Jessica's POV “How was your trip, my love?” My dad greeted me. I had just arrived from a fashion shoot in Paris for Diar. It was a big women's underwear designer brand. I had so many fashion shows and shoots coming up, but I decided to do a stopover cause my PA said my sister had been calling nonstop. Last time I set foot in County was for grad, about two days prior. “Why so friendly?” I asked, everything seemed so fucking weird. From the strange fleet of cars in our garage, to the unfamiliar murmur of men coming from the living room. My dad chuckled nervously, and scratched his bald head with his fat ass fingers. Fingers that held my family together. “There is something we should've told you.” He said, avoiding my eyes. I was still experiencing a bit of jet lag. I'd been in the air for over twelve hours cumulative for the past two days. I even had a shoot midair. It was one of my most exciting experiences. “What is it?” I asked him. I didn't like the look on his face
Chase's POV “Emma?” I called out to her. We'd spent the last two days together. I spent every hour of those days reassuring her that I was there for good. Meanwhile, my dad had been put under house arrest, meaning that we needed to go through due process to see him, or Emma's mother. “Yeah?” She replied softly. “How are you, really?” I asked her. “I remember the first and last time we had a conversation like this.” She said, turning in my sheets. They looked so perfect around her. Two days with Emma, and life was just what it was meant to be. “You were gonna propose the next day.” She said, I searched her face for annoyance, or residual hurt, but there was none. “I had my heart in my mouth all the while.” I confessed. “It's a thing with doing the right thing with the wrong motive.” “Don't ever pull that stunt on me again.” She said, “I swear.” I replied. “Could you please sleep back? I was gonna do a ‘breakfast in bed’ type of thing.” I poured playfully. She ha
Emma's POV I hadn't seen a worse expression on Chase's face than I saw when I announced that I was pregnant. Not like he looked disgusted or angry, it was just blank. The kind of blankness that births bad decisions. I literally didn't know how to do it any better. “You're not saying anything.” I croaked, nearly choking on my words. It wasn't exactly the best time to announce it, but I literally didn't know what else to do. The past days had been bliss, so beautiful I held the news back. I was scared of what his reaction would be, which is the exact reason I decided to say so in the midst of people. Chase had his eyes fixed on me, but still it didn't see like he was actually seeing me. “Baby?” I called him. “Uhm, I'm sorry.” He said, “Can we talk about it later?” He asked. “Sure.” I didn't have the emotional strength to even have the conversation at all. “I'll be back.” He said, and kissed my forehead. It was frosty as hell. It didn't feel like the warm lips that k
Chase's POVI knew I was kinda weird, maybe a bit confused. But I had genuine reason to believe Emma was doing too much. The food arrived soon, and we went to get it at the door. We were cool just a moment ago. I hate how we weren't yet at the point where we handle our shit maturely. “I'll get that.” I said, reaching for the bigger and heavier boxes. It was only instinctive to be more protective of her. She was carrying my baby. Whether or not we were ready for it. “Emma.” I called her quietly since we weren't both far from the rest’ earshot. “Yeah.” She turned, I saw the tear marks on her face. I was gonna say how I was sorry for blanking out on her, but the words just couldn't get out. “I'm…” I started, looking in multiple directions at once. “It’s okay.” Emma said, and walked in. I took a minute to process what had just happened. “Where were you man?” Gray screamed in delight as I entered. “Been looking in that direction for the past minute.” He added. I kn
Emma's POV “Would you have me read the results with him present?” The doctor asked me. “Yeah, he's my boyfriend.” I said, smiling. I rubbed Chase's face, pulling his beards with one hand, and rubbing my belly with the other. “You might want to sit up.” He said. “We are happy you came in for a check up today.” The kind old man said. I smiled. It was a big hospital downtown, fancy and very modern too. I felt more at peace with Chase by my side. “Emma Watson,” He wore the glasses which hung down from his neck and read my name out from a file in his hand, “I'm afraid, but we couldn't find a heartbeat.” I knew nothing about stuff like those. I'd never been or lived with a pregnant woman. I remember the look on their faces while the nurse kept tapping my belly and scanning round, but I didn't think it was a big deal. “What does that mean?” I heard Chase ask as my heart was already shattering, it could only mean one thing. My baby was dead. “Your baby is dead.” The doc
Chase's POV “Baby,” I called out to Emma as soon as we got back home, “I hate seeing you this way.” My voice snapped her out of her thoughts, she breathed deep and came out of the car, leaving both her phone and purse behind. “I'm really tired, Chase.” She said, “I just want to rest.” “That's totally fine.” I took all our stuff out of the car and ran after her. Let me help you.” She looked and felt weak. “Thank you.” She said, as I helped her up the stairs. “Can I get you something to eat?” I asked “I don't feel up to it right now.” She replied. “Can I just try?” I asked her. “Don't bother.” She snipped. “Do you need something else?” I asked her. “Just stay next to me.” She said, It felt like an honor to be told such by her. “Let me jump out of these clothes.” I tore the clothes, a reminder of where we'd been and what'd happened. “Pull me closer.” She cried. I pulled Emma so close. Her body felt heavier, and was even warming up. “I'm sorry, Emma.
Emma's POV “Are you sure about that?” I asked my mom as soon as she flashed her diamond ring in my face. She's been head over heels in love with her new man, and while they get on my nerves sometimes, especially on the days I caught them making out in the living room, one thing I can't deny is the fact that they are good together. “Yes honey.” She replied beaming. “What's wrong?” Mom looked concerned, she probably sensed that I wasn't so cool with it, but I didn't want to be the party pooper. “Oh no. Don't get me wrong. I just wanted to make sure that you are certain about it.” I replied to her. “Besides, is it an old people's thing to not propose in public. Why did he slip the ring under the duvet?” I teased her. “Please!” She said, laughing. Before Mark, my soon to be step dad, it's been a really long while since I saw my mom so happy. She was a workaholic. A lifestyle I think she picked up after my dad. It was a great save from alcohol, but I still didn't have her to
Emma's POV “What was that, mom?!” I asked as soon as I walked in. I was a little surprised to see that she was at home. I mean, what if I was bringing my non-existent boyfriend home for some quick after school make out sesh? “Sit down, baby.” I had mixed feelings about her calling me baby. Sometimes, it made me feel like the center of her world which I was, other days, it just made me feel small, like it did now. “Trust me, I was going to.” I almost passed out in the morning, I'm not trying to again. “You don't have to sound that way, Emma.” At least she called my name. That was also a good and bad thing. She only used my name when there was something serious to say. “I'm all ears mom.” I replied to her, sitting and crossing my legs at whatever manner of travesty was about to present itself again. I couldn't also wait to get back to fantasizing about him, Kevin… He'd break the news to you. Before I had the time to ask who ‘he’ was, a tall handsome man walked out of
Chase's POV “Baby,” I called out to Emma as soon as we got back home, “I hate seeing you this way.” My voice snapped her out of her thoughts, she breathed deep and came out of the car, leaving both her phone and purse behind. “I'm really tired, Chase.” She said, “I just want to rest.” “That's totally fine.” I took all our stuff out of the car and ran after her. Let me help you.” She looked and felt weak. “Thank you.” She said, as I helped her up the stairs. “Can I get you something to eat?” I asked “I don't feel up to it right now.” She replied. “Can I just try?” I asked her. “Don't bother.” She snipped. “Do you need something else?” I asked her. “Just stay next to me.” She said, It felt like an honor to be told such by her. “Let me jump out of these clothes.” I tore the clothes, a reminder of where we'd been and what'd happened. “Pull me closer.” She cried. I pulled Emma so close. Her body felt heavier, and was even warming up. “I'm sorry, Emma.
Emma's POV “Would you have me read the results with him present?” The doctor asked me. “Yeah, he's my boyfriend.” I said, smiling. I rubbed Chase's face, pulling his beards with one hand, and rubbing my belly with the other. “You might want to sit up.” He said. “We are happy you came in for a check up today.” The kind old man said. I smiled. It was a big hospital downtown, fancy and very modern too. I felt more at peace with Chase by my side. “Emma Watson,” He wore the glasses which hung down from his neck and read my name out from a file in his hand, “I'm afraid, but we couldn't find a heartbeat.” I knew nothing about stuff like those. I'd never been or lived with a pregnant woman. I remember the look on their faces while the nurse kept tapping my belly and scanning round, but I didn't think it was a big deal. “What does that mean?” I heard Chase ask as my heart was already shattering, it could only mean one thing. My baby was dead. “Your baby is dead.” The doc
Chase's POVI knew I was kinda weird, maybe a bit confused. But I had genuine reason to believe Emma was doing too much. The food arrived soon, and we went to get it at the door. We were cool just a moment ago. I hate how we weren't yet at the point where we handle our shit maturely. “I'll get that.” I said, reaching for the bigger and heavier boxes. It was only instinctive to be more protective of her. She was carrying my baby. Whether or not we were ready for it. “Emma.” I called her quietly since we weren't both far from the rest’ earshot. “Yeah.” She turned, I saw the tear marks on her face. I was gonna say how I was sorry for blanking out on her, but the words just couldn't get out. “I'm…” I started, looking in multiple directions at once. “It’s okay.” Emma said, and walked in. I took a minute to process what had just happened. “Where were you man?” Gray screamed in delight as I entered. “Been looking in that direction for the past minute.” He added. I kn
Emma's POV I hadn't seen a worse expression on Chase's face than I saw when I announced that I was pregnant. Not like he looked disgusted or angry, it was just blank. The kind of blankness that births bad decisions. I literally didn't know how to do it any better. “You're not saying anything.” I croaked, nearly choking on my words. It wasn't exactly the best time to announce it, but I literally didn't know what else to do. The past days had been bliss, so beautiful I held the news back. I was scared of what his reaction would be, which is the exact reason I decided to say so in the midst of people. Chase had his eyes fixed on me, but still it didn't see like he was actually seeing me. “Baby?” I called him. “Uhm, I'm sorry.” He said, “Can we talk about it later?” He asked. “Sure.” I didn't have the emotional strength to even have the conversation at all. “I'll be back.” He said, and kissed my forehead. It was frosty as hell. It didn't feel like the warm lips that k
Chase's POV “Emma?” I called out to her. We'd spent the last two days together. I spent every hour of those days reassuring her that I was there for good. Meanwhile, my dad had been put under house arrest, meaning that we needed to go through due process to see him, or Emma's mother. “Yeah?” She replied softly. “How are you, really?” I asked her. “I remember the first and last time we had a conversation like this.” She said, turning in my sheets. They looked so perfect around her. Two days with Emma, and life was just what it was meant to be. “You were gonna propose the next day.” She said, I searched her face for annoyance, or residual hurt, but there was none. “I had my heart in my mouth all the while.” I confessed. “It's a thing with doing the right thing with the wrong motive.” “Don't ever pull that stunt on me again.” She said, “I swear.” I replied. “Could you please sleep back? I was gonna do a ‘breakfast in bed’ type of thing.” I poured playfully. She ha
Jessica's POV “How was your trip, my love?” My dad greeted me. I had just arrived from a fashion shoot in Paris for Diar. It was a big women's underwear designer brand. I had so many fashion shows and shoots coming up, but I decided to do a stopover cause my PA said my sister had been calling nonstop. Last time I set foot in County was for grad, about two days prior. “Why so friendly?” I asked, everything seemed so fucking weird. From the strange fleet of cars in our garage, to the unfamiliar murmur of men coming from the living room. My dad chuckled nervously, and scratched his bald head with his fat ass fingers. Fingers that held my family together. “There is something we should've told you.” He said, avoiding my eyes. I was still experiencing a bit of jet lag. I'd been in the air for over twelve hours cumulative for the past two days. I even had a shoot midair. It was one of my most exciting experiences. “What is it?” I asked him. I didn't like the look on his face
Grayson's POV “Do you,” The priest said, “Rowena,” it felt strange hearing my moms name, hadn't heard it in over ten years, “take Aldrich to be your husband, to love and hold on to, through the good times and the tough ones, whether you're rolling in dough or just scraping by, in sickness and in health, to stand by his side and love him, as long as y’all both shall live?” He looked at my mom who was already beaming so hard. “Yes.” She replied, holding my dads gaze. They both looked so foolish, so in love, so smitten. “I do.” She added as an afterthought. It made all ten of us in attendance giggle. My dads elder brother doubled as the priest, the ceremony was held on their rooftop. It's been over ten years since I'd been to this part of town. Mark's dad and his men, cracking down on my mom made it an absolute necessity. After Chase left that day, my mom came out to both my dad and I. Mark had attacked her family in Starry, her husband, the bastard, took their two kids and fle
Chase's POV “Chase, please leave me.” She said, It hurt me to hurt her, but seeing her like that was worse. “I can’t, Emma. You don't mean what you're saying.” I said to her, “I sure do, Chase. You're a liar.” He spat in my face. “You can't say that, Lily.” I replied to her. “You didn't just call me ‘Lily’?” She puffed, I knew I had made a very silly mistake. my thoughts were in a whirlwind, and I had also lost control of my tongue. “I’m sorry, Emma. Everything is so mixed up in my head.” I apologized. “Including Lily and I?” She asked in disbelief. “No, Emma.” I said. “I mean, I'm exhausted, I'm tired, I'm so fucking tired.” “That's no reason for you to do that.” Her lips were quaking and she looked away, I think I also saw pity in her eyes. “I'm sorry, Emma. I seem to be making too many mistakes. I'm a mistake, but none of these stops the gnawing feeling in my heart for you. Emma, I've spent lonely nights in this room wishing I didn't do what I did to
Chase's POV “It might be too much for you.” I reasoned, looking away. “Chase, please talk.” Emma's patience had thinned out and I could see it. “Emma,” I started, “the reason we're together today is because of this house.” She looked at me in surprise . “I don't get that.” She said, Normally, I hated when she made assumptions, but this was literally the one time her making assumptions would have suited me, cause the truth was too heavy for me to say. “I mean,” I had been looking for ways to make myself the only bad guy in the story, but her mom had to go down too, “Your mom promised me this house, in exchange for, in exchange for loving you.” I blurted. “What?!” She screamed. “What did you just say?” She asked. “So this has been a whole fucking deal all the while? My mom? No wonder she turned a blind eye to what happened.” Her eyes were glistening, reflecting the little light in the room cause they had tears pooling in them. “I ain't even trippin, it's really something