" he asked, his voice breaking as he searched her eyes.
"It's a reality check," she said, her voice softer now, filled with a sadness he didn't want to accept. "I guess we couldn't romanticize this situation forever. It's tough. And there are many lives involved right now—mine, yours, and Kai's."
Zac nodded slowly, a heavy silence falling between them. It wasn't a breakup. She wasn't pushing him completely away, but they both needed to realize what they wanted. It wasn't the end of them; it was just... a step back. A painful, necessary step to figure things out, to clear the fog of emotions and reassess where they stood, both as individuals and as a family.
"I understand," he finally said, though the words felt empty. He didn't want to walk away, but if this was what it took to figure things out, he would give her the time she needed. For Kai. For them.
It wasn't goodbye. It was just a pause. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to bring them back together stronger.
Okay… how's everyone feeling???? Don't hate me haha! And just remember "everything will be alright in the end. If it's not alright, then it's not the end." Virtually holding your hand as we get through these tough chapters together. xx