DELIAI knew I was finished as I stared at the pregnancy test strip. My entire world shook because I wasn't expecting it. I didn't know how but I suddenly found myself on the ground, staring at the strip in my hand. "No, this can't be," I whispered to myself. I could remember us being all over each other during the trip and yes, we didn't think of protection. How could I have been so stûpid as not to think about that important factor? Who knew if he did it on purpose to taunt me for the rest of my life? I stared down at my stomach. This was what I had always wanted; another being growing inside of me. It had always been my dream from when I saw Charlotte. She looked beautiful with her baby bump and I wanted that too. But not with Levi's child. *******"It's fine, dear." Devin rubbed my back as I cried my eyes out. I called him immediately after I found out I was pregnant. I've been having a sick feeling and ended up puking all morning. The feeling stopped some minutes after Devin
DELIA "Listen, Honey, I have to go. I need to go to work so that I can make ends meet for all of us. Surely you don't want me and little Andrew to be hungry in the upcoming days, right, Honey?" I patted the fur of wailing honey, my dog and Andrew's companion. I stood up and tried to leave the house quickly but Honey was quicker. She tugged on my pants. "Ugh... You never give up, do you?" I rolled my eyes and went to get her food. I dished some on her plate and watched her eat delightfully for the first ten seconds before dashing out. The moment I lock the door, a sigh escaped my lips. Such a demanding dog. As I arrived at the bus station, I realized I had forgotten my phone while trying to please Honey. I felt worried at first and then I thought, "Who's gonna call anyway? I barely receive those." I shrugged and stayed down at my baby, Andrew. He looked so dashing as he slept peacefully. Every morning, he earned stares from people on the bus; whenever he was sleeping, crying, or e
DELIA I itched the back of my neck nervously. "I don't know what to say." Honey barked into the living room and relaxes close to my leg. "You don't have to say anything now. It's all coming suddenly and I understand. Plus, you have a child to take care of, so please, don't stress yourself too much about it. I'm not needy or desperate. One thing I understand is that these things take time." He said, making me feel a little bit relieved. "If you say so."How was I supposed to tell him that I don't want to have anybody in my life anymore? My second roughest heartbreak taught me to be stronger and not just accept any man that shows interest in me. He must be able to prove himself before I could put in my all. I wish I had realized that sooner. But then, if I did, Andrew wouldn't be here with me? For him, I'd make that mistake a hundred times over. Andrew's hands went to my right b00b and he tried to take it with his mouth but he was unsuccessful because of the barrier; my clothes.
DELIA "So, how'd it go? Did you find him ridiculously handsome?" Hailey beamed but I could only roll my eyes and walk to my seat. I was tired and frustrated. I needed to let off some steam. "I would like to be left alone, please," I said briefly and bent my head on my desk. I was angry, annoyed, and sad, and I didn't want to take it out on her. "Alright. I'll leave you alone, for now though." She said and walked out, closing the door behind her. How did Levi find out where I was? And why was he pretending he didn't know I worked here? Or maybe he was telling the truth. I didn't know what to believe. I looked at Andrew who was busy playing. What if someone were to find out? Gosh, why was my life so messed up? Why couldn't I just live a life without drama? Andrew crept to my side, crying. I picked him up and checked his body for any injury but found none. His hands went to my brèast and he fondled it. That caused a roar of laughter from me. "I see what you did there, you little ra
LEVI I walked back to my office, disappointed in myself. Why couldn't I just be patient? Maybe I wouldn't have seen that scenario and maybe this many thoughts won't be coursing through my head. I relaxed in my seat and brought out my phone. It was ringing and when I checked the caller, it was my bad-mouthed sister. I groaned and answered the call. I placed the phone close to my ear and awaited the worst possible greeting from her. "Why did you travel out of the country and you didn't inform me?" She yelled. I had to move the phone away from my ear a little. "Answer me, you evil twin." She yelled even more. I placed the phone on loudspeaker and kept it on the table. I felt satisfied, at least nobody would be shouting inside my ear. "I'm sorry, ma'am. It was urgent and I needed to attend to it quickly. Besides, since when did it become your business as to where I travel to?" I arched a brow even though she couldn't see me. "My daughter misses you a lot and that's the saddest part
DELIA Hailey and I became quite distant from that day. I always saw her struggling to talk to Levi but he just wasn't giving her the vibes she wanted. She barely came to my office, I was the only one that visits her and she always gave me some kind of attitude. She stopped talking to me entirely and even stopped playing with Andrew. What sort of jealousy was that?I made it clear times without number that I wasn't trying to take Levi from her but Levi himself made things worse. He would always get gifts for me and Andrew, even though he had never touched him before. One day, I needed to run an errand for Levi and I didn't know anybody to keep Andrew with. Everybody was busy and he wouldn't just sleep. I had to beg her to stay in my office and watch him while I ran the errand. "Why can't I just go on the errand? Are you sure you're trying to help me win him over? All you're doing is standing in my way." She complained. "What more do you want me to do for you? Beg him on your behalf
DELIA "So, Lia, what's your answer? You already have enough time to think about my proposal and I don't care if we're doing it in front of anybody." Evans insisted. Hailey was there to report the situation of a book on Levi's orders and definitely against her will while Evans was asking me something personal at the office. "Can you have a sense of responsibility? This is an office, not a restaurant or a fancy place where people discuss their love interest." "You've been avoiding me for a long time and I need an answer. Stop keeping me waiting." It was as though he was forcing the answer on me. "Alright, fine. I decline. I decline your proposal. Aside from business, I don't want to have anything to do with you." I said firmly, without mincing words. "I won't back out of the fight just yet, Lia." He assured me and left the office. "Aren't you tired of struggling with what can't be yours?" Hailey asked and I was forced to look at her. "And what's that supposed to mean?" I arched
LEVI I couldn't stop thinking about Delia after I left her. She had, once again, successfully wrapped me around her little finger. But she drew me close to her only for her to push me away. Or did I do something wrong? It was hard staying away from Andrew. Or did the father of the baby come back? Maybe I had really lost her to someone else this time. Once I entered my room, I checked my messages and saw her text. I frowned and deleted the message. Last month, my mother had introduced me to the daughter of one of her friends. No doubt the girl was heavily endowed but she wasn't my type. She was rude to those around her and spoke impolitely to her elders. She only respected her parents, my mom, and me, while others were like trash to her. Worst of it all, my mother didn't see her as that as she only put up the nice side. The girl, Fallon, got obsessed with me and began stalking my every move. She confronted every lady I had been with to restaurants to discuss business and she calle
DELIA "Did he tell you anything? Is it a business meeting or what? I don't understand why I have to dress up this pretty to go meet some other person." I groaned. Levi and Javan were always up to something crazy and I was sometimes scared of them. "Stop speaking in my ear, sis. Just wait until we get to the meeting spot. You can ask the client yourself why we're going there." He said. I relaxed back in my seat because arguing with him was pointless. We got to a seven-star restaurant and boarded the elevator. To my surprise, we got to the last floor of the building. Javan told me to go on while he went down back. "Hopefully these guys aren't trying to sell me." I prayed as I clutched myself when a rush of chilly wind hit me. The place seemed empty until someone walked up to me to deliver a card. "Come forward," the card read. I smiled widely as I knew what was going on. He could have just said so in the first place. I walked forward and met a beautifully decorated table filled w
DELIA "I can't, babe. I have to go home and change first. Andrew needs a bath too. He ruined his clothes today and he can't sleep in them." I queried. Finally, he agreed with me. "But make sure you come back, okay?" He said and kissed me. "I will." I pinched his cheek and walked out with Andrew. Nobody had heard from Fallon, not even Levi's mother whom she came with. Hope she didn't kill herself somewhere. Or maybe she had gone home. Javan was still trying to locate her and hadn't reported any news to us yet. As I got down from the cab, my phone rang and it was Levi. "I just left five minutes ago. Missed me much?" "When are you coming back? Now?" "Not at all, in an hour or two." I headed for the apartment, smiling. I looked back and the cabby had driven away. "Come on, babe, don't do this to me," He begged. I laughed and just as I passed through the yard gate, I heard an explosion. My first instinct was to shield my baby. *****LEVII heard an explosion and then a scream foll
DELIA "Javan, you've gotten so lean. Is Levi stressing you out?" Mrs. Elrod exclaimed. She touched Javan all over to his dismay. Levi and I laughed at him while he frowned. "I'll make sure to spank his arse later, okay?" She smiled. "So, Delia," She faced me. I stopped smiling and put on a serious expression. "How did you meet my son?""I met him at College during our first year," I replied. "So, how came about Andrew? You two are not married and he never mentioned you to me." She expressed worriedly. "It's more or less a complicated issue. He will give you the details of everything you want to know. Right, dear?" I touched his shoulder and he nodded. He was still nervous but he should be the one to break everything to her since they were closer than any other person in the room. We were all having a good time when the door was opened harshly. We all turned to the rude intruder and found Fallon standing at the door. Her hair was quite messy and her eyes seemed red and heavy. W
DELIA I had a splendid time at the hospital with Levi over the weekend. He mustered up the courage and asked me out for real this time. The way he did it was funny and I ended up laughing up my energy. Who knew that the almighty Levi could be so nervous around me? I felt sad that I was leaving but I had to go to work. If I had listened to him and stayed throughout the week, the workload would have been too much on him whenever he resumed. I woke up early that Monday morning and prepared food for my boyfriend. He didn't like the hospital meals and he certainly didn't want to eat outside. So, yeah, it came down to making food for him. I also made the one that could last for Andrew till evening and I went to the hospital. "Good morning," I greeted as I stepped in."Good morning babe," He reciprocated. His eyes were on the screen of his laptop, probably trying to do some work while in the hospital. "You shouldn't be doing this," I frowned and laid Andrew beside him. "I can't let you
DELIA I finally knocked on the door and when I heard a reply, I opened the door and walked inside. Levi's head was buried inside a book. I felt like crying. A few weeks back, he was lying almost lifeless but there he was, stronger and healthier. All thanks to the almighty for sparing his life. "Hi," I said. He must have thought I was a nurse or a doctor and that's why he didn't bother to check. But after I made my entrance recognizable by speaking, he looked away from his book. A smile was plastered on my face as I moved toward him. "How are you feeling today?""Better than ever." He replied. "Uhm... Here. I got these for you. Hospital meals are terrible sometimes and so, I got you a meal." I stretched the hug package toward him and he accepted it. "Thanks. You saved me yesterday with the meal you sent through Javan. Thanks again." He said and I smiled. I was definitely planning on toasting Javan after now. I specifically told him not to mention my name and just say the food wa
LEVI "Thank you all so much. I feel so loved." I touched my chest in gratitude. Seeing my employees visiting me when I'm not well was something to be grateful for. It proved that I was a good boss to them and what better than having a good employer-employee relationship at a place of work? "Thank you very much. I really appreciate the gifts." "Get well soon, sir. We miss you a lot." One of them said. I didn't spot two significant in the crowd; Evans and Delia. I knew Evans hated me and was probably sulking somewhere because I was still alive but what I didn't understand was why Delia wouldn't come to see me. To be honest, she was the first person I was expecting to see. Was it that she didn't care if I died or not? Soon after the celebration of my coming back to life, everyone except Javan left. I sighed, I was hurt by her absence. Why was she bent on killing me? Why did I even bother waking up? "Delia made this," Javan stretched a bag toward me. I stared at it for some seconds b
DELIA Every day was busy for me, coupled with the fact that I had to take care of a baby. It wasn't easy at all. At work, I had to do the job of a CEO and also work my position. If not for Javan who was always there to look after Andrew, I would have broken down. The printing of the book was around the corner and Levi was still not up. He was the key part of everything and his condition always kept me up. I had developed insomnia and it was getting worse every day. I don't get sleep and even if I try to sleep, I don't do it enough. I don't sleep more than two hours a day. I was drowning in the pressure. It's in over my head. I don't know why I thought I could do this. But still, I couldn't find myself stopping. I was doing it because of Levi. I didn't want him to think of anything work when he wakes up. All he needed to do was rest, rest, and rest. No stress is allowed in his zone. When Javan walked into the office, I looked at him with hopeful eyes but he gently shook his head.
DELIA "How is he?" I asked, sniffing at the end of my question. Andrew was playing with my dress, chewing the buttons on it but I didn't bother. Javan looked at me and sighed. "Be honest with me, Javan. Don't think about lying because I will still find out." "The doctor said he might not make it out alive." He said with a deadpan expression. "There were lots of alcohol in his system. He is almost as good as dead." I sighed heavily as fresh tears rolled down my cheeks. "He can't do this to me. This is all my fault." I wept bitterly. "No, no, don't think like that. None of this is your fault. He was just reckless. We should just pray a miracle happens and he comes out alive." "I should have just called him after that night. He must have thought I was joking ot trying to play games with him. And you tell me not to blame myself?" I grabbed a tissue and blew into it. "It's not your fault. It's his fault for driving when drunk." He scoffed. "Don't worry about it." "What? I have al
LEVI I didn't know how many days but I hadn't gone to work since the club meeting. I was somehow devastated because I knew I would never come back to see Delia, despite the promise. But there was another thought in my head. What if she was just doing this to pay me back for what happened? What if she knew I really loved her and she wanted me to feel every atom of guilt and probably die of it? What if all those actions were fake and she just wanted to see me suffer? The hot, steamy night was all just a ploy then. But then again, I couldn't just conclude without confronting her. She hadn't called since that day and my assumptions were beginning to seem true. My heart ached a lot and my eyes watered. Why was she doing this? I looked to my side and picked up the half bottle of vodka. I had earlier finished six bottles and it wasn't afternoon yet. I had finished more than a crate in less than a week. I was gradually turning into a shadow of myself and there was no one to pull me out.