Chapter 10

Allison's POV

This has to be some sort of sick joke, I think, my hands trembling. How can he show up in front of me after everything he's done? How dare he?

I clench my hands into fists to hide the tremor, suddenly realizing something. I'm not trembling out of fear. I'm trembling out of anger. I take a deep breath to keep from exploding, and turn around to look at him.

I expect my heart to ache at the sight of him, as it had done when I found him in my bed with that woman. Instead I feel nothing but a mild irritation. He has gone from being the greatest source of my pain to being a minor inconvenience. Like a tiny tear on the hem of a trouser.

I'm a little surprised, though, to see him looking exactly the same as when I last saw him. Our time apart has changed me, and I guess I imagined that it had changed him too. But it's still the Peterson I remember: same pale hair I used to love running my hands through, the same muscular arms in which I had felt safe once upon a time. I can see him sizing me up. He's not even hiding it as his greedy eyes take in my haute couture tracksuit, my sophisticated jewelry, the bags clutched in my hands. I recognize the gleam in his eyes. It's the same one he used to get whenever I received my paycheck, right before telling me about some "investment" I needed to loan him money for.

Fuck, how could I have been so blind? I think bitterly.

Peterson is smiling now. He has overcome his earlier shock, and it's clear that he likes what he sees. He can tell that I've bounced back, and it's clear that he doesn't care how. All he cares about is that I'm swimming in money now, and he wants as much of it as he can get his greedy hands on.

Well, I'm not going to let you.

"Allison," he says in a disgustingly sweet voice, "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Allison, you don't have to listen to this animal," Elsa says, taking my hand. "Let's go."

"It's okay, Elsa," I reply calmly. "Let's hear him out."

By now, other people have noticed the drama unfolding here. A crowd has started to gather, as both staff and shoppers watch our interaction curiously. Peterson is beaming victoriously. He has never liked Elsa, I know, because she saw through him from the start. Now, he thinks I'm ignoring her advice for his sake, like I used to do in the past.

Keep dreaming, Peterson.

"You say you've been looking for me?" I say. "Care to tell me why?"

Even I did not expect him to go down on his knees all of a sudden, looking up at me as if he intends to propose.

"Allison, I was wrong," he says. "I shouldn't have hurt you that way. I really don't know what came over me. I'm so sorry. I love you, babe. I've never stopped loving you. Please, let's put the past behind us and go back to how we used to be."

I know I'm looking at him like he has gone mad. I can't help it. Behind me, I hear Elsa scoff.

"Allison?" he says. "Say something, babe."

"Say something?" I reply, raising an eyebrow. "What exactly, is it that you expect me to say?"

He must have heard the ice in my tone, because he reaches out to take my hand. 

I step back immediately, glaring daggers at him.

The nerve, to try to touch me!

"Please, Allison," he says, "I'll do anything, if it means I can have you back."

"Is that so?" I ask sweetly. "In that case—"

He only has time to look up hopefully before I give him a heavy slap that makes him look right. I see a bruise blooming on his cheek before he holds it in pain, staring in shock at me. 

"Get the fuck out of my sight, you lazy pig. You've never been good for anything but living off other people's sweat and telling lies only the naive will believe," I draw myself up, letting my lips stretch into a smirk. "See you in court, Peterson.Taking all my money and everything else… that was fraud, you know. You better start looking up the joys of the prison cell, because I will see you behind bars if it is the last thing I do."

I don't bother waiting for a response before I turn around and head for the exit, with Elsa walking behind me. At the glass doors leading out of the mall, I pause and turn to look at him.

"Oh, and one more thing?" I say. "Don't even think of disappearing like you did last time. Because I will find you, and it won't be pretty."

With that, we walk out of the building.

……

I start to take off my earrings as soon as Ian and I get home from work. It had not taken as long as I expected for the company to give Ian a job. I chuckle as I recall how Elsa's cheeks had remained the color of tomatoes the whole time I was driving her home. Lucky her, getting to come to and go from work in the same car as her crush.

"Are you alright, Allison?" Ian asks.

"I'm fine," I reply with a small smile. "I just need a little rest."

I know why he's asking. I've been feeling weak, even a little ill, since I woke up this morning. My hands are clammy, and I suspect that my face is kind of pale.

"Let me know if you need anything, okay?" Ian says.

"Of course," I reply. "Good night, Ian."

"Won't you have dinner?" he asks, his brow furrowed in concern.

I shake my head.

"I don't have an appetite," I respond.

"Alright. Good night. I hope you feel better in the morning."

"I'm sure I will," I say, trying to be optimistic. "It's probably just the stress."

It's probably not just the stress, though, because a wave of nausea slams into me as soon as I enter my room, and I rush to the toilet to throw up.

What's going on? I think, Could it be food poisoning or—

Suddenly I pause, my heart starting to beat faster as something horrifying occurs to me.

No… it can't be…

But I haven't had my period since that night I slept with Xander Black. I turn to the mirror, eyes wide as I stare at my terrified reflection.

I think I'm pregnant.