Chapter 11

Kiara’s POV

I woke up early in the morning since I fell asleep very early last night compared to when I usually go to bed. It was still dark outside. I opened the big window in the middle of my room to feel the cold, fresh air entering my bedroom. I went into the bathroom to take a shower and brush my teeth. Then I made my messy hair into something acceptable and put on some leggings with a sweater on top. I tried to dress up as comfortably as I could in the house since I couldn't do it outside anymore. I went downstairs to make myself a cup of coffee and something to eat but when I entered I saw Valentina, sleeping on the chair with a cup of scotch in her hand. I got scared and quickly walked to her. Then, I rubbed her shoulder to try to wake her up.

"Hey, Val. Come on, let me help you walk to your bedroom." I quietly said to not scare her while she was still sleepy.

She looked around with her red eyes "What happened?" she asked.

"I don't know, but everything is okay."

As I noticed her struggling to get up, I immediately rushed to her aid and put my head under her shoulder to help her climb up the stairs. I held her tight to ensure that she wouldn't fall or flip on the way up. As we reached the top of the stairs, I opened the door to the bedroom. The room had stunning black walls, and the bed was strategically placed in the middle of the room. Two tall windows on either side of the bed allowed natural light to flood the room. I couldn't help but notice the dressing table with a big mirror next to it, which had a beautiful golden frame. Two cupboards on both sides of the bed had candle stands and vases with fresh flowers that filled the room with a pleasant aroma. On the right wall, there was a door that led to what I assumed was the bathroom. Overall, the bedroom was beautifully decorated and looked incredible.

"Here you go." I whispered to not wake up Vincent who was sleeping on the left side of the bed. I carefully put Valentina in the bed next to her husband "Okay, good. Get some rest, okay?"

"Thank you, Ki. You are my best friend and I love you so much." she smiled wearily.

"Yeah well, you are my best friend too, Val." I smiled back "Now get some sleep." I stood up.

I left the room, wondering why was she in this situation. I was worried about what could have happened to see her like that.

I went back into the kitchen and turned on the coffee machine. Then, I got the cup of Valentina's drink and put it into the sink. I removed the tissues on the table that she probably used while she was crying and another cup that was halfway filled with water. Then I made my coffee and grabbed an avocado and some bread that I put in the toaster to make myself an avocado toast. I put it on a plate and began eating it on the table.

As I was enjoying my breakfast, I heard footsteps, coming from the stairs. I immediately knew it was Tom because he was the only one, who could have woken up that early. He entered the kitchen but I didn't stop eating or pay any attention to him.

"Good morning, Little Bird. What are you doing here so early, it's still almost dark outside?" he asked.

When I turned to look at him, I couldn't help myself but stare at his shirtless body. He was with grey sweatpants on the bottom and no shirt on top. His abs and hands were talking to me, I swear! At that moment he was hot, I couldn't lie. I bit my lip to hide my smile and tried to behave myself.

"Well, last night I went to bed very early and I got enough time to sleep. Why are you awake?" I asked.

"Got enough sleep, too." he said and opened the fridge. Then, he got a bottle of orange juice and sipped it into a cup. "Would you mind making me a coffee?" he asked.

"Yes, I would mind. I'm eating right now. God gave you those legs and hands to use them." I said.

He smiled annoyed and turned the coffee machine on. He waited a couple of seconds and got a cup. Then, his coffee was ready.

"Good job! Now do you want one of my toasts? I'm full already." I asked. It would have been rude if I didn't.

"No, I usually skip breakfast." he looked at the window "Would like to go outside for a walk with me? I usually run in the morning but I can walk this time," he implied.

"Sure, I don't have anything to do anyway." I said.

"Okay, let me just go to my room and put a shirt on." he smiled and left.

After a minute or two he came back. I grabbed my coffee and we went outside into the gigantic garden that the house had behind it.

"You know." I looked at him "When I walked into the kitchen earlier, I saw Valentina sleeping on the chair." I said. I didn't know if he was the right person to tell and that is why I didn't tell him more details but I had some hope he knew about what had happened.

"Oh! I talked last night with her, she was crying, I think you should talk to her because I didn't know what to do." Tom replied.

"Did she tell you what happened?" I asked.

"Yes, she told me that she can't get pregnant." Tom looked at me.

I stopped walking "She what?" I questioned shocked.

"Yes, and the doctors said that she has a minimum chance of getting a baby." he continued.

"I didn't know it was that serious. She never told anything about that."

"Neither did Vincent to me. She told me yesterday."

"No, there must be a way." I couldn't accept it.

"The problem is that she feels very guilty and Vincent doesn't understand her which makes Valentina even more upset. That was the main reason she was crying yesterday."

I didn't say anything back. We just continued walking in silence.

"You know" I spoke "My mother had a hard time getting pregnant with me too." he looked at me "And this topic is sensitive for me in one way or another, but I can't say that I understand her pain but I sure will be next to her the whole time. I'm sure that things will work out in the end. My

mother has always told me that if you really want something and believe in it, it will happen." I said and sadly smiled. I felt a tear dropping down my face and rushed to wipe it off.

I suddenly heard a notification sound on my phone. Curious, I picked it up and looked at the screen, only to see a message that immediately made my heart sink and my palms start to sweat. It was as if I had been transported back to a time in my life that I thought I had left behind. The memories flooded in and I couldn't shake the feeling that my life had fallen apart all over again. It was a message from my ex.

Hi, baby. Miss me?

I heard that you have a new job - being Tom Barton's whore. Just be careful, because if you tell anyone about that night, I'll turn your life into a nightmare, and you'll be forced to go through everything once again. Keep one eye open while you sleep ;)

Finn

No! No! No!