Chapter Six

"Oh, Ayva, you look absolutely stunning!" Amanda exclaimed, her eyes filled with admiration as she watched Ayva undress and settle onto the cozy spa bench. The masseuses wasted no time, skillfully applying fragrant massage oils and lighting floral-scented incense, creating a serene atmosphere.

"Your baby bump is just the cutest thing ever! It's hard to believe you're already so far along. I can only imagine how adorable my goddaughter will be." Amanda said, her excitement tinged with a hint of envy.

Ayva smiled, her mind filled with visions of her unborn daughter. "Oh, she's going to be such a little cutie, especially if she has my face and Zion's blue eyes." Ayva replied, unknowingly stirring a pool of envy within Amanda. The thought of the baby having Zion's eyes made Amanda's smile falter momentarily.

Deep down, she longed for the baby to be hers.

"When are you due again? I can't wait to start shopping for the prettiest and most adorable baby clothes." Amanda eagerly asked, trying to mask her true feelings.

Ayva, lost in the bliss of the moment, whispered, almost to herself, "Just ten more days, and then our lives will be forever changed." Her words hung in the air, the quietness of the massage room allowing them to be heard by Amanda.

Amanda's smile faltered for a moment as she contemplated the significance of Ayva's impending motherhood. Deep down, she wished she could experience the joy of carrying Zion's child herself.

"I can't wait to meet my goddaughter," Amanda exclaimed, her voice filled with anticipation. "I want to be her first and only godmother. Remember, I asked the day you told me you were pregnant. So, make sure Vanessa doesn't try to take my place. She's been going on and on about being the baby's godmother." Amanda said with a hint of possessiveness.

Ayva chuckled, unaware of Amanda's true feelings. She had no idea that Amanda would rather the baby not be born if she could have her way.

"You know what? I think she can have two godmothers. After all, if I had to choose based on who asked first, it would be Vanessa. She asked even before I got pregnant with this baby." Ayva explained. "I think it was during my first pregnancy."

Amanda's eyes widened in disbelief as she processed Ayva's revelation. "Wait, are you telling me that you were pregnant before this one? Why didn't you ever mention it to me?" Her curiosity was piqued. Zion never told her anything about Ayva's first pregnancy either. She couldn't help but feel a mix of shock and betrayal.

Ayva took a deep breath, her voice filled with a tinge of sadness. "Yes, it happened before Zion and I got married. It was a few months before our wedding, and unfortunately, I lost the baby at three months." The weight of her past experiences was something Ayva had kept hidden from Amanda all this time, she was unsure of how to share it with her best friend.

Amanda's mind raced, trying to process this new information. She couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions, a mix of jealousy and hurt. "Why didn't you ever trust me enough to share this with me?" Frustration welled up inside her, causing her to push the masseuse's hand away and sit up on the bench.

"I thought we were best friends, Ayva. How did Vanessa know about something that I had no idea about?" Amanda couldn't help but feel betrayed afterall Ayva had always told her everything. The two women had been inseparable since they were fourteen.

"Amanda, please understand that I didn't keep this from you because I doubted our friendship or wanted to hide anything from you. It was a difficult time for both of us, and I didn't want to burden you with my own struggles while you were already dealing with the challenges of school." Ayva hoped that Amanda would understand the reasoning behind her decision.

But all Amanda could hear were the words that struck a nerve within her. The mention of her struggles with school felt like a sharp jab, reopening wounds she had tried to heal. She couldn't help but feel a surge of jealousy and resentment towards Ayva's seemingly perfect life. The fact that she hadn't graduated with their group and had failed law school twice only added to Amanda's feelings of inadequacy.

"It's all in the past now. Can we just talk about something else?" Ayva said and although Amanda agreed, she couldn't help but wonder if Vanessa was starting to take her place in their friendship.

Both women wrapped up their evening around 9 pm. Ayva had some unfinished work at the office, so she decided to head back there. Amanda, on the other hand, went home to prepare for her first court case the following day.

When Ayva arrived at the office, she found that there were no other employees around. Taking a deep breath, she made her way upstairs to her office. Once there, she immediately immersed herself in her work, getting lost in the tasks at hand. The minutes and hours seemed to blur together and it was only until she got a call from Zion she realized how late it was.

"Honey, I know you said you were going to be home late, but it's already past midnight." Zion's voice echoed through the phone speakers. Ayva sat at her desk, her eyes glued to the live feed from the hidden cameras she had installed earlier that day.

Zion paced anxiously in their living room, phone pressed to his ear. "Do you really have to work this hard? Don't you think it might affect our baby? And what about your health?"

Ayva clipped her words, her attention still fixed on the phone screen displaying Zion's worried face. "I'm fine. The baby is fine." she reassured him.

He sighed, his voice filled with concern. "Why do you do this? Have you even had anything to eat?"

"Yes, I had some rice a little while ago. I'll be home soon, so don't wait up for me." Ayva replied before ending the call.

******

Ayva had just stepped out of the elevator when she felt a presence behind her. She quickly turned around, but to her surprise, there was no one there. A chill ran down her spine as she continued walking towards her car, sensing the presence behind her once again. The feeling of being pursued intensified, causing her heart to race.

Without daring to look back, Ayva instinctively increased her walking pace, which soon turned into a frantic run. Fear gripped her as she realized that the person behind her was none other than the man who had been stalking her for years.

From the corner of her eye, Ayva caught a glimpse of the man. He was cloaked in black, and the lower half of his face was concealed by a menacing mask. Panic surged through her veins as she regretted parking her car so far into the garage. Running while heavily pregnant and wearing heels made escaping nearly impossible, giving the man an advantage with his long strides.

Desperation consumed her as she gasped for breath, her heart pounding in her chest. In a moment of terror, she let out a piercing scream as the man seized her hand, yanking her back with an alarming force. The man seized her hand with an iron grip, yanking her back with alarming force. The impact sent a jolt of pain through her body as her back collided with a nearby pillar, the sharp edges digging into her flesh.

Suddenly, large gloved hands closed around her throat, squeezing with a vice-like grip. The world around her faded into a blur as her oxygen supply decreased. It became impossible to breathe, her gasps for air turning into feeble wheezes. She couldn't scream, the pressure against her windpipe silencing her cries for help. Even if she could, she knew that no one would come to her rescue at this late hour of the night. Ayva realized with a chilling certainty that she was going to die.

But she wasn't planning on dying without knowing the face behind the mask. With a surge of adrenaline, she fought against the man's relentless hold, her fingers clawing at the fabric covering his face. Her nails scraped against the mask, desperate to reveal the identity of her assailant. The struggle intensified, the two locked in a macabre dance of life and death.

But just as Ayva's determination peaked, a sudden warmth and wetness trickled down her legs, causing her heart to skip a beat. She instinctively knew what it was - blood. Panic and fear gripped her, but amidst the chaos, her maternal instinct kicked in with unwavering strength. In an instant, her focus shifted entirely from her own survival to the well-being of her unborn child.

The impact of being forcefully slammed against the unyielding pillar had taken its toll, threatening the precious life growing within her. A surge of protectiveness flooded Ayva's being, overriding any fear or pain she felt.

Yet, as her body weakened and her vision blurred, Ayva found herself losing touch with the world around her. The pressure against her neck tightened, constricting her breath and making it nearly impossible to break free. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, mingling with the sweat that stained her face.

In those fleeting moments, Ayva's senses began to fade, one by one. She clung to the last remnants of consciousness, her whispered prayers pleading for the safety of her unborn child.

And finally, the veil of darkness descended upon her.