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Chapter three- Shadow or Crease

Adrianna's POV

I stood in front of the mirror, accessing the eyebags underneath my eyes. I had gotten enough sleep recently but I still had creasing under my eyes. What could have caused it I wondered.

In recent days, I had been seeing different signs in my body that I did not understand. First, it was this morning sickness and tiredness I felt. But now it was expediting to something else. And although I was scared for these symptoms, I had a inner feeling that it wasn't a bad thing. I just had to get to the bottom of it. Could be caused by a worm or a fungus, I thought to myself.

But even I, didn't believe that.

Finally, I decided that I would take all further diagnosis so I could get over my fear for the worst idea coming to pass.

I looked at myself from my face to my belly. I lifted up my shirt briefly and saw the bump underneath my stomach.

Was I pregnant?

I moved away from the mirror and got onto my bed and sat.

I thought of that night…

Then I covered my face in pain. This must not suffice. If I really was pregnant, I'd be in so much trouble. I don't even know who got me pregnant!

Tears rolled down my cheeks and I let it continue to fall down.

But when I tired, I got up from my bed, feeling a newfound bravery overtake me. I had this innate feeling within me. Like the urge to protect the little baby inside of me.

I wasn't entirely sure if it was pregnancy yet, but I was sure about one thing. I found a reason to live on.

I walked out of my room to the garden outside where the warriors were training. In the corner, I overheard Steven and Amelia in a conversation.

“Adrianna has been acting weird lately, do you not notice?”

“Oh please, I know you like to get Adrianna in trouble like all the time but can you please spare her? She's so skinny because of you!”

“Skinny?! That's the opposite of what I was gonna say. Adrianna has added a lot of weight recently. Don't you notice her eyes? She looks like she gets no sleep.”

“That has nothing to do with anything—”

“—Steven, don't you get what I'm trying to say? All I'm trying to say is that Adrianna is pregnant!” I felt a weariness in my lungs as well as within me in my heart.

“I asked a maid who saw her… It was obvious she was puking and spat a lot. All these things makes it clear that Adrianna is pregnant.”

“So what are you gonna do, Amelia?” Steven asked her.

“I'm going to tell dad.”

“Amelia, please you can't! You can't tell if she's really pregnant or if it's out of stress that she looks that way!”

“Stop being caring towards someone that doesn't deserve it!” Amelia snapped. “What if she's true that she got herself knocked up and that she's pregnant hmm? What are you going to do, Steven? Huh? Tell me!”

“We should at least discuss with her beforehand. Please don't be swift to say anything to dad. He'll get really angry!”

“That's what I want him to be. Angry!” Amelia turned away from Steven while heading in the direction that I was hiding. I saw no use hiding away from her any further so the moment she saw me, I just stood there and said, “Amelia,”

Amelia looked taken aback to see me.

“What are you going to do?” I asked her.

She smirked, “What else? Tell everyone that you are pregnant. Guess what dad and mom will do afterwards? Kick you out.”

“Amelia, you have no idea what you are talking about.”

“What do you mean I have no idea what I am talking about?” She scoffed, “How dare you attempt to gaslight me?” With that, she slapped me hard across the face causing me to stagger back.

Steven held her, preventing her from hitting me anymore.

“Just watch and see what I'll do!” Amelia removed herself from Steven's grip and walked away.

Steven walked over and grabbed my hand. “Don’t worry about anything okay? Amelia is just messing up with you. When dad finds out you are only stressed and not pregnant, all will be fine you know that right?”

I slowly removed my hands from Steven's grip and said, “What if I am pregnant?”

Steven froze and looked at me, “How could that be… you haven't— have you?” He looked at me with his eyes huge and I could only humbly nod.

“Adrianna, that is not true!”

I was overwhelmed so I rushed off to my room and lift my shirt up to look at my stomach. Even I was not entirely sure I was pregnant yet.

But as I remembered the series of events I'd been through for the past weeks in terms of my body changes, none couldn't convince me that I wasn't pregnant.

Then… that night. The night I slept with that man… I didn't want to remember that time, it brought so much pain to me, but I knew that I had to uncover it for me to be done and over with it.

The man had done me in the worst way possible, so it was true… I was pregnant.

I ran my fingers through my hair due to feeling overwhelmed, but then my heart stopped racing out of fear. Instead it was calm.

I was pregnant and I didn't know who the father was. I was supposed to be panicky but for some reason I was calm because I knew instinctively that this was not the end of my life. Although I did not know what to do, I was rest assured because being pregnant gave me hope.

A hope that I had a future and I wouldn't be alone. But it wouldn't be long now… I thought as I patted my stomach. Amelia had gone to snitch on me to father. It was only a matter of time before this situation took a U-turn. I only prayed father wouldn't be so strict to me. After all, I was still his daughter. He wouldn't be so strict to me, would he?