EvelynIt took time to calm my racing thoughts, but even now, I had no answers. Still nothing but a plain sheet of blank covering my whole mind. Every corner.I needed to hear it from Jacob—his opinion, his view. This wasn’t just my decision or a race alone. It was ours.We had to face this situation together…For….Our baby.“I’ve looked into a few venues,” Jacob murmured, brushing his thumb over my ring. The moonlight caught it, making it gleam. “I liked some, but a few need a closer look. You should come with me,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of my head, “Well, you are coming with me.”His warmth lulled me for a moment, my eyes fluttering shut.“So, no more secrets like everything else?” I teased, a soft chuckle escaping as I leaned back against him. His chest met my back, his warmth hugging me and his nose grazed my neck as he inhaled deeply. “If I could keep it a secret, I would,” he deadpanned, making me laugh again. “But I want the venue to be your choice. Besides
EvelynI stepped out of the doctor's office, my heart heavy and light all at once. It thudded violently against my ribs, my breath coming in shallow bursts. My skin felt cold, and tears prickled at the corners of my eyes. The feelings surged, intensifying with every second, creeping into every cell of my body.I felt lost. Hopeless. Overwhelmed.Was I ready to be a mother?I didn't know.Was it too soon? Maybe.But not once, in the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in my mind, did the idea of harming the tiny soul growing inside me cross my mind. My decision had already been made before I even realized there was one to make. I knew what I was going to do.I just didn't know how.Two and a half months. Probably from our time in America. And yet, until two days ago, the thought hadn't even occurred to me.Lost in thought, I pushed open the door to our apartment. The evening light filtered through the large windows, casting a warm glow. I froze when I spotted Jacob. He stood facing the mirr
JacobI sat in my office, drenched in sweat, my breath shallow and quick. Dread crawled under my skin, seeping into my bones, invading every inch of me until I was cold. The air around me felt thick, suffocating, and each breath I managed to draw seemed to take all my strength. It was suddenly a chore to keep breathing and stay alive.I paced back and forth, running a hand through my hair, the dim light above the ceiling the only thing cutting through the darkness. I couldn’t bear to be in complete darkness right now. I needed to see something, anything, just to remind myself I was still here."Calm down," I muttered, trying to steady my shaking hands, clenching them into fists at my sides. "Fucking calm down."It had been years—years since I’d felt like this.The last time was when I was fifteen.I thought I'd outgrown it, that I had put all of it behind me. The fear. The pain. The panic. Why now? Why was it coming back?"He's dead," I breathed out, burying my face in my hands. The w
EvelynSunlight filtered through the small gap between the curtains, landing softly on my face. I squeezed my eyes shut, determined not to wake up, but it only lasted a moment before I gave in. Panic shot through every one of my veins as I opened my eyes and saw the empty space beside me.Sitting up hurriedly, I scanned the room.Did he not come home last night?I slipped on my slippers, ready to search for him, when a realization stopped me in my tracks. I'd fallen asleep on the sofa, waiting for him. Yet here I was, waking up in bed. The memory hit me then—his strong arms carrying me to bed, his warmth enveloping me as he held me close.I stepped out of the bedroom, my ears catching the soft clatter of utensils. Following the sounds to the kitchen, I found him there, cooking breakfast.A sigh of relief escaped me at the sight. He stood at the stove, relaxed and focused, as if the weight of our troubles didn't exist. As if we didn't have a situation to handle. As if we both weren't w
EvelynIt was noon when I couldn’t stand the silence any longer. It was suffocating, eating away at me, and I had no idea how to face it. So, I did the only thing I could—opened the damn door and walked out.Jacob was sitting on the couch, his head lowered, eyes fixed on his hands, clenching them together like they could somehow hold him together. The sound of my footsteps must have pulled him from his haze because his gaze shifted to me, and I saw the tension in his shoulders ease. A quiet sigh escaped his lips.He didn’t say a word, just stood as I walked toward him, stopping just a breath away. My chest tightened. Tears were threatening to spill, and worse—he could see it. That made it worse, because now I couldn’t hide it. The lump in my throat grew with each passing second.Before I could say anything, he raised his hands, cupping my face gently. His touch shattered whatever restraint I had left, and my chin trembled, fighting to hold back the flood of tears.He seemed to feel it
EvelynThe soft sound of someone shifting and moving around the room pulled me from the depths of sleep. My eyes blinked open, heavy with lingering grogginess, and I saw Jacob getting ready—probably for the office, judging by his sharp suit.Dragging myself up despite the weight of sleep threatening to drag me back into the sea of the mattress, I yawned. Maybe it was just another side effect of pregnancy—this constant, consuming need to rest.“What are you doing?” I mumbled, voice thick with sleep.Jacob froze mid-motion, his hand hesitating as he fastened his watch. He turned toward me, his gaze softening as he abandoned the task and approached the bed. “Sorry, baby, did I wake you up?” he murmured, leaning down to caress my cheek.“Not really.” I let out another yawn. “But why are you leaving so early? You usually head out much later than this.”A small chuckle escaped him as he caught my hands, preventing me from rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “Don’t do that,” he teased. “If you w
Warning/ Trigger warning This book contains strong mature content and illicit language, read at your own risk. *****A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he leaned closer, his warm breath grazing my ear, causing a shiver to run down my spine. "What's your reason, may I ask?"I swallowed hard, my voice barely a whisper as I confessed, "I... I had a hangover."Jacob's lips brushed against my earlobe, "People only drink for two reasons, Evelyn," he murmured, the sensation sending a jolt through my body and I clenched my thighs together, "Either for pleasure or pain."If I wasn't in the pool, surely my arousal could have proven to be enough of a good reason for my dampened panties. "What is your reason?" "Both." I unknowingly confessed and A smirk curved on his tempting lips, his eyes glinting with a knowing spark."I see. You appear rather stressed. Is there anything I can do to help you relax?" That suggestive tone.....******A few days ago: Evelyn "You have no right to look this b
Evelyn.The morning sunlight infiltrated the room through the window, its warm rays rousing me from my slumber. I reluctantly pried my eyes open, only to have them promptly shut again in protest against the intrusive light.Letting out a disgruntled sigh, I buried my face in the pillow, hoping to shield myself from the unwelcome morning.Mornings. Ugh! I despised them with a passion.Even more than my periods.Groaning, I finally dragged myself out of bed, deliberately averting my gaze from the blinding sun, I stumbled my way to the bathroom. As usual, I brushed my teeth at a tortoise's pace, trying to delay the inevitable start of the day.As usual, I brushed my teeth at a tortoise's pace and took a shower. I made sure to scrub away any remnants of sleep, unwilling to risk looking like a ghost amidst the uncertainty of potential guests.While the gathering had mostly been arranged amongst family members, I vaguely recalled my dad mentioning a few of his friends being invited, too.I
EvelynThe soft sound of someone shifting and moving around the room pulled me from the depths of sleep. My eyes blinked open, heavy with lingering grogginess, and I saw Jacob getting ready—probably for the office, judging by his sharp suit.Dragging myself up despite the weight of sleep threatening to drag me back into the sea of the mattress, I yawned. Maybe it was just another side effect of pregnancy—this constant, consuming need to rest.“What are you doing?” I mumbled, voice thick with sleep.Jacob froze mid-motion, his hand hesitating as he fastened his watch. He turned toward me, his gaze softening as he abandoned the task and approached the bed. “Sorry, baby, did I wake you up?” he murmured, leaning down to caress my cheek.“Not really.” I let out another yawn. “But why are you leaving so early? You usually head out much later than this.”A small chuckle escaped him as he caught my hands, preventing me from rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “Don’t do that,” he teased. “If you w
EvelynIt was noon when I couldn’t stand the silence any longer. It was suffocating, eating away at me, and I had no idea how to face it. So, I did the only thing I could—opened the damn door and walked out.Jacob was sitting on the couch, his head lowered, eyes fixed on his hands, clenching them together like they could somehow hold him together. The sound of my footsteps must have pulled him from his haze because his gaze shifted to me, and I saw the tension in his shoulders ease. A quiet sigh escaped his lips.He didn’t say a word, just stood as I walked toward him, stopping just a breath away. My chest tightened. Tears were threatening to spill, and worse—he could see it. That made it worse, because now I couldn’t hide it. The lump in my throat grew with each passing second.Before I could say anything, he raised his hands, cupping my face gently. His touch shattered whatever restraint I had left, and my chin trembled, fighting to hold back the flood of tears.He seemed to feel it
EvelynSunlight filtered through the small gap between the curtains, landing softly on my face. I squeezed my eyes shut, determined not to wake up, but it only lasted a moment before I gave in. Panic shot through every one of my veins as I opened my eyes and saw the empty space beside me.Sitting up hurriedly, I scanned the room.Did he not come home last night?I slipped on my slippers, ready to search for him, when a realization stopped me in my tracks. I'd fallen asleep on the sofa, waiting for him. Yet here I was, waking up in bed. The memory hit me then—his strong arms carrying me to bed, his warmth enveloping me as he held me close.I stepped out of the bedroom, my ears catching the soft clatter of utensils. Following the sounds to the kitchen, I found him there, cooking breakfast.A sigh of relief escaped me at the sight. He stood at the stove, relaxed and focused, as if the weight of our troubles didn't exist. As if we didn't have a situation to handle. As if we both weren't w
JacobI sat in my office, drenched in sweat, my breath shallow and quick. Dread crawled under my skin, seeping into my bones, invading every inch of me until I was cold. The air around me felt thick, suffocating, and each breath I managed to draw seemed to take all my strength. It was suddenly a chore to keep breathing and stay alive.I paced back and forth, running a hand through my hair, the dim light above the ceiling the only thing cutting through the darkness. I couldn’t bear to be in complete darkness right now. I needed to see something, anything, just to remind myself I was still here."Calm down," I muttered, trying to steady my shaking hands, clenching them into fists at my sides. "Fucking calm down."It had been years—years since I’d felt like this.The last time was when I was fifteen.I thought I'd outgrown it, that I had put all of it behind me. The fear. The pain. The panic. Why now? Why was it coming back?"He's dead," I breathed out, burying my face in my hands. The w
EvelynI stepped out of the doctor's office, my heart heavy and light all at once. It thudded violently against my ribs, my breath coming in shallow bursts. My skin felt cold, and tears prickled at the corners of my eyes. The feelings surged, intensifying with every second, creeping into every cell of my body.I felt lost. Hopeless. Overwhelmed.Was I ready to be a mother?I didn't know.Was it too soon? Maybe.But not once, in the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in my mind, did the idea of harming the tiny soul growing inside me cross my mind. My decision had already been made before I even realized there was one to make. I knew what I was going to do.I just didn't know how.Two and a half months. Probably from our time in America. And yet, until two days ago, the thought hadn't even occurred to me.Lost in thought, I pushed open the door to our apartment. The evening light filtered through the large windows, casting a warm glow. I froze when I spotted Jacob. He stood facing the mirr
EvelynIt took time to calm my racing thoughts, but even now, I had no answers. Still nothing but a plain sheet of blank covering my whole mind. Every corner.I needed to hear it from Jacob—his opinion, his view. This wasn’t just my decision or a race alone. It was ours.We had to face this situation together…For….Our baby.“I’ve looked into a few venues,” Jacob murmured, brushing his thumb over my ring. The moonlight caught it, making it gleam. “I liked some, but a few need a closer look. You should come with me,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of my head, “Well, you are coming with me.”His warmth lulled me for a moment, my eyes fluttering shut.“So, no more secrets like everything else?” I teased, a soft chuckle escaping as I leaned back against him. His chest met my back, his warmth hugging me and his nose grazed my neck as he inhaled deeply. “If I could keep it a secret, I would,” he deadpanned, making me laugh again. “But I want the venue to be your choice. Besides
EvelynTwo days had passed since the excitement of Jacob's proposal, but something else had been gnawing at me like a relentless leech. One nagging, soul-crushing question: Was I even on the pill?The fact that I couldn't remember was maddening. It felt like trying to grasp smoke. I needed to know—desperately. And worse, there was no one I could ask. Who else would know about my pregnancy precautions? That was my responsibility. Solely mine. And I had failed. Miserably.I bit the inside of my cheek, shutting my eyes tightly, trying to will the memory back. Nothing. Just a hazy void where clarity should have been.The only person who might help? Nancy.Jacob was still in the shower, so I had time to call her. My fingers fumbled over my phone as I pulled up her contact and hit FaceTime.The call rang. And rang. Anxiety surged like a tidal wave, crashing harder with each unanswered ring."Pick up, you stupid bitch," I muttered under my breath, pacing the room. "Come on, I need you! Pick
EvelynThe morning came but my excitement didn’t fade. Overjoyed, I called Clara.Sitting on the bed, I held my phone up for FaceTime, the ringing tone filling the room as I waited for her to pick up. My heart was still soaring, and I couldn't help but smile, practically glowing.I mean, come on! I was engaged.This was no less than a dream, and I clung to it with everything I had, even though I knew Jacob would never let anyone or anything take it away. He was here—right here, beside me, forever.“Why isn’t she picking up?” Jacob’s voice broke through my thoughts. His chin rested on my shoulder, his arms wrapped securely around me as he pulled me closer making me meet his body warmth. A frown creased his brow. “Do you think they’re, I don’t know...making babies?”I gasped, turning my head to gape at him. “What’s wrong with you?!”“What?” He shrugged, his smirk growing infuriatingly. “It’s a plausible reason. Your dad can’t be trusted, you know.”“Excuse me?” I jabbed my finger into h
EvelynJacob's body froze at my question, his green eyes flickering with a strange realization. Slowly, his grip on me loosened, and he stepped away, leaving my skin cold and my heart sinking. The warmth that had just wrapped around me like a safety net faded, replaced by the icy tendrils of doubt.I couldn't read his expression. It was unreadable, distant, and yet somehow heavy, as though my words had triggered something deep within him.Had I crossed a line?Did I say it too soon?We had only just recovered from everything—every wound, every misunderstanding, every piece of shattered trust. Maybe he thought it was too soon for something this monumental.I opened my mouth to say something, but the words caught in my throat as he turned abruptly and walked into the room, leaving me standing there in silence.I followed, confusion and regret tangling in my chest.This was a mistake.But as I entered the room, I stopped. Jacob stood with his back to me, his broad frame illuminated by th