The sobs eventually subsided, leaving behind a hollow ache in my chest and a numbness that spread through my limbs. Pulling away from Paul's embrace, I stood on shaky legs, his hand instinctively reaching out to steady me.
My voice hoarse from crying, I managed a choked plea. "I... I need to go to her."Paul's brow furrowed in concern. "No, Anastasia. You can't. It's better for you to stay at the house and wait for Regan."I shook my head. Biting my lip, I wiped away the tears that still clung to my lashes. "Please, Paul. I just want to know if she's okay. And I need to explain myself.""Anastasia—""Please," I cut him off, my gaze meeting his. There was a desperation in my eyes that I couldn't hide.Paul hesitated, his eyes scanning my tear-streaked face. He seemed to be weighing the risks. With a sigh, he nods.......The car screeched to a halt in front of the hospital, pulling me back to the present momenTime seemed to lose all meaning. But eventually, with a shaky breath, I forced myself to my feet. My face was a tear-streaked mess, my body ached with a dull throb. Taking a deep breath, I wiped away the tears. Straightening my clothes, and brushing away the dust and grime, I walked out of the room.I needed to see Zarina. Needed to know she was okay, if there was even a remote chance of explaining myself. Each step towards the emergency room felt like trudging through mud. As I approached, the murmur of voices grew louder. Regan's family huddled around Zarina; their faces etched with concern. Lost in their worry, they didn't notice me linger at the edge of the group. Taking a bite of my lip, the metallic tang of blood filled my mouth. I had to speak up, and explain what truly happened. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, a nurse cut through the tense atmosphere. "Excuse me, Mr. Del Valle," she addressed Regan, "but is there any immediate family member f
The sky had darkened considerably, the last rays of sunlight giving way to the inky blackness of night. A cold wind swept through the deserted road, sending chills down my spine. Despite the situation, an instinct for survival kicked in. I knew I couldn't stay there, exposed and vulnerable. Taking a shaky breath, I pushed myself to my feet and started walking. The road ahead was covered in darkness, but it was the only path I had. As I stumbled along, I raised a hand in a futile attempt to flag down passing cars, each one ignored. Night had completely fallen by the time I finally saw headlights way in the distance, getting bigger and brighter. Hope and fear battled each other in my chest. This had to work. I had to do something. Taking a deep breath, I clenched my fists and stepped right into the middle of the road, squeezing my eyes shut tight. This was it. Whatever happened next, I couldn't take it anymore. With all the strength I had left, I screame
Regan's POV The car ride home was tense and silent. My family and I sat in the dimly lit vehicle, each lost in our thoughts. I couldn't shake the image of Anastasia's eyes, filled with pain and betrayal, from my mind. I hadn’t known she was there. My father had left first, and one of my cousins had stayed behind with Zarina, who thankfully seemed fine now. But the frustration gnawed at me, knowing I had somehow failed Anastasia again. As we drove, I finally broke the silence. "Does anyone know where Anastasia went? It's already 10 in the evening." My mother, sitting beside me, glanced at me with concern. "She might be at the house by now," We pulled into the driveway, and Dad was waiting outside, his face etched with concern. "Is Anastasia with you?" he asked the moment I stepped out of the car. "No," I replied, a knot of dread forming in my stomach. Just the
Anastasia's POVThe towering cityscape of the city finally rose into view bringing a sliver of relief. My eyes felt gritty and raw like sandpaper had been rubbed across them. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest with each movement. Pulling into the familiar driveway of our mansion, I practically tumbled out of the taxi, my legs shaky.Susan practically ran our household, and rushed out the front door, her face etched with a mixture of surprise and concern. "Miss Anastasia? My goodness, what are you doing here? And why are you taking a taxi?"Behind her, the other maids peeked out from the doorway, their faces mirroring Susan's astonishment. I plastered a weak smile on my face, but I could feel the exhaustion radiating off me in waves. "Hey, Susan," I mumbled in a hoarse whisper. "Long story,""But... but where is Sir Regan..." Susan stammered, confusion clouding her features. She clearly expected me to be with Regan and the family at th
When I woke up, Regan was not by my side. He also hadn't slept beside me, but I heard him take clothes from his closet during the night. I sighed, feeling the emptiness of the bed. I came down, feeling lazy and not quite ready to face the day. I sank into the couch in the living room. Susan, one of the maids, brought me a tray of breakfast. I nibbled on the food, my appetite barely there. Sheila's sudden appearance startled me out of my thoughts. Her face, usually alight with a friendly smile, was etched with concern. She hurried over, her movements quick and worried, and sank down onto the couch beside me. "You look dead. Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes searching mine for answers. I forced a weak smile, the kind that didn't quite reach my eyes. "I'm fine, Sheila," I lied, my voice barely above a whisper. "Just tired." Sheila wasn't convinced. She scrutinized me with a knowing look, her brow furrowed in worry. "Don't try to play it off, Anastasia. What happened? Tell me everythi
The next day, Regan was still not coming home, and the day stretched before me. By the time I woke, the day had reached its peak. As the afternoon sun cast its golden rays through the window, a notification buzzed on my phone. Pulling it out of my pocket, I glanced at the screen. It was a text from Gerard. His message was simple – a request to meet.Despite the fatigue that weighed me down, and the nausea churning in my stomach, I knew I couldn't ignore him. With a deep breath, I pushed myself off the couch. Moving on autopilot, I made my way to my room. The reflection in the mirror startled me. My usually bright green eyes were dull and shadowed. Choosing a red maxi dress, I slipped it on. The long sleeves offered a welcome layer of comfort, hiding the fading bruise blooming on my arm. The one I received from where Regan shoved me in a staff room. The red color felt like a shield, a way to mask the vulnerability I still felt.Reachi
The city lights began to twinkle as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. Exhausted and emotionally drained, I craved a moment of peace. With a sigh, I decided to visit Le Ciel Bleu."Marlon, can we go to Le Ciel Bleu.""Certainly, Ma'am," he replied. He pulled away from the curb, the familiar route to the restaurant a blur as I leaned my head against the cool glass window.Le Ciel Bleu exuded a certain Parisian charm. A wrought-iron fence adorned with climbing ivy surrounded a small patio.As we arrived, Marlon opened the car door for me with his usual courtesy."You can go home, Marlon," I said, turning to my driver. "I'll call you when I'm ready.""Are you sure, Ma'am?""Yes, thank you," I replied and walked towards the restaurant, taking a seat at a corner table near the large glass wall.I opted for a quiet table in the corner, away from the main crow
We zipped through the city streets, the wind whipping through my hair and the rumble of the motorcycle engine filling my ears. The world blurred past in a kaleidoscope of lights and colors, a welcome distraction. We rode for what felt like an eternity, the city slowly giving way to the outskirts, dotted with twinkling lights and quiet neighborhoods.Finally, Alex pulled over in front of a small, unassuming diner tucked away on a side street. Relief washed over me as we dismounted, my legs slightly shaky from the unfamiliar ride. Alex took the helmet from my grasp, his touch lingering for a moment longer than necessary."How was your first motorcycle ride?""Exhilarating," A genuine smile spreading across my face. It was the first time I'd felt truly alive in what felt like forever. "But where exactly are we?""Thought you might need a break from all that fancy French food," he explained, leading me towards the diner entrance. "This place has the best comfort food in town, trust me
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