Alessandro“Pass. Too much lipstick, is she trying to cook with that much oil?”“Are you trying to murder me? I haven’t eaten all day?” As he tossed the pictures I gave him to the side, Eduardo pouted and gave his stomach a rub to show that he was hungry.One would think that I kept him captive for days and refused to feed him. Well, I did keep him by my side for a couple of days.After a sigh, I reached for my phone, tossed it at him, and said, “Order something for yourself.”“Nice. What about you?” His excitement quickly turned to worry and I appreciated how much he cared about the state of my stomach. “You haven’t eaten anything reasonable in days.”“When do I ever eat anything reasonable?” came my solemn question. “I have dipped myself in too much shit that I can’t enjoy any meal anymore.”Eduardo began to tap away on my phone. “You need to eat something regardless. We can’t spend all day trying to find you a potential wife without eating.”Yes. I am going to follow the wishes of
Carrie“I am surprised you are not trying to get rid of this baby,” my doctor friend, Rachel, said. Rachel is a friend I have had since I was five. Our families lived beside each other and even though the bond both families formed has now tarnished, Rachel and I take it upon ourselves to continue what could not be finished.“I can’t.” I sank into the chair. “I need the company.” The ginger-haired lady in front of me smiled. “What?” I frowned.“You know this baby changes everything right?”“It already has.”“And the father?”“A handsome stranger who isn’t replying to the messages I left him.”“He might still reply.”I scoffed. “Yeah right. And he will save me from getting married,” I said sarcastically.She got up and grabbed a file. “Look at the bright side though.”“Which side?”“Your baby will come out beautiful.”I nodded in agreement as I replayed Alessandro’s face in my head. Not realising that I was already wearing a smile, I replied almost quietly, “I am glad I have this baby.”
CarrieMy head swirled and my heart thudded. As though I just saw a ghost, I looked ahead in shock while my back stayed glued to the surface of the door behind me.But... wait. Why should I be this way? Why should I cower as though I am owing the man on the other side a huge sum of money?I mean…My knees adjusted their crookedness and I stood upright while a pondering look etched itself on my face.… even though it was almost a month late, the father of my child is finally at my door.“Carrie Edwards. I am sure you remember me. Open the door,” his voice ordered from the other side and I almost found myself rushing to do as he said.But no, I need to gather my thoughts first.For starters, I will let him know his presence is not needed. When it was desperately needed, he did not reply to his messages because he was on Mars or wherever he was.After that, I will get rid of him. Having him linger around the house will be a bad thing for me and the baby.Okay, I know that makes no sense.
Carrie“Miss Edwards…?”“D-Do you think this is a joke?” I managed to ask.“Is it?”“How can you move in with me? That’s… absurd.”“Then come with me. Leave this place and come with me.”“No.”He gave a small nod. “Then it is settled. I will be living with you from now on.”Suddenly, a piece of luggage I failed to notice earlier came into view and Alessandro Valante prepared to drag it into the house. But I blocked his way. Well, I was able to successfully do that because he let me block him.“Mr. Valante.” My smile became wider. ” I told you that I am fine. I don’t need you.”“You are the mother of my unborn child, Miss Edwards. I am not comfortable with leaving you here alone.” He let go of the luggage’s extensive handle to quickly draw up the sleeves of his slightly loose tee shirt. Now that I see it, he kind of looks sexy in casual wear.I guess he is a man that looks good no matter what he wears.Oh my goodness… Why is my mind derailing again?While urging myself to stay focused,
CarrieAt one point in my wild lifestyle, I always wished for a stable relationship even though I was never able to stay in one for a long time. Whenever my imagination conjured up my ideal partner, I would always imagine him cooking meals for me.I would watch him from the entrance of the kitchen or perhaps from the island and he would tease me with his culinary skills and naked chest.Well, ladies and gentlemen, my imagination has come to life.In front of me, the father of my unborn child was shirtless and focused on cooking something that involved spaghetti.I could have found that moment to be dreamy, but the fact that he kept refusing to put on a shirt was getting on my nerves.Doesn’t he understand that it is dangerous for my hormones if he keeps walking about with that built chest of his?“And, done.” Alessandro Valante said and I saw that he had dished our meal. His thick brows quirked, and his eyes fell on me as he asked, “I am sure you won’t mind some spaghetti carbonara. I
CarrieI have never known myself to feel such fear. I didn’t shiver this much when my father had a death scare and spent weeks in the hospital because of a heart attack. But there I was, unable to do anything reasonable for the first few seconds while I stared at Alessandro in horror.But I soon figured out that I was foolish for merely staying still. So, with cautious haste, I ran to the living room, grabbed my phone and rushed back to Alessandro who was telling me that he was still alive through the little groans he gave now and then.I settled properly on the ground and placed the man’s head on my lap. After a light slap to his right cheek to remind him to stay awake, I proceeded to call an ambulance. I was giving the correspondent the details of his situation when I noticed that his chest began to heave again.Worried… I cupped his face and began to plead for him to stay okay. “Alessandro… Please…” The redness spread to his neck and I could deduce that his airway could be blocked.
CarrieWith pride fully embedded in her gait, the strange woman who was dressed in noticeable knee-length leather boots halted her steps at the end of Alessandro’s bed. Another scornful expression was tossed in my direction before her gaze fell on the man.“Who are you exactly?” I asked while the earlier statement she uttered rang in my head.Truthfully, the moment she mentioned that she was Alessandro’s girlfriend, my heart felt jilted. For a second, I almost reacted rashly as though I was a lawful partner of the man. I wished to chase the woman out of the room.But with the way she softly observed Alessandro from where she stood, I could tell that the man meant something to her. Let’s just hope that she isn’t pregnant for him as well.“Do you really want to know who I am?” Her voice wore some sort of hidden excitement, she seemed eager to use her words to throw me out of the room. “My name is Layla…” Her arms folded and I felt more of the dominance she was trying to use to subdue th
AlessandroOnce the door closed, the full hatred I harboured for years came rushing to me. Without acknowledging the fact that I was close to death hours ago, I snapped off the ridiculous thing that was connected to a vein on my wrist. With swiftness, I got off the bed and approached the window for some fresh air.It was already afternoon according to the clock hung on the wall facing my bed and I was reminded that I didn’t have time to waste. I have to get the mother of my unborn child positioned in a place I wish her to be.My silence reached my legs which walked the tiled floor as quietly as they could. Once I reached the sill of the window that was in my sight, I leaned over and observed how the rest of the world went about their activities.When I saw the way a mother in a wheelchair played with her child, a smile almost formed on my lips and I was reminded of the times when I wondered what life would have been like for me if I wasn’t born into the CDP gang.Well, the thing is, a
CarrieAlessandro and I sat in silence for a very long time. We held hands and stared at the sea and the way it displayed its beauty while the wind played with it.Then, after many minutes, I asked, “How have you been?”Alessandro faced me, his gorgeous eyes making my heart skip as though it was the first time meeting him. “Before a few moments ago, I have been shitty. Very shitty.”His response tempted me to imagine how terrible things were for him when my father captured me. But a glimpse of that imagination made my heart ache, so I quickly dumped that idea.“I am sorry, Alessandro.“Why?”“My father caused us so much pain. He uh-” I lowered my head while a faint memory of how I suffered in that dark room seeped into my mind.“Don’t think about it, Carrie.” Alessandro’s soft gaze met mine. “It is too sad.”“It happened, Alessandro. How do I face it if I don’t think about it?”“Carrie.” A crack entered his voice and for some seconds, he bit into his lips. “You were in hell back there
Alessandro“Mr. Valante,” the doctor dragged me out of my deep thoughts.“How is she?” After Carrie asked a question that made my entire soul crash, she lost consciousness and we had to rush her to the hospital.“Thankfully, we were able to stabilise her, but she needs to be watched for some days. While we wait, we’ll run necessary tests and take care of her to the best of our ability.”“Will she be fine?” That was all I wished to know.“Yes. I believe she will overcome this.” The doctor still had questions. “From the chart I got from the patient’s previous hospital, it indicated that she was pregnant.”My throat felt heavier. “She… She lost the baby, didn’t she?”He sighed. Then he nodded. “We will have to test for an overdose. Especially for Diclofenac and Misoprostol. It is possible that they were given to the patient regularly. If that turns out to be true, the culprit will be charged with murder. That’s as far as I know.”“Thank you, doctor. But…” I hesitated to ask my question bu
CarrieWhen my eyes opened again, I felt strange, I felt clean. But that feeling failed to override the disappointment I felt when I realised that I was still alive.Darkness surrounded me as usual and emptiness joined the party.And all I could do was stare at nothing and wait for the worst to happen.Many moments later, the door opened and the light came on.Gary stepped into the room.“You are awake,” he said, his hand carrying a tray of what seemed to be food.I could have scoffed at that sight if I had the strength. At this point, eating is meaningless. I doubt I would be able to swallow anything.“You should eat,” Gary continued. He knelt and dropped the tray on the floor. “It has been days since you had anything. You should at least eat something.”“Gary…” My voice was greatly weak as usual.“Yes, Carrie?” I listened as he dragged himself closer. “What is it? Do you need to go to the bathroom? You don’t have to make a mess here anymore. It is unhealthy.”“I…” I focused on the ce
AlessandroI have lost my mind.I’ll keep losing my mind.I’ll keep letting images of Carrie haunt me in dreams and real life. I’ll continue to be a version of myself I’ll never understand as long as things continue this way.It’s been a month since Carrie’s disappearance and everything has turned upside down. After a long day of locating Carrie to no avail, I resort to a lifestyle that makes me furious with myself.I can’t stop it though. Right now, it’s the only way I know to survive.And that’s why I won’t back away from crushing the head of the man kneeling in front of me with the end of my gun.That’s right. I went back to CDP.I thought it was the only place I could be fairly sane while I searched for Carrie.But what happens now that I’ve lost a great deal of my sanity? I guess I’ll just have to go with the flow of things and see if I’ll lose every other thing in my life.After all, it seems I’m about to lose Carrie.The grip I had on the man’s hair loosened and I staggered bac
( Trigger Warning for chapters ahead: Mild imagery related to miscarriage. Please take note.)CarrieA groan left my lips and I opened my eyes. My sight settled on an unfamiliar ceiling and for many seconds, I blinked furiously while my mind fell into deep confusion.The purely white ceiling also seemed to mess with my mind because I couldn’t bring myself to think about the last thing that happened to me. The more I racked my mind, the more a strange pain wrapped around my head.I also tried to move but nothing happened. I attempted calling for Alessandro, but my lips were unmovable, and my throat felt weird as well.So, all I could do was stare at the ceiling.But, minutes later, I discovered that my hearing sense was working quite fine when a rather manly footstep filled the room. Hearing that made me eager to move, I wished to know who the person was.The person decided to spare me the trouble.“Hello, Carrie.” The voice was familiar. “You are finally awake.” The person moved close
Carrie“What did you just say?” I rushed to the front door, my hands managing to push Alessandro to the side. I could not recognize the tall man I almost jammed chests with. “Who passed away? Which Mr. Edwards?”The man faced Alessandro. And I did the same.“Alessandro. What is he talking about? Who is dead?”Alessandro peeled his eyes off mine. “Calistus, grazie. Let’s talk some other time.”“Alessandro!” I stomped a foot on the ground. “Please…”With a hand, he hugged me from behind and closed the door. “Why are you trying to harm yourself? Relax, Carrie.”“How can I relax?” At this point, my eyes started to well tears because Alessandro’s hesitation was enough to tell that the mentioned Mr. Edwards was indeed my father. “My… My father is dead.”“Carrie…”“Don’t even lie to me. Don’t lie to me.”“Carrie…” He settled me on the nearest couch. Our eyes met and my lips wore an ugly expression while incoming tears bloated my throat.“It’s… It’s my father, isn’t it?” Alessandro sighed and
CarrieThree days later, we left the hotel and headed for our home, the modern bungalow that continues to take my breath each time I set my eyes on it.But as Alessandro drove to our destination, I noticed that he was quiet in a way that told me that he was already swimming in regret. I considered reaching for his hand to assure him that I will always be available for him to talk to, but it would be unwise to become a distraction while he’s driving.So, I adjusted my position and postponed my thoughts.“Carrie?”“Yes, Alessandro? Hmm.” I shook my head as though I just said something forbidden. “That’s wrong. Yes, my husband?”Alessandro could not hold back his loud laughter. It erupted in a way that instantly made my heart fly with joy.“Why is that so good to hear?” he asked.“Because it is the truth.” I brought my left hand to his face. “We are married. I am your wife and I am your husband.”His affection-filled eyes racked my body and I felt my cheeks flush, I almost bit into my li
CarrieAs I walked, a lovely piano sound filled the air and that helped me stay focused on Alessandro only.The man was not exactly smiling, but the gaze he carried held and drew me closer and closer until the distance between us was closed.“Hello, my flower,” he greeted once he took my arm off Eduardo’s.“Hello.” I sounded like a shy bride who was yet to know the ways of a marital bed.“You look absolutely beautiful.”“So do you.”He leaned closer and lowered his voice some more, “Your neck looks sexy.”My hairdo allowed a full exposure of my neck. I am aware that my neck is one of the sexiest features of my body, so I smiled knowingly at his sentence and if it were possible, I wished to have a kiss planted there.“Hmm…” The slightly aged man behind us cleared his throat. “I was informed that this is meant to be a short ceremony, so we will keep it short.” He eyed Alessandro and me till we took a few steps away from each other. “Dearly beloved, we gathered on this fine day to celebr
CarrieTrue to Alessandro’s words, our wedding was slated to be held a week after the proposal. And after many hours of rigorous preparation for what was meant to be a lowkey wedding, the morning of our new start arrived and I woke up feeling extremely nervous.And things got worse when I looked down at the outdoor wedding setup from the window of the small hotel we booked. And it became extremely worse when I took a look around my room and realised that I was alone with my simple wedding gown hanging on a grand rack opposite my bed.I know that I have been alone for a while, but at this moment when I am sitting down on my bed and staring at my gown, it hits me more and more that I am really by myself. I don’t even have anyone to walk me down the aisle.I at least had my Uncle for the first wedding.But then, I can hold a side of my stomach and imagine my baby is walking me down the aisle as I proceed to marry his or her father.I do wonder if my child will be a boy or a girl.“Sister