After an evening steeped in business talk and subtle tensions, my family bid their goodbyes first. My grandfather lingered a bit longer, discussing our marriage with Regan, his eyes twinkling with something I couldn’t quite place.
"Take good care of her, Regan," my grandfather said, patting him on the back.
"I will, sir," Regan replied.
As my grandfather left, Regan and I followed, walking out of the restaurant.
We approached the car, and I felt an itch spreading across my skin. I frowned and tried to ignore it, not wanting to embarrass myself in front of Regan. I mentally ran through the dishes we had, wondering if I had accidentally eaten something with nuts, my known allergen.
We got into the car, and as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I began rubbing my arms to lessen the itchiness. I mentally cursed when I saw my arms getting red and red splotches on my skin.
"Shit" I murmured and looked for my coat, discreetly covering my arms.
As the car rolled down the long, winding driveway, my grip on my bag tightened. My gaze darted out the window, taking in every detail of this place that felt both familiar and utterly foreign. I couldn't help but admire the grand estate, especially the mansion. The house stood tall with large windows. Its exterior was constructed from light-colored stone, giving it a stately and classic appearance. While the front yard was expansive, stretching out in a well-manicured lawn dotted with flower beds bursting with color. Majestic oak trees lined the driveway. The far end of the property revealed a glimpse of the family’s large land.I'd been here once before, last year, yet stepping out of the car today felt like a debut all over again. Butterflies danced in my stomach. Throughout the entire flight in Regan's private jet, his attention glued to his laptop screen. It was as if I were invisible, a mere passenger on a journey I wasn't a part of.The car finally came to a halt in front of
As the door clicked shut behind her, Regan let out a long sigh. He shrugged off his jacket, tossing it onto a nearby chair before turning to me. His gaze, usually cool and guarded, held a surprising gentleness. "You should get some rest," he said, his voice unexpectedly soft. "There'll be a lot of people tomorrow. This reunion is a big deal for everyone in the family."Taken aback by his concern, I could only nod. "Alright,""I'll just go downstairs and check in with Dad," he added back to its usual stoic quality.Again, I nodded. With a brief smile, he turned and left the room, leaving me alone in the silence.“Ugh,” I groaned, feeling the exhaustion settle into my bones. I walked over to the bed and lay down, sinking into the soft mattress.Staring at the ceiling, I just stare blankly at the ceiling. After a few minutes, I realized I wasn’t going to find any peace lying there. With a sigh, I decided to take a shower first, hoping it would help me clear my head. I got up and ma
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains. A wave of disorientation washed over me as I blinked them open, the room unfamiliar for a moment. It took a sluggish mental count to register the time – 3 pm. “Had I really slept that late?” The exhaustion must have been deeper than I realized.Sitting up slowly, I scanned the room, my gaze landing on a tray perched on the bedside table. A steaming cup of tea sat beside a plate piled high with colorful pastries. A small, folded note beside the tray. Reaching for it, I unfolded the paper, my mother-in-law’s familiar handwriting filling the page.Eat this, honey. I didn’t wake you up because you looked so tired. - Love, Caroline.I picked up a pastry, the flaky crust giving way to a satisfying crunch. The filling, a sweet blend of fruit and spices, danced on my tongue. I took a sip of the tea, loosening the stiffness in my muscles. I made a quick trip to the bathroom for a splash of water and a swipe of lipstick. Deciding it's ti
As we walked, I couldn't help but scan the crowd anxiously, searching for Regan amongst the throngs of family members. But he was nowhere to be seen, something I probably should have expected. Outside, a fleet of jeeps lined the driveway which was also filled with excited chatter."Why don't you ride with us?" my mother-in-law suggested, ushering me towards the jeep where her husband stood waiting.“Yeah, you can come with us.”I nodded, my smile a little strained as I continued to search for Regan. “O-okay”Just as I was about to climb into the passenger seat, a hand clamped down on my arm."She's coming with me, Mom," a voice spoke from behind me.I turned, my breath catching in my throat at the sight of Regan. He looked effortlessly handsome, clad in a crisp white button-down shirt that clung to his broad frame, the sleeves casually rolled up to reveal toned forearms. His strong jawline and high cheekbones gave his face
I stood with my mother-in-law, Caroline, and other relatives as we watched the men gather around the stables, each stall housing magnificent horses with coats gleaming in the sunlight. The atmosphere was filled with anticipation and excitement, everyone chatting and laughing."Isn't this lovely?" Caroline said, her eyes sparkling with joy."It certainly is," I agreed, a smile gracing my lips as I watched Regan emerge from the stable, a vision of equestrian grace.He wore riding breeches that hugged his toned legs, a crisp white polo shirt with the collar popped, and a tweed hacking jacket. A pair of polished riding boots completed the picture. He moved with a quiet confidence, a natural at home in the saddle. As he mounted his horse, a powerful black stallion, I couldn't help but feel a flicker of pride."Who usually wins these races?" I asked, turning to Caroline."Oh, Regan often takes the prize," Caroline replied, beaming. "He's been riding sinc
As we got inside the car, Regan stared out the window, a deep frown etching lines on his forehead. I stole a glance at him, the carefree mood I had earlier dissipating like mist. Silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.“So,” I began, needing to break the ice, “how did you get into horse riding?”He flinched a little at the question as if yanked back from his thoughts. “Lessons”It wasn’t much, but it was a start. “Lessons, huh? Must have been amazing. I saw this video online the other day, this rider going full gallop across a field, the wind whipping through their hair… looked exhilarating.”A flicker of something crossed his face, a spark of emotion I couldn’t quite place. Pressed on, refusing to let the conversation die. “And you just did it earlier. How did you learn to do that?”“Practice,” he responded, his ton
Inside, the dining room buzzed with conversation. A long table stretched down the center of the room, groaning under the weight of a feast. Platters heaped with roasted meats, glistening vegetables, and golden-brown bread filled the air with a mouthwatering aroma. I found my seat amongst Regan's family on the right side of the table.As the clinking of silverware and polite chatter filled the room, the conversation inevitably shifted towards us. My mother-in-law, her face creased with a wide grin, leaned towards me."So, Anastasia, when are you two lovebirds going to give us a little grandchild to spoil?"A blush crept up my cheeks, warming my face like a summer sun. I stole a glance at Regan, but his attention remained fixed on his plate, his expression unreadable."We're working on it," I replied with a shy smile, "Hopefully it won't be too much longer."My words were met with a chorus of delighted gasps and excited chatter."Oh, that's wo
My eyes fell upon a horse tethered nearby, a magnificent brown stallion. Almost on autopilot, I moved towards it, untying the lead rope with shaking hands. Swinging myself onto its back, I urged the horse forward.I needed to get away.Kicking the horse into a gallop, I rode towards the familiar sight of the forest. The trees blurred past me as I pushed the horse harder, the wind whipping through my hair and stealing my tears. Reila's words echoed in my mind, each one a cruel arrow piercing my heart.Deep within the forest, far from the mansion and the judging eyes, I finally reined in the horse. Dismounting, my legs gave way beneath me, and I sank to the ground, leaning against the rough bark of a tree."It's fine," I whispered, "It's all fine."But the lie tasted like ashes in my mouth when Reila's words, dripping with smug satisfaction, replayed on a loop in my mind. "It's not fine, fuck it is not" I choked out, a sob escaping my lips. Tears streamed down my face now. "I’m not fin
Susan and the maids rushed toward me as I descended the stairs, their worried faces blurring as my vision swam. My legs felt like they weren’t my own, each step unsteady. The world tilted, and for a terrifying second, I thought I would collapse right there on the marble steps.“Miss Anastasia!” Susan gasped, reaching out just in time to steady me. The other maids circled around, their hands hovering anxiously, unsure if they should hold me up or let me go.I swallowed thickly, blinking rapidly to chase away the dizziness. My chest was tight, each breath a struggle against the sobs clawing their way up.“I’m fine,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper, but my body betrayed me as I wobbled again.Susan’s eyes filled with tears. “You’re not fine, Miss. Please, let’s get you some water, sit down for a moment—”But I shook my head, my heart hammering in my chest. No. I needed to leave. I needed to get away from this place, from him. The moment I stepped outside, the cool air hit my
I felt sick. I felt so utterly sick."What if I was pregnant too?" the words came out my mouth before I realized it, my voice so soft I almost couldn’t hear myself.Regan’s head snapped toward me. And for the first time, he hesitated. For a single, gut-wrenching moment, something flickered across his face—something almost human—but it was gone as fast as it came.Then, with the same cold finality, the same knife to my throat, he answered:"Then I would ask you to get rid of it."Silence.I stopped existing. I didn’t scream. I didn’t cry. I just stopped.The world tilted. My body felt weightless, my ears ringing so loudly I couldn’t even hear my own breathing. I stared at him—at the man I had loved more than anything—standing there, looking at me as if I were nothing.I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think. I wanted to hate him. I wanted to rip him apart, to throw something, to scream why why why until my throat bled. But I couldn’t do any of it. Because what was the point? He had already ma
The words escaped me in gasps, strangled and desperate. I needed him to stop hurting me. To stop choosing her. To stop breaking me every time he looked at me like I didn’t matter.I gripped him harder, my fingers trembling against his chest. “Why, Regan?” I choked out, “Why did you let it get this far? Why didn’t you—” I couldn’t finish. I couldn’t get the words out. The truth was suffocating me.I lifted my head, looking up at him through the tears streaming down my face. My heart was pounding in my chest, so loud I thought it would burst. My hands shook as I cupped his face, but he didn’t meet my gaze. His eyes were focused somewhere past me, distant. Empty. I didn’t know this man anymore. I didn’t know the man I had loved, the man I had trusted with everything.“I don’t want to hurt anymore, Regan. Please… just make it stop. Please.” My breath hitched, and I clutched him tighter, pressing my forehead against his chest, wishing that I could somehow make it all go away. “I loved you.
I shoved him away with all the strength I had left, my body trembling as I grabbed another shard from the broken vase. My fingers clenched around the glass so tightly I felt the skin break, blood dripping onto the floor. I didn’t care.I couldn’t care. All I could see was her. Zarina. The woman who stole everything from me.She let out a terrified shriek, scrambling backward on the floor, her hands raised as if that would stop me. But before I could move—before I could strike—a force crashed into me. Regan’s arms wrapped around me, pinning mine to my sides. His grip was so strong I couldn’t move.“Stop it, Anastasia!” he roared, his voice shaking with something I couldn’t place.And then, with the force of a sledgehammer, the words that would haunt me for the rest of my life fell from his lips."She’s pregnant."Everything stopped. My vision blurred, and my heartbeat slowed into a painful, suffocating rhythm.Pregnant.Zarina was… pregnant.A deafening ringing filled my ears, drowning
Regan’s body jerked upright. He turned sharply, his expression twisting in shock. His eyes—filled with something that shattered me even more. Calm.For a single, fleeting moment, I saw something else. Something raw.But it was too late. Too fucking late.I didn’t feel the tears running down my face until my vision blurred. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would shatter through my ribs. The room spun, reality hitting me in full force. The betrayal. The humiliation. The absolute cruelty of it all.Regan scrambled to move, grabbing the nearest piece of clothing, and hastily wrapping a sheet around his waist. He started toward me.“Anastasia, what the fuck are you doing here?”I took a step back, my fingers tightening around the ultrasound picture—until the delicate edges crumpled under my grip.Something inside me snapped.With all the strength I had left, I hurled the picture across the room. The tiny, fragile proof of the life growing inside me, the life he never gave a damn ab
The air turned suffocating, thick with something heavy—dread, betrayal, something I couldn’t name. Susan’s grip on my wrist tightened as if she could physically stop me from stepping any further, from taking another breath in this house that suddenly felt like a stranger’s.Her face was etched with desperation. She was pleading with me now. “Miss Anastasia, please—please just turn around and leave.”But I couldn’t.Something inside me had already cracked. A wound had been carved open the moment she said that name.Zarina.I repeated it in my mind, like a slow, cruel mantra, willing it to make sense. But it didn’t. Nothing did. My stomach twisted violently. A cold, sickening sensation spread through my limbs, making me feel like I was floating—disconnected from my body, from reality. My fingers tightened around the ultrasound picture in my palm. I thought I had prepared myself for everything. For heartbreak.But this?This wasn’t just rejection. This was erasure. This was them taking t
I frowned, closing the door behind me. My voice echoed slightly as I called out, “I’m home.” Silence. My stomach twisted. I blinked, my grip tightening on the strap of my bag. I took a few steps forward, my heels clicking softly against the marble. Where was everyone? “Susan?” I called out, expecting my head maid to appear any second now, as she always did. “Susan, where is everyone?” Still, silence. A chill ran down my spine. Something was wrong. I turned toward the stairs, about to head up, when suddenly— “Miss Anastasia!” The voice came from the hallway. Rushed. Panicked. And then, Susan appeared.Susan rushed toward me in a blur, her usually composed demeanor completely gone. Her once neatly tied gray-streaked hair was slightly disheveled, and her dark housekeeper’s uniform looked as if it had been hastily adjusted. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with an emotion I couldn’t quite place—fear, relief, something else? Before I could speak, she wrapped her arms around me, clut
As we drove, the gentle hum of the car engine filled the silence. I pulled out the ultrasound picture from my bag, holding it carefully in my hands. The tiny image of my baby made my heart swell with a mix of joy and anxiety. I traced the outline with my finger, a faint smile tugging at my lips.My baby.My little one.A soft smile tugged at my lips, but it was a bittersweet one. The joy of carrying this life inside me was overshadowed by the unknown—by him.Would Regan be happy? Would he finally see me? Would he finally choose me?"Are you planning to frame that or something?" Sheila's voice broke through my thoughts.I glanced at her, then back at the picture. "No," I murmured. "I'm going to show it to Regan."Sheila let out a slow exhale, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter. “Of course, you are. You know, Ana…I admire your resilience. Really, I do. But how long are you going to keep giving that man the benefit of the doubt?”I sighed, hugging the ultrasound picture closer
The morning sunlight filtered through the hospital blinds, casting soft golden streaks across the sterile white walls. I sat on the edge of my hospital bed, already dressed in a simple yet elegant beige dress that draped loosely over my recovering body. My fingers fidgeted with the handle of my packed bag beside me, anticipation curling in my stomach.I was leaving.Finally.A mixture of nerves and excitement coursed through me. It wasn’t just about getting out of the hospital—it was about what came next. About whom came next.Regan.I hadn’t told my family I was leaving. They’d try to stop me, insist that I needed more rest, more time. But I was ready. And once I told them I was safely home, they wouldn’t have a choice but to accept it. And today, I was going to see him. Tell him everything.Tell him about our baby. The thought sent a rush of warmth through me, a hope blooming in my chest.The door creaked open, breaking me out of my thoughts.I looked up, expecting a nurse, but inst