로그인공유
8
최신 업데이트:
2025-04-20 19:49:44Chapter Nine
The hospital waiting room smelled faintly of antiseptic and something citrusy. Maxine sat nervously, fingers laced over her growing belly, trying not to fidget. Her mother sat beside her, flipping through a glossy magazine, clearly trying to appear casual, but Maxine could sense the tension between them like a silent wall. It had been there for months now.
The nurse finally called her name, and Maxine stood up slowly, smoothing down her loose maternity tunic. Her mother followed, silent but present, as they walked down the pale corridor to the ultrasound room.
The scan room was dimly lit, the screen already humming with static. Maxine lay back on the table and lifted her top as the technician applied the cool gel to her stomach. Her mother moved closer, standing at the side of the bed, eyes fixed on the screen.
"Let’s take a look," the technician said, her voice warm. Moments later, the flickering image of a baby filled the screen. Maxine’s breath caught.
There was the baby—her baby—tiny hands curled into fists, a little spine like a string of pearls, and the unmistakable flutter of a heartbeat.
"Looks healthy. Everything seems perfectly normal for a 20-week scan. You’re doing great," the technician said.
Maxine blinked quickly. Her mother sniffed beside her and whispered, "He’s growing so fast."
Maxine turned her head. "You’re still calling the baby ‘he’ even though we don’t know the gender."
Her mom gave her a faint smile. "It’s just a hunch."
After the scan, as they walked out toward the car, Maxine turned to her.
"Has Dad said anything about me?"
Her mother hesitated. "He’s still upset, Max. He doesn't say much, but I know he’s hurting. He’s proud, you know how he is."
"I didn’t want to disappoint him," Maxine said quietly.
"You didn’t. He just needs time to see that."
They parted ways near the metro station. Maxine had classes that afternoon, and she didn’t want to miss them. The weight of her pregnancy already felt like a constant physical reminder of everything that had changed, and she needed to keep a part of her normal life intact.
When she stepped onto the campus, something felt different.
She could sense it in the way heads turned slightly when she walked past.
People whispered just out of earshot, their eyes flickering from her face to the curve of her stomach. She kept her chin up, walked confidently, but inside she felt raw, exposed.
No one said anything directly, but the shift was unmistakable. She wasn’t just Maxine Green the art student anymore. She was the girl with a belly. The girl who kept a secret for too long. The one people had started making stories about.
Her steps quickened until she reached the familiar lecture hall, where Kristen sat sprawled out on her usual seat with her tablet, chewing on the end of her pen.
Kristen looked up the moment Maxine entered, and her whole face lit up.
"There’s my baby mama," she said teasingly, standing and throwing her arms around Maxine in a warm, protective hug.
"Everyone’s looking," Maxine muttered into her shoulder.
"Let them," Kristen whispered back. "You’re stunning and glowing and a literal goddess. They’re just jealous."
Maxine laughed softly, pulling away. "Don’t lie. I look like I haven’t slept in days."
"You probably haven’t," Kristen said, ushering her to sit beside her. "But I’ll still hype you up until you start believing me."
Maxine dropped her bag and took her seat, grateful for Kristen’s presence. Despite everything—despite how her life had spun off into chaos—her best friend remained a steady, unshakable constant.
They spent the class half-listening and half-scribbling notes, occasionally whispering little jokes. The familiar rhythm helped soothe Maxine’s nerves. Being there, surrounded by pencils and sketchpads, felt like slipping into a version of herself she missed.
After the lecture, Kristen looped her arm through Maxine’s. "Wanna grab lunch? I’m craving fries. And don’t even try to say no. I saw you gagging at the smell of cafeteria curry."
Maxine rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Fries sound good."
They walked out together, past the eyes, past the whispers. Kristen didn’t let go of her arm.
Maxine realized in that moment that whatever came next, she wasn’t alone. And sometimes, that was all she needed to keep going.
관련 챕터
Onenight with the Mafia 9
The late summer air was heavy with moisture, clinging to Maxine's skin as she sat by the open window of her dorm room. The ninth month of pregnancy had settled over her like a storm cloud, and every movement felt like wading through water. Her belly stretched taut beneath her cotton dress, and Noah kicked restlessly inside her, as if reminding her of the approaching moment that would change her life forever.She had stopped attending university classes weeks ago. Her due date was approaching fast, and between the exhaustion, the backaches, and the emotional weight she carried, there was little energy left for anything else. Her professors were understanding, her attendance excused, but Maxine didn’t care about grades anymore. Not now.The real ache was deeper, carved into the marrow of her bones—Damien was gone.She had tried to reach him. Again and again.At first, she’d called the contact number he gave her. No response. Then she tried Frank, her boss, but even he hadn’t heard from
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-20Onenight with the Mafia 10
Mornings started early in Maxine’s world now. Sometimes too early. The soft cries of Noah roused her before dawn, and even though exhaustion weighed her limbs, she moved. She always moved. With muscle memory and motherly instinct, she reached for him, whispered gentle words, and soothed his small body with her touch.The dorm wasn’t built for motherhood. The space was tight, the walls thin. But somehow, it became a home. Kristen helped rearrange furniture to give Noah a little more space, brought fairy lights and secondhand rugs to brighten the room, and even learned how to warm formula bottles without scalding them.It wasn’t perfect. Some nights, Maxine cried while Noah cried. She'd press her face into a pillow, letting out the frustration and fear she didn’t want to show anyone. She missed having two hands free. She missed having time to think about something other than bottles, burping, diapers, and due dates. She missed the version of herself that existed before—but she didn’t wa
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-20Onenight with the Mafia 11
Chapter TwelveTwo years had passed since Maxine became a mother, and though time had marched forward, it hadn't made things easier. If anything, it had layered new challenges on top of the old ones. Noah was now a toddler—lively, curious, and utterly exhausting. He ran through rooms like a whirlwind, leaving chaos in his wake and joy in her heart. But love didn’t pay bills, and joy didn’t make ends meet.Maxine worked tirelessly, stringing together part-time jobs while her parents helped watch Noah. She waited tables at a cafe three days a week, assisted in the university’s art lab twice a week, and picked up freelance sketch commissions late into the night. Her dreams of becoming an architect hadn’t faded, but they had been forced to coexist with a reality that left little room for luxury.Her parents had become her safety net. Her mother, always nurturing, handled daycare duty when Maxine’s shifts overlapped. Her father—now more involved than she could’ve hoped for—took to feeding N
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-21Onenight with the Mafia 12
The call came on a Thursday morning, just as Maxine was coaxing a sleepy Noah into his tiny corduroy overalls. Her phone buzzed with a number she didn’t recognize. Expecting it to be one of her freelance clients, she answered with a tired but polite, “Hello?”A deep voice responded, clipped and formal. “Miss Green. This is Frank Wright’s office. Mr. Wright has reviewed your interview and portfolio. He’d like to offer you the internship. You’ll start Monday at 9 a.m.”For a second, the world stood still.“I got it?” she whispered, more to herself than the voice on the other end.“Yes. Congratulations,” came the reply, curt but sincere. “We’ve emailed the onboarding documents. Please be punctual. Mr. Wright values time.”The call ended just as quickly as it came. Maxine stood frozen, the phone still pressed to her ear. Then, slowly, she turned to look at Noah, who was chewing on the strap of his overalls.“I got the job,” she breathed, then let out a laugh—light and full of disbelief. “
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-21Onenight with the Mafia 13
Balancing the life of a student, intern, and mother was like juggling knives on a tightrope—and Maxine Green was always just one misstep away from everything crashing down.Her days began before the sun had even stretched across the sky. At 5:30 a.m., she was up, brushing her teeth while packing Noah’s snacks, ironing her clothes in the dim light of the kitchen, and gulping down weak coffee while bouncing a half-awake toddler on her hip. Noah, now three and filled with a thousand questions, had his own rhythm—a rhythm that didn’t always match hers.“Do you have to go, Mama?” he would ask with wide, sleepy eyes as she buttoned up her coat.Her heart would squeeze every time.“Just for a little while, baby. I’ll be back before you know it.”She would drop him off with her mother, offer a rushed kiss on the cheek, and sprint toward the bus stop with her bag over one shoulder and her dreams packed inside it like precious cargo.Frank Wright’s firm was no place for weakness. The atmosphere
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-21Onenight with the Mafia 14
The weeks at Frank Wright’s firm settled into a rhythm—one that was relentless, fast-paced, and often emotionally draining. Maxine often felt like she was on a treadmill she couldn’t step off, constantly balancing motherhood, her internship, and her studies, all while trying not to lose herself in the process.But amid the chaos, Peter became a steady presence.He was the first person she saw each morning when she walked through the tall glass doors of the firm. Always with a smirk, always with a sarcastic comment about Frank’s mood for the day.“Brace yourself,” he’d whisper conspiratorially one morning. “Frank’s in a ‘burn everything’ kind of mood.”Maxine had chuckled despite herself. Peter was like that—irreverent, charming in a chaotic kind of way, and always seemingly at ease even in the most stressful situations. She liked that about him. He had this energy that cut through tension and made people feel less alone.Over time, the banter between them grew. They worked closely on
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-23Onenight with the Mafia 1
Maxine’s POV“I don’t want to be here,”“Oh, come on. This is going to be fun,” Kristen said as she dragged me into the nightclub. That was my first time entering into a place like that and the bass of the music gave me goose pimples all over my skin.The place vibrates, and reeks of alcohol, and the people are dancing and drunk. Kristen looked more excited and started moving her body according to the music.She is my roommate at the dormitory. We are both art majors, but we’re totally opposite to each other. She’s tall, lean, and outgoing, while I stand five feet two inches, black, petite, and an introvert. She’s everything that I’m not.It was my childhood dream to pursue art as my career. I got into a prestigious institute and now my dream is coming true. Since I haven’t explored anything other than art, I’m in quest of new things with much hesitation.“Hey, look at those guys. Shall we join them?” she asks.“I don’t think so,”“Okay, you stay here, I’m going,” she left me and went
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-18Onenight with the Mafia 2
Maxine’s POVI drank a lot that night. Kristen made me do it. I was dancing forgetting the rest of the world. I know I might look funny but I felt the main character's energy for the first time. For the first time, I didn’t care about anything as I was too drunk and living in the moment.I didn’t mind where my friend was and who are these people dancing around me. I danced until I felt too tired and dizzy. I stopped and went to sit by the table.I just passed out and don’t know how long I’ve been like that. I regained my consciousness when I felt someone's hands pressing my thighs. I looked at the man who was doing that indecent act. I hadn’t seen him before and looked like the weirdest guy among all the faces I had seen that day.“Take your hands off me,” I scowled and quickly moved from him.“Hey, don’t get panic. I was dancing with you, don’t you remember?” he asks.I wasn’t in the right mind to answer him and looked around to find only a few people were in that place.I got panick
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-18
최신 챕터
Onenight with the Mafia 14
The weeks at Frank Wright’s firm settled into a rhythm—one that was relentless, fast-paced, and often emotionally draining. Maxine often felt like she was on a treadmill she couldn’t step off, constantly balancing motherhood, her internship, and her studies, all while trying not to lose herself in the process.But amid the chaos, Peter became a steady presence.He was the first person she saw each morning when she walked through the tall glass doors of the firm. Always with a smirk, always with a sarcastic comment about Frank’s mood for the day.“Brace yourself,” he’d whisper conspiratorially one morning. “Frank’s in a ‘burn everything’ kind of mood.”Maxine had chuckled despite herself. Peter was like that—irreverent, charming in a chaotic kind of way, and always seemingly at ease even in the most stressful situations. She liked that about him. He had this energy that cut through tension and made people feel less alone.Over time, the banter between them grew. They worked closely on
Onenight with the Mafia 13
Balancing the life of a student, intern, and mother was like juggling knives on a tightrope—and Maxine Green was always just one misstep away from everything crashing down.Her days began before the sun had even stretched across the sky. At 5:30 a.m., she was up, brushing her teeth while packing Noah’s snacks, ironing her clothes in the dim light of the kitchen, and gulping down weak coffee while bouncing a half-awake toddler on her hip. Noah, now three and filled with a thousand questions, had his own rhythm—a rhythm that didn’t always match hers.“Do you have to go, Mama?” he would ask with wide, sleepy eyes as she buttoned up her coat.Her heart would squeeze every time.“Just for a little while, baby. I’ll be back before you know it.”She would drop him off with her mother, offer a rushed kiss on the cheek, and sprint toward the bus stop with her bag over one shoulder and her dreams packed inside it like precious cargo.Frank Wright’s firm was no place for weakness. The atmosphere
Onenight with the Mafia 12
The call came on a Thursday morning, just as Maxine was coaxing a sleepy Noah into his tiny corduroy overalls. Her phone buzzed with a number she didn’t recognize. Expecting it to be one of her freelance clients, she answered with a tired but polite, “Hello?”A deep voice responded, clipped and formal. “Miss Green. This is Frank Wright’s office. Mr. Wright has reviewed your interview and portfolio. He’d like to offer you the internship. You’ll start Monday at 9 a.m.”For a second, the world stood still.“I got it?” she whispered, more to herself than the voice on the other end.“Yes. Congratulations,” came the reply, curt but sincere. “We’ve emailed the onboarding documents. Please be punctual. Mr. Wright values time.”The call ended just as quickly as it came. Maxine stood frozen, the phone still pressed to her ear. Then, slowly, she turned to look at Noah, who was chewing on the strap of his overalls.“I got the job,” she breathed, then let out a laugh—light and full of disbelief. “
Onenight with the Mafia 11
Chapter TwelveTwo years had passed since Maxine became a mother, and though time had marched forward, it hadn't made things easier. If anything, it had layered new challenges on top of the old ones. Noah was now a toddler—lively, curious, and utterly exhausting. He ran through rooms like a whirlwind, leaving chaos in his wake and joy in her heart. But love didn’t pay bills, and joy didn’t make ends meet.Maxine worked tirelessly, stringing together part-time jobs while her parents helped watch Noah. She waited tables at a cafe three days a week, assisted in the university’s art lab twice a week, and picked up freelance sketch commissions late into the night. Her dreams of becoming an architect hadn’t faded, but they had been forced to coexist with a reality that left little room for luxury.Her parents had become her safety net. Her mother, always nurturing, handled daycare duty when Maxine’s shifts overlapped. Her father—now more involved than she could’ve hoped for—took to feeding N
Onenight with the Mafia 10
Mornings started early in Maxine’s world now. Sometimes too early. The soft cries of Noah roused her before dawn, and even though exhaustion weighed her limbs, she moved. She always moved. With muscle memory and motherly instinct, she reached for him, whispered gentle words, and soothed his small body with her touch.The dorm wasn’t built for motherhood. The space was tight, the walls thin. But somehow, it became a home. Kristen helped rearrange furniture to give Noah a little more space, brought fairy lights and secondhand rugs to brighten the room, and even learned how to warm formula bottles without scalding them.It wasn’t perfect. Some nights, Maxine cried while Noah cried. She'd press her face into a pillow, letting out the frustration and fear she didn’t want to show anyone. She missed having two hands free. She missed having time to think about something other than bottles, burping, diapers, and due dates. She missed the version of herself that existed before—but she didn’t wa
Onenight with the Mafia 9
The late summer air was heavy with moisture, clinging to Maxine's skin as she sat by the open window of her dorm room. The ninth month of pregnancy had settled over her like a storm cloud, and every movement felt like wading through water. Her belly stretched taut beneath her cotton dress, and Noah kicked restlessly inside her, as if reminding her of the approaching moment that would change her life forever.She had stopped attending university classes weeks ago. Her due date was approaching fast, and between the exhaustion, the backaches, and the emotional weight she carried, there was little energy left for anything else. Her professors were understanding, her attendance excused, but Maxine didn’t care about grades anymore. Not now.The real ache was deeper, carved into the marrow of her bones—Damien was gone.She had tried to reach him. Again and again.At first, she’d called the contact number he gave her. No response. Then she tried Frank, her boss, but even he hadn’t heard from
Onenight with the Mafia 8
Chapter NineThe hospital waiting room smelled faintly of antiseptic and something citrusy. Maxine sat nervously, fingers laced over her growing belly, trying not to fidget. Her mother sat beside her, flipping through a glossy magazine, clearly trying to appear casual, but Maxine could sense the tension between them like a silent wall. It had been there for months now.The nurse finally called her name, and Maxine stood up slowly, smoothing down her loose maternity tunic. Her mother followed, silent but present, as they walked down the pale corridor to the ultrasound room.The scan room was dimly lit, the screen already humming with static. Maxine lay back on the table and lifted her top as the technician applied the cool gel to her stomach. Her mother moved closer, standing at the side of the bed, eyes fixed on the screen."Let’s take a look," the technician said, her voice warm. Moments later, the flickering image of a baby filled the screen. Maxine’s breath caught.There was the ba
Onenight with the Mafia 7
The next morning came too quickly. I woke up early, even before the sun peeked through the curtains. Kristen was still sleeping, her breath steady and peaceful, and for a moment I wished I could pause life right here—in this still, quiet bubble where things didn’t feel so overwhelming.But that wasn’t reality.I sat by the window with a cup of lukewarm tea, staring at nothing. My thoughts kept circling the same truth: I was pregnant. Nothing had changed overnight. There was no miracle fix, no undoing what had happened. I was carrying a child. Damien’s child.And I had to tell my parents.Just thinking about their reaction made my hands tremble. My mother would be devastated. My father might not even speak to me for a while. I imagined their faces—shock, anger, disappointment, fear. I hated that I was about to bring all those emotions into their lives. But I couldn’t hide this forever.I picked up my phone, stared at the screen, and put it back down. Then picked it up again.Kristen st
Onenight with the Mafia 6
Maxine's POVThe ride to the club felt longer than it actually was. Kristen sat beside me, quiet for once. She was usually full of chatter, her energy bouncing off the walls, but today she barely said a word. I appreciated the silence. My thoughts were loud enough.My fingers fidgeted in my lap, my mind cycling through hope and dread in equal parts. What was I expecting, really? That he’d be there like nothing happened? That I could walk up to him, tell him I was pregnant, and he’d magically know what to do? I hated how naïve I still was, even when I tried to be rational.The car pulled up in front of the club, and the same thumping music greeted us — muffled through walls but unmistakable. Neon lights flashed across the pavement, casting our shadows in brief, distorted colors.I hesitated before walking in. The last time I was here, my life was normal. Simpler. A night out, a poor choice, a stranger’s smile — it all felt like a hazy dream now. But what came after it… that was painful
