Emily's POV.My heart did a double flip as Adrian walked into the ward. He had a warm smile on his face.I couldn't help but wonder if the smile would still remain intact after I've broken the news of my condition to him.Nonetheless, I had no choice left, Bridget said he hated dishonest people and the last thing I wanted was for him to see me that way. I needed to tell him before he finds out. Pregnancy isn't something that could be hidden for a long time."Pleasant morning, Adrian," I tried to smile through my tensed state."It's always good to see you, Emily," I tried to hide my blush but it was an epic fail. I couldn't stop grinning sheepishly. Adrian is a charming man. He knew the right words to use at the perfect time. It was the first time I was experiencing such level of admiration from a man in my entire existence. "Here, have this," he handed a package to me, he always did that whenever he came visiting. "Thank you," I dropped it on the center table and motioned for him t
Emily's POV.Be careful, don't step on any hard surface," Adrian cooed, his gaze carefully laid on me as he led me towards his car. I had been discharged and he was taking me home just like he had earlier promised. I couldn't help but wonder how someone like him would go out of his way to please someone like me. A hopeless pregnant woman. His kind heart was unmatched. "Adrian, I'm fine, I can clearly see my way," I groaned, rolling my eyes at him. "It's not helping that you see me as a vegetable."He bursted into laughter, shaking his head amusedly. "But veggies are colorful and they add so much spice to foods, being a vegetable isn't so bad you know,"I gasped dramatically, feigning shock. "How dare you!" I growled. Adrian and I have gotten so close over the past few days, and I have loosened up a great deal around him. Despite my firm resolve not to put my trust in anyone since Liam's situation, somehow I could feel myself getting really attached to him and he was gaining my trus
Emily's POV.I stirred gently in my sleep and slowly pulled my eyes open as the early morning sun rays penetrated into the room through the window. It was the first time I was waking up in the morning with so much happiness and peace of the heart. I had almost forgotten what it felt like to be so free and happy.I laid still in the bed for a few more minutes taking in the fresh breath of serenity before standing up and headed into the bathroom. I ran a quick bath and fixed myself together before making my way to the living room."Woah!" A light gasp escaped my lips as I felt a delightful aroma whisk through my nostrils. Someone was in the kitchen and whatever they were preparing scented so incredible. In a bid to satisfy my curiosity, I traced my step towards the kitchen and peeped through the door, my eyes widened in shock as my gaze landed on Adrian with his back against me as he diligently added different recipes into the pot on fire while humming to himself.I couldn't hold bac
Emily's POV. Adrian swiftly turned around to face me with a remorseful look on his face. "Emily, that was totally not supposed to happen, I'm really sorry," "It's... Uhm... It's fine, trust me, no offense taken," I stuttered, struggling to put myself together. That was a really weird incident, I mean, whoever that lady was, she truly was scary. "Don't take her words to heart, those were empty threats," he reached out to grab my hands, stroking them soothingly. I nodded slowly, trying so hard to hide my discomfort under a fake grin. I could tell she meant every word she said. "C'mon, let's eat now," he led me back to the dining. I desperately wanted an explanation for what happened, I wanted to know who she was to him and what could be the cause of their fallout, but he looked like he wasn't ready to talk about it yet. As much as I was desperate for a total disclosure, I also didn't want to say anything that would infuriate him more. No one said a word to anyon
Emily's POV.I looked through the window, tears clouding my eyes as Adrian drove us to the airport. He's had the company sorted and we were finally leaving the country. I couldn't believe I was about to flee the country with a total stranger. But instead of remorse or guilt, there was a pinch of happiness simmering at the tip of my stomach. I was leaving behind the horrible memories that I endured for four years, it was finally time to move on.Adrian was far from being a stranger to me right now. He was a good Samaritan, showing up when I needed help the most, and hasn't given up on me yet. I was glad someone with such a good heart like him existed, if he hadn't shown up when he did, I'd still be in the cold street right now.I was beyond happy he found his way to me just when I needed him the most and I was super excited to be relocating to London with him. It was obvious beyond every doubt that I was in good hands. But despite how happy I was, I couldn't deny that a part of my
Emily's POV. I couldn't help the cold jitters that ran through my entire system as we drove into the large mansion. Peeping through the window, I admired the elegant building and its beautiful environment. I was wowed but not really surprised. I was quite aware that Adrian came from a wealthy home, the above mansion was a testament to it. "Remain seated," he whispered to me, before getting down from the car. I watched in total confusion as he sprinted towards my side of the car, wondering what he was up to. He walked up to the passenger side where I was seated and pulled the door open. "At your service, mademoiselle," he said, stretching forth his hand towards me with a wide smile on his face. I couldn't help the laughter that bubbled through my mouth. "Well, thank you, kind monsieur," I placed my hand on his and he helped me climb down gently. Almost immediately, the front door flung open, and a few middle-aged men and women whom I assumed to be the house workers walked towa
Emily's POV. I was certain who the voice belonged to but to satisfy my curiosity, I turned around slightly and I wasn't wrong in my assumption. It was truly her. Elisha, Adrian's scary ex fiancee.I couldn't help but wonder why she was this persistent in getting him back despite being the one who cheated.I couldn't place my head around a tangible reason that could have pushed her to cheat on a man like Adrian. Liam was extremely horrible to me but never had I thought once of cheating on him. Elisha doesn't in any way deserve Adrian and I'm glad she was caught before she was able to lure him into marriage. This isn't in any way coming from a place of jealousy but care for the man who did everything to help me when I had given up on life. I do not have any romantic feelings for him and never will. I was more focused now on my wellbeing and that of my child. I do not have any plans of developing some sort of romantic feelings for any man. Not with everything Liam did to me."Elis
Emily's POV."This is ridiculous," Mrs Gonzalez breathed out, her gaze fixed intently on me."Alright, that's enough for now, we just arrived, and I'm sure Emily is jet lagged," Adrian quickly grabbed my hands."I'll meet you later for the report Dad," And with that, he led the way toward the stairs. "I hope this suits your taste?" He said as he led me to a large room, beautifully designed. "It's just for tonight, we leave for my house tomorrow,""It's perfect, thank you," I mumbled, my gaze fixed on the floor, unable to look him in the eyes. "You can settle in then, and get a good rest, you must be tired, I'll be in my room, if you need anything don't hesitate to have the house workers direct you to my room," he added and I nodded frantically.Without saying any more word to me, he turned around and headed out but I was quick enough to grab his hands before he walked out of the door."Uhm... Do you need anything?" His gaze was everywhere but my face, it was obvious that he was avo
The restaurant was warm, the golden lights casting a cozy glow over the sleek wooden tables. Soft jazz music played in the background, mingling with the murmurs of the other diners, the clinking of silverware against fine china.I sat by the window, stirring my drink absentmindedly as I watched the city move outside. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was alone. No responsibilities pressing on my shoulders, no demands clawing at my time. Just me, a beautifully plated meal, and the illusion of peace.I let out a long sigh, sinking into the plush chair, allowing myself to bask in the moment. Life had been... exhausting. For years, I had been running. Not literally, but emotionally, mentally. Running to fix things, to prove myself, to erase the shadows of the past. And on top of that, I had a daughter now—a beautiful, sweet little girl who meant everything to me. She had Ryan’s piercing eyes, his lips, but my face. Every time I looked at her, it was like seeing pieces of him
Aria's POV. It had been two years since everything changed... since the scandal that turned my world upside down. And then my parents had it fixed. Christie, Josh and I were done with highschool and now in our first year in college. And just like every other day, we were laughing about some stupid class project as we made our way down the sidewalk.Suddenly, my phone tucked in my pocket and I quickly fetched it from my pocket, I didn't recognize the number, but it was an unknown area code, and something about it made my stomach drop.“Hold on, guys,” I said to Christie and Josh before picking the call “Hello?” “Is this Aria Liam's?” a calm voice on the other end asked.“Yes,” I replied, getting confused now. “This is city hall hospital. We need you to come in immediately. Your presence is required.”My mind raced. The urgency in the voice sent a chill down my spine. “What happened? Is everything okay?”“I’m afraid I can’t give you any details over the phone,” she said. “But it’s
Aria's POV.I had never been so relieved to return to school. Two weeks off, two long weeks of hiding away in my room, avoiding the pitying stares from neighbors, and the whispers of strangers who thought they knew everything. But today, today I was going back. I wasn’t going alone either. My parents were walking beside me, I didn’t know exactly what they had planned, but I knew they were going to do something about the scandal. Something that would either make everything better.. or make it worse.I adjusted the strap of my bag, glancing at my parents as we walked through the front gate of the school. Mom was standing tall, shoulders squared, walking with a determined pace. Dad, on the other hand, had his hands jammed deep into his pockets. They looked like the same parents I had known my whole life, though today felt different. They were on a mission.The moment we stepped onto school grounds, I could feel the tension. The eyes. People were still talking about us.. about the scanda
Aria's POV.The moment I broke the hug, a strange sensation crawled through my body. It wasn’t pain, but something that felt like an overwhelming wave, an unsettling force pulling at my insides. My stomach twisted, and a sudden wave of nausea surged up through my chest, catching me off guard. My vision blurred, and I swayed, struggling to keep myself upright. I gripped the edge of the chair, my fingers digging into the hard surface in an attempt to ground myself. But her body wasn’t listening to me. It felt like it had betrayed me, as if it had no control of its own."Hey, Aria, what's wrong?" I heard distant voices but I couldn't make out who they belonged to.My head spun, the room seeming to tilt at an impossible angle. The world around me began to dissolve, the sounds muffled as if underwater. I gasped for air, trying to steady myself, but it was as though the air itself had become thick, too heavy for me to breathe. My chest tightened, and my pulse raced, the noise of my heartbea
Aria's POV.The days dragged on, each one stretching endlessly without Ryan. The grief was a living thing, wrapping around me, suffocating me. I missed him in ways that words could never capture. It wasn’t just his presence; it was the way he made me feel, the way he could make even the worst moments bearable. Now, everything was unbearable.I hadn’t left my room much, only stepping out when my body physically forced me to. I barely ate. I barely slept. When I did sleep, it was restless, haunted by dreams of Ryan... his voice, his touch, his warmth. Only to wake up to the cruel reality that he was gone.Christie and Josh had been my lifeline, visiting almost daily. They would knock, call my name softly, and even if I didn’t answer, they would sit outside my door for hours, talking about everything and nothing at all. I didn’t deserve them, but I needed them. Even if I could barely acknowledge it.It was a week of my suspension today, after spending hours lying in bed, staring blankly
Ryan's POV.It had been days. Days since Ryan had disappeared from my life, leaving nothing but an empty hole where my heart used to be. I could still feel the echoes of his presence, haunting the corners of the house, in the space where his laughter used to ring, in the quiet that used to be filled with his voice. But now, everything felt hollow. I hadn’t heard from him since that video, that live confession. And with every passing moment, the silence grew louder, consuming me more and more until I couldn’t tell where I ended and the emptiness began.I sat on the floor in the far corner of my room, my knees drawn up to my chest, arms wrapped tightly around them as if I could protect myself from the overwhelming emptiness that consumed me. The walls felt like they were closing in. The quiet, the stillness, it suffocated me. My mind wouldn’t let me escape the thoughts of him. Of what he said. Of what he did. Of what he could have done to escape this nightmare.My heart kept trying to
Aria's POV.I didn’t think. I just ran.My feet slammed against the cold floor of the hallway as I hurtled down the stairs, my heart racing, pounding in chaotic rhythm. It was as though my entire body was trying to escape the terror and helplessness that consumed me, trying to outrun the suffocating fear that had taken over my mind. My thoughts were a blur, a haze of desperate urgency, but they all had one single, overpowering focus: Ryan.I had to find him. I had to stop him.I absolutely don't know where he is or where to find him but one thing was sure, I will get him back.The words from his confession echoed in my head, over and over again: “I’m leaving. I’ll disappear.”No. He couldn’t. He couldn’t just leave me. Not after everything. Not after the bond we shared, the love, the years of quiet, stolen moments that had built up between us. Ryan was my everything. He was my protector, my constant, the one person who had never looked at me with judgment, never turned his back on me,
Aria’s POV. my heart pounded against my ribcage, each beat echoing in my ears like a warning. Something felt wrong... deeply wrong. I couldn't quite place it, but it clawed at my insides. The silence in the house was unnerving, oppressive, like the air itself had thickened. The usual heated house filled with laughter and happiness was absent since the day Ryan and I got outed, but today's emptiness felt different. It was as if the whole house had been drained of sound, leaving behind only an unsettling stillness.My eyes darted nervously over the hallway as I reached Ryan’s door. My hand trembled slightly as I pushed it open, the door creaked softly and I stepped inside, expecting to find him lounging on the bed, headphones in, oblivious to the world as he has been doing since the whole scandal. But when I looked around, my stomach sank.His room was completely… empty.The bed was made finely as though no one has laid on it for a while, the edges of the blanket smooth. The chair at h
Aria's POV.I laid lifelessly on my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. I could tell my eyes has gotten swollen and red from crying, but no matter how much I tried, the tears wouldn’t stop threatening to spill over again. I curled up tightly under my blanket, trying to block out the whirlwind of emotions threatening to consume mr. It's the second day of my suspension and it felt like it had already lasted a lifetime, and the thought of enduring this for two weeks was unbearable.The silence in the house was oppressive, broken only by the faint hum of the air conditioning. I have been replaying every moment of the ordeal in my mind, trying to understand how things had spiraled so far out of control. I wanted so desperately for things to go back to how they were, to have my parents' love and trust again, and for the world to stop feeling like it was closing in on me. Each time I thought I had run out of tears, a fresh wave of sorrow would crash over me, leaving me sobbing into my pill