Chapter 2

Liam Novak

It was a relatively short drive from NHI headquarters to the NYU campus. When we arrived, Gordon got out, along with my other bodyguards. Students were walking around campus, others sitting under a tree or on a blanket on the grass outside. It reminded me of my days here at school when I would hang out with Jason and my other buddies, not forgetting the number of girls who were with us.  

Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at us. A few girls off to our right giggled as we passed by. They had been in a conversation before but stared at us and blushed. Jason winked at them, but I continued to make my way towards the entrance of the building.

We entered the main building which I remember housed the auditorium, and entering the auditorium, I asked the angels above to bless me. 

After a rather tedious forum, and the constant ogling sent my way from the women in the room, I was overjoyed at leaving the auditorium to hit the gym and have some rest in the confines of my home. I'd been to numerous business meetings all over the world, meetings that lasted hours upon hours, but being here and under the scrutiny of these women- some a lot older than me- I was exhausted. 

"So are we heading to the club later?" Jason asked. 

"No. I'll just head home and hit the gym." My night would be pretty simple; head to the gym that I set up in my house, then make dinner or order in. The rest would come as the night went on. 

As we round the corner by the locker aisle, I gasp when I see a redhead standing a few feet away. She's having a chat with a few students but I'd recognize her anywhere. When Jason recognized the person I'm looking at, he gasps also. 

"Isn't that...?" He trailed off, and I nodded, knowing who he's talking about. 

I smile. "Yes. It's her." I waste no time in walking up to her. The girls she's talking to all look at me and blush. I'd probably be affected a few months ago, but now I was a man on a mission. Probably sensing my presence from the stares I'm getting from her friends, she turns around and her eyes widen. "You." 

I smile. "Yes, Me. Hi..." I trail off and she looks behind me and blushes when she sees Jason. Jason wasn't entirely honest when he spoke about that night we'd met Mia and her friend here, but I could care less right now. So, I ignore them for now. "Where's your friend?" Never one to beat around the bushes, I waste no time in asking about Mia.

She looks like a deer caught in headlights when she hears my question. "W-Who?" 

"Mia," I clarify. "Where is she?" 

"She's uh...She's..." She stutters and glances at her back. I follow her gaze and realize that the girls I met her speaking to are still there. I'd totally forgotten about them. But, I'm still not bothered. I have a mission to accomplish. 

"Does she attend this university?" I ask, getting impatient. 

She nods rather quickly, and my heart soars at her answer. Mia goes to school here. She may be here right now, and I'll be able to see her. 

"So where is she?" I ask once again. I'm so close to finding her, and the only obstacle that seems to be standing in my way, is her friend. "What's your name?" I ask, not having gotten her name that night. She'd refused to give it to us, and I couldn't say I blamed her. Jason and I were strangers. 

"Zoe," she replied. She glanced at her friends one last time, and they nod and leave. When she turns to look at me, she says, "I'll show you." 

I breathe a sigh of relief when she leads us outside and into the mini campus park. I look at my best friend and bodyguards who are following me. They've all known about Mia since that night, and on numerous occasions had assisted me when I'd gone out to look for her at night. 

The campus park still looked the same. There were a few tables and chairs under trees. I immediately remember coming here during free periods to study or sometimes hang out with my flavor of the week. This place always provided a sense of relaxation and comfort for students. 

There were students sitting or lying down blankets while they chatted. Realizing that Zoe has stopped walking, I look around. A few feet away, directly in-front of me, sitting on a large blanket is Mia. Her back's facing towards me, but I'd know her from anywhere. Her blonde hair is wrapped up into a bun on the top of her head. From how she's sitting, I can see that she's dressed in a white hoodie. Longing to see more of her alluring features, I hurry towards her.

When I'm standing directly behind her, I say, "Mia." 

She froze. 

I used that opportunity to walk in-front of her, and I gasp when I see her. She's pregnant. 

"Y-Y-You're..." I trail off. She didn't have to tell me. I knew I got her pregnant. She's not the kind of girl to sleep around, which explains her innocence when we met. She's been pregnant all this time, and I had no idea. How was I supposed to know, anyway? I've been trying to find her for months to no avail.

She stares at me, shocked, and I don't even know what to say. I'm not sure if I'm more shocked about finally finding her, or knowing that she's pregnant. "You're pregnant," I repeat, my voice a mere whispers, and she nods. I close my eyes when a few tears run down her cheeks and I'm taken aback. Does she think I don't want this baby or that I'd reject her? I've lived all these months as a shell of a person trying to find her. 

"I wanted to tell you, but I didn't know your name, or remember anything that ensued that night." She pauses and wipes a few tears away. "I'm so sorry." He voice cracks on the last words, and she sniffles.

It pains my heart to see her like this. Not wanting to be away from her any longer, I stretch out my hand for her, and she held unto me. I carefully helped her up, and pulled her into my arms. I breathed a sigh of relief to know that she's in my arms, and I smiled to know that she's carrying my baby. 

"You don't have to be sorry. It's my fault. I didn't tell you my name, anyway." I wipe her tears away and look into her eyes. I gasp when I see the hazel color. I vividly remember them being grey that night, but I couldn't be so sure. "Your eyes are so beautiful."

She blushed and avoided my gaze. "Thank you," she whispered.

I finally looked at her and smiled. She had on leggings with the white hoodie, and she was barefooted. I knew that pregnant women experienced swelling, but in the later stages of pregnancy. She should only be about 5 months into the pregnancy.

Looking at the rounded baby bump, I gently placed my hands securely around it. "How's the baby doing?" 

She looked at me and smiled. "Great. Healthy too." She paused for a moment to look at me and then continued, "I have an appointment this Monday. I'll be finding out the sex of the baby. Would you like to come with me?" 

I was going to be a dad, and I was ecstatic. I'd get to see my baby and find out the sex. But I didn't really mind the sex of our baby. I only wanted a healthy baby. That's all. And a baby who looked exactly like her.

"I'd love to," I replied and her smile got even wider. "This is amazing." 

"I still don't know your name," she said and I chuckled. It was rare to find someone who didn't know my name in this country. She was a first, actually, and that gave me hope that she didn't know how rich my family was.

"Liam," I answered. "Liam Novak." 

She gasped and her eyes widened. Her mouth moved several times, but no words came out. I chuckled at her reaction. She knew me after all. 

"The Liam Novak? Lady Killer Novak?" 

I laughed and pulled her in for a hug. It felt so right to have her in my arms, to touch her and it was indeed my pleasure to feel her baby bump and know that we created a new life together, even if we did it under the influence of alcohol. 

"Lady Killer, huh? I always hated that." I chuckled.

Our private moment was disrupted by the clearing of a throat. I looked at Jason and Zoe standing there. My bodyguards were surrounding us and staring off into the distant- like bodyguards should do when needed. 

Mia sat down, folding her books and putting them in her side-bag. I looked at her laptop and frowned at the rather ancient brand and its awful conditions. She was carrying my baby. She needed the best of everything, and I will give it to her. 

Note to self: Buy her a new Laptop. Probably one of the latest phones too. 

She put on her peep-toe flats and was about to stand. I helped her up and held unto her bag as Zoe took her belongings and folded the blanket. 

"I'm so sorry. I really need to go. I have this test in a few minutes," she said and it amazed me even more that she was taking her education seriously. It brought me to remember that she was studying when I found her here earlier. 

"I hope I didn't disturb your study time." 

She smiled and shook her head. "It was a rather pleasant surprise to see you here."

I smiled and clasped our hands together. "I'd really like your number so that we can talk." She nodded and gave me her cell phone number. I quickly saved her number as 'My love', and put my phone away. Kissing her on her cheek, I watched as she blushed beet red, and looked away. 

"I'll see you soon, Mia," I said as she walked away with Zoe, heading towards a campus building. I looked at her until she was no longer in sight. When I turned to look at Jason, he smirked, and Ben who was standing next to him, grinned at me. Grinned. 

"Whipped. That's what you are; Whipped," Jason said as he grinned at me. 

And I believed him. I was utterly and definitely whooped and there's not a thing anyone could do about it. 

~**~

Later that night, coming from the gym, I quickly picked up my phone from my bedside table and searched for Mia's number. I needed to hear her voice- desperately. 

When I saw 'My love's' contact info, I smiled, and called her. It ringed once, then twice, and a few other times. When I was about to hang up, someone picked up, but when I heard the voice, I realized that it was Zoe. 

"Hi Zoe. Where's Mia?" 

"Liam? Oh, Hey. Mia's asleep at the moment. She was very tired when she came home today."

I was a little disappointed that she was asleep, but after hearing that she was tired, I realized that the baby must get her really tired, along with going to school. "How long has she been asleep?"

"A few hours." 

Looking at the clock on my bedside table, I smiled. It was only 7 pm, and I could go visit her instead of going to bed. "Please text me your apartment address. I'll be there soon." 

"Okay, sure. I'll text you," she replied. 

"Thanks," I said, and hung up. 

I went to my bathroom and took a bath, savoring the warm water on my skin after a few hours at the gym. Walking out of the bathroom, I wrapped myself in a towel and entered my walk-in closet. I grabbed a white t-shirt, Calvin Klein boxer briefs and a pair of black sweatpants, not wanting to dress up because it's evening. I put on a black hoodie and grab a pair of black converse. When I'm dressed and ready to go, I run my fingers through my hair and grab my phone and keys. 

I walk into my garage and hop into my F430 Black Ferrari. I'd given my bodyguards and driver the night off so I'd have to drive myself to Mia and Zoe's apartment. Looking at my phone, there's a text message from Mia and I open it to find their apartment's address. I input it into my car's GPS and realize that this is actually an upscale apartment complex that they're living in. 

Myers. 

That name surely does ring a bell when I think about it. The only Myers I know are Suzan and Zack Myers. But they have a daughter. Could it be Zoe?

Zoe Myers?

That's where her name came from, and if I'd actually known either Zoe or Mia's last name, I would've been able to get in contact with one, which would lead me to finding Mia sooner.  

Myers. 

The drive to the apartment complex was rather brief. I walked in and the receptionist immediately started with women's famous ogling and gawking. She's a pretty brunette who's showing way too much cleavage to the public. She bats her eyelashes at me, and I frown. Months ago, I would've tolerated her, and probably asked for her number, but I was becoming a dad for crying out loud. Upstairs, in a bed, lay my beautiful queen, waiting for my arrival- although she had no idea I was coming. I walked up to her and she blushed. 

"Mr. Novak, Welcome," she said in a rather seductive tone, and I cringed. 

"Hello. I'd like to know on what floor Zoe and Mia lives." At the mention of the names, she frowned. In another situation, I would've laughed, but it was really such a pleasure to see her reaction when I called their names. 

"They're in the penthouse suite. Floor 30." 

I thanked her and walked towards the elevator. When the elevator dinged, I walked out and knocked on the door. Seconds later Zoe opened the door, and let me in. The interior of the suite was beautifully decorated and suited both Zoe and Mia. All the furniture were in different shades of color but didn't seem to be too colorful. 

"Her bedroom's that way," Zoe said and I went to the door that she was pointing towards. 

When I entered the room, Mia was laying in the fetal position under the covers. Her hair was spread out on the pillows and she looked completely adorable. I smiled as I looked at her baby bump- protecting our little gem that we'd created together. She looked even more alluring, and this brought tears to my eyes. Imagine how much of a perfect mother she'd be. 

I sat down on a near-by chair and watched as she took each breath as she slept silently. 

Beauty.