Chapter 4. I'm Pregnant!

“Cheryl.” Shawn made to touch her but she stepped backward.

“If there’s nothing else, then I’ll take my leave.” She made to leave when Shawn drew her back

“I still find it hard to believe you’re not mad at me.” Their faces were inches away from each other.

Cheryl's lips curved into a cocky smile. “What reason do I have to be mad at you? boss?”

“Beats me.”

“You’re playing dumb.”

“Was it about the other night?”

“The other night?” Cheryl scoffed. She hated the way he said it casually.

“Oh come on, Cheryl. We had fun and that was it.”

Cheryl couldn’t believe her ears.

She shook her head, picked up her bag, and barged out without looking back. He was crazy. She wanted to hate him badly but she couldn’t. She loved him too much but she was nothing to him. It hurts.

*

*

*

Cheryl stared at the blank computer, her mind wandering back to last night. He didn’t realize Shawn was such a jerk. But she couldn’t blame him. This was how it was with other women. But she doesn’t want to be another woman. She wanted to be his woman. The realization that it was impossible, struck her with so much pain

The telephone rang and she was jolted from her thought.

“Come to my office now.” That was her boss.

She rolled her eyes. She hated seeing him these days more than ever. It will only bring up old feelings that she was trying to kill.

“Good morning boss,” Cheryl said when she got to his office.

“You didn’t submit my schedule for today.”

“It slipped me,” Cheryl said nonchalantly. Just fire me. She thought inwardly. She didn’t have the guts to resign. Shawn raised a brow.

“How? You are always accurate, Cheryl.”

“Well, things happen.” She shrugged.

“Are you sure, you’re Cheryl?” Shawn asked. His secretary has changed. Or was it because of last night? After their sex escapade, things changed. Cheryl was either irritated or impatient. What was she expecting? A gesture from him? She knew better. He wasn’t in for relationships. And if he was to be in one, Cheryl wasn’t the one. They had a no-dating in the workplace policy.

“Are you in love with me?”

“What?” Cheryl gave a nervous chuckle.

“You see, I thought all night about the reason why you’d be so mad after a one-night stand. And I concluded that you’re In love with me.”

“I’m not,” Cheryl replied to the revelation.

She won’t shamelessly open up to him like this.

“Sure?”

“Yes.” She affirmed curtly.

The room was suffocating. She needed to leave. She was getting tired of the drama.

“I need to….”

“Let’s have breakfast together,” Shawn said as he stood as headed for the door.

“Ugh?” Cheryl asked.

“Come on, Cheryl. I will never accept no for an answer. “ Shawn said as Cheryl followed him grudgingly.

*

*

*

“The food here is good. Don’t you think?” Shawn spoke up. They’ve been eating in silence for the past few minutes since they got to the restaurant. It was the closest one to the company but quite fancy.

Cheryl nodded. This was the last place she wanted to be. With this man.

He dropped his cutlery, he was looking at Cheryl now. Cheryl noticed the insistent stares. She looked up at him.

“Are we going to continue like this?” Shawn asked with a frown.

“I don’t understand.”

“Your cold shoulders have been something I have to deal with every day. Sometimes you glare at me like I was some kind of beast.”

Cheryl didn’t say a word.

“Do you hate me that much, Cheryl?”

“I don’t,” Cheryl said curtly. “I just get stressed easily these days.” She completed and drank a cup of water.

“Really?”

“Really,” Cheryl affirmed. They both knew that was a lie. But none of them was ready to face the truth. She loved and wanted this man but couldn’t tell him. And Shawn wasn’t ready for commitments.

“I need to use the restroom,” Cheryl said and made to stand up but it felt like the whole was moving. She was dizzy! And the next minute, she lost consciousness. That was all she could remember.

*

*

*

“Thank you, doctor,” Shawn said as the doctor nodded and walked off the hospital hallway. He brushed his hands through his hair in frustration. Cheryl was pregnant. And that, for him. From his calculations, the time of their sex escapade to now was exactly two weeks.

He opened the door to walk into the room Cheryl was admitted to. She was sleeping peacefully. Like the angel that she was.

Why did this have to happen? And that with Cheryl? She doesn’t deserve this. She doesn’t deserve him. She was too good for him but she wanted him.

Even a blind man could notice. From her first day at AG Holdings. She could see the light sparkle in their eye whenever she see him every morning. From his experience with women, he knew this woman was head over heels in love with him.

Cheryl opened her eye slowly as the throbbing pain made her groan.

“Are you okay?” Shawn rushed towards her and helped her sit up.

Cheryl nodded. “What am I…..”

“You fainted earlier,” Shawn said.

“Oh,” Cheryl said faintly.

“The doctor? What did he say? Have you seen him?”

“What with the question, Cheryl? Go back to sleep if you need to. It’s nothing serious.”

“Ugh?”

“Yeah.” Shawn gave a nervous chuckle.

“How can you tell me to rest when I don’t know what is wrong with me?”

Shawn stared at her. She wasn’t going to give up. Now he has no choice but to tell her.

“You’re pregnant, Cheryl.”

His voice resounded In Cheryl’s head as she tried to process what he just said.

“Preg….nant?”

“Yes. I’m…”

Cheryl raised her hands to interrupt him.

“I don’t understand. There must be a misdiagnosis. I can’t be pregnant. How did I?….”

Then it dawned on her. The one-night stand.

“No.” She breathed as she brushed her hair backward.

“Cheryl, I…..”

“It’s fine,” Cheryl muttered. “You don’t have to take responsibility, I can….”

“There’s no way you’ll shoulder everything on your own.” Shawn had a frown.

“It's my business, Mr. Shawn.”

“That's my child.”

“Yeah, I know!” Cheryl screamed out, she was on the verge of crying.

She hated the fact that the only thing that will connect them now was a child. Or would he even consider them?

“You’ll have to abort it, Cheryl.”

She looked up at him, did she hear wrong? “What?”

Shawn paused then spoke up. This was hard for him. He cared for Cheryl so much. But they were in a dilemma. And this was the only sane solution he could think of.

“That’s the best decision for both of us right since we….”

“For both of us? Or just for you?” Cheryl asked with a disgusted look. She was finding it hard to hate this man but now the hate was growing, uncontrollably.

“I don’t believe in marriage or family.”Shawn started with an apologetic look. “….you know that Cheryl.”

“Right. I do.” Cheryl bit her lips. “ I was stupid to think you’ve changed when you asked me out for breakfast.”

“Simple gestures like that’s doesn’t count Cheryl, that’s why girls like you….”

“Like me what!” Cheryl interrupted rudely.

What was he insinuating? Cheryl thought. She felt like a fool. She just realized how selfish Shawn was.

“Forget it. Let’s talk about our child.”

“He’s no child of yours any longer, boss. You killed him before he was even born.” Cheryl was staring daggers at him.