Chapter 79 A heavily pregnant woman = all forms of insecurities raised to infinity. I grimace as I pass the full-length mirror on my way out of the room. I feel and look like a cow, maybe a whale is better suited to how I look. I used to walk sprightly before, but now putting one leg in front of the other takes serious effort, and I'm only six months gone. These days, it takes a lot of effort to do anything, if I can be honest. I can't even bend to wash my feet during bath time. Ever since he was discharged from the hospital, Ash takes pity on me and gives me a bath, seeing how difficult it is for me to help myself. As I walk down the stairs, Clarissa sees me and gifts me with a wide smile. "There she is - the most beautiful pregnant woman in all of Los Angeles." I smile, but I know it looks more like a grimace. "Oh, don't look so glum, pretty sure Ash can't take his eyes, and hands off you because - damn, girl, you're glowing." If I never told you my best friend was sweet, well
Chapter 80"Will you marry me?"Ash"s soulful brown eyes stare up at me beseechingly. The way he's gazing at me makes me feel he's waiting with bated breath, ready to hang on to my every word. It's as if my acceptance will save his life, and if I dare refuse, it would crumble right before my very eyes. This is the same Ash who has been blowing hot and cold toward me.Actually . . . more cold than hot, to be honest.I take a step back and let out a nervous giggle in the process. I don't know what to think. Is this a prank? I lick my lips and look around for something, anything, to make light of this tense moment. Maybe he's videoing this in order to use it to laugh at me later on, I don't know, but this is freaking me the fuck out.My baby girl kicks me and I wince as I touch my belly. Ash notices and walks toward me, still on his knees. That's gotta hurt. He's going to have scraped and bloody knees by the time
Chapter 81Pregnant women have weird cravings. They say it has something to do with the hormones while others say it's a disorder which rears it's ugly head when women are pregnant. The cravings of some pregnant women are quite weird and they range from sitting close to the toilet in order to inhale the smell of shit, to eating sand.Thank goodness mine isn't anything that ridiculous."I want more fries." I tell the waiter.Ash stares at me like I've grown a second head. "But you've eaten two helpings already, plus half of my burger.""What? I'm eating for two now, or have you forgotten?" I say with an edge to my voice.His incredulous look changes as he begins to laugh and shake his head. So yeah, my pregnancy craving is food - junk food - something I hated with a passion and wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Right now, it's the second love of my love. The third, actually, after Ash and my baby. The waite
Chapter 82 ASH This can't be fucking happening right now. I take in Hazel eyes determined stance and I mentally groan. When I told her Leonard was still alive, I never knew she would request to see him. She didn't just request - she hammered and wore me out, asking to see him, so much that I had capitulated, and here we are. Whatever bond they had, it's gonna have to end very soon 'cause Leonard will definitely not see the light of another day. Rather, the four walls of the room he's currently in. "Leonard." Hazel eyes mouths breathily and my anger flares, but I stamp it down because this is not the time to have a jealous fit. Something tells me she won't appreciate it. Leonard, dazed from being in the four walls of this room for months on end, opens his eyes but can't focus. He squints at her, blinking repeatedly until a semblance of recognition streams into his eyes. From the look on his face, the fool can't believe she's standing in front of him. Probably thinks he's seeing an
Chapter 83I remember my first kill.I thought he'd never die.There I was, holding tightly onto his neck and squeezing for dear life, my own life flashing before my face if I so much as removed a finger from his neck.It was gruesome.Many people think there's no difference between killing someone with an object and doing it with your bare hands. There's a grave difference, I tell you. With an object, it's impersonal and it feels like you're on the other side looking in on someone else doing it but using your hands - now - that's fucking personal.That's what happened when I had to kill someone to stay alive. I can't joke and say it was an order when in fact it wasn't. I was fighting for my life. It was either kill or be killed. What made it worse was that I had to snuff the life out of someone and I did it, without any qualms, or so I thought, until it was all over, until I saw blood everywhere, until I th
Chapter 84As I steer awake, I feel a heavy weight, like a log, pressing my stomach. My head feels like it's going to blow because there's a hammering inside it that's refusing to abate.What happened to me?Why do I feel this way?I force my eyes to open and they do so unwillingly. Everywhere looks dim and I can't recognize my surroundings until I blink, clearing the fog from my eyes. My eyes land on an indiscernible shape on the bed beside me and I trace my eyes across the shirtless body and onto a hand that's curved around my bulging stomach.I'm pregnant?I blink, and then blink several more times before everything comes crashing back into my mind.Leonard.I killed him. . .Tacky-blonde cop.I killed her too.My heart slams inside my rib cage as the realization crashes into me.I killed two people.I gasp and try to sit up, but the hand - Ash's hand - is heavy on me, stopping me from moving. I shake my head
Chapter 85Someone once said that in life, you can make your own rules.That's exactly what I did.Instead of just making the event a baby shower only, Clarissa and I decided to change the rules and include a baby gender reveal as well. That meant Ash would be in attendance with a few of his friends, assuming he had any.As I walk in the garden, admiring the blue and pink garlands and balloon decorations, I can't wait to see him. He traveled for a week to New York to oversee the reinstatement of a new manager at his club, seeing as Leonard was no more, and also take the opportunity to attend to other businesses.I paste a smile on my face as I take in the array of pastries on the wide table. My hand itches to take one or two, but I hold myself back and keep on walking past them. Everywhere I turn, decorations abound and this makes me smile. Even Lily seems excited about it all as she's been kicking nonstop."S
Chapter 86I grab fistfuls of the twelve thousand dollars Louis Vuitton dress Ash bought for this day and drag. The sound of it tearing makes me shiver with satisfaction as it rips from top to bottom. It's a slip of a thing, not even worth the amount it was paid for. I look down in disdain as it pools at my feet.Unfortunately, my satisfaction is short-lived.My chest is still on fire with shock, that damn tightness sat constricting my lungs to the point I almost can't breathe and have to drag short gulps of air in through my mouth.How will you feel if your fiancée didn't show up on the day of your engagement party?Yup! That's exactly what happened to me.Twelve hours earlierThe day dawns bright and clear. It's so bright, shards of sunlight peek into the room through the floor-to-ceiling length curtains, piercing my eyes in its brightness. I roll to the other side, noting the warmth and dent on it. Ash must