Aborting the Zanders heir

Chapter 6

Aretha's POV

I stood in front of the Zanders mansion, my eyes brimming with tears as I stared at my reflection in the glossy metallic glass by the gate.

My aunt's words replayed in my ears.

"Do not come back until you bring to me the loser that got you pregnant," she said, and I smiled bitterly at myself, looking again at the gates of the house.

I wiped off the tears that were on my face, even if the heavy eye bags did nothing to conceal them.

"Miss, do you want to leave?" A cab driver asked, jolting me out of my reverie.

"Yes," I answered, sniffling as I walked to the elderly cab man.

The door was opened, and I stepped in, plopping into the back seat of the cab.

"Where to, miss?" he asked, and I shook my head, not even sure of what to do.

I had nowhere to go, and this cash that was with me... It could last me for as long as I wanted, to fund my dreams, but these—these babies, they were a big hindrance for me.

"Please... just—drive," I muttered dryly. He looked at me from the front mirror before igniting the car to drive off.

I watched as the mansion slowly disappeared from view, replaced by the cold, unfeeling cityscape. The cab’s interior smelled faintly of old leather and cigarettes, a sharp contrast to the sterile opulence I’d just left behind. The driver’s voice crackled through my thoughts, pulling me back to reality.

“Anywhere in particular, miss?”

I hesitated, my heart pounding. Did I even have anywhere left to go? My aunt’s words echoed again, a cruel mantra in the back of my mind. The bitter taste of despair curled on my tongue.

“No,” I whispered, almost to myself. “Just... Continue driving," I said, and pulled out a hundred dollars from the briefcase in front of me to hand to him.

He stared at me from the front mirror, and I could see a faint expression of worry on his face before he nodded wordlessly and started the car, merging onto the road and leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I stared out the window, the city blurring past. In my mind, I was miles away—back to the night that had changed everything.

It was just work, and I was following orders. What hurt the most was that I was just helping that heartless bastard, before he took my first time with reckless abandon—a total disaster compared to what I'd imagined my first time would be.

I lowered my head to my knees, tears flowing from my eyes and gnawing emptiness eating me up from the inside.

I had no idea what the future held for me, or for the child growing inside me. But one thing was certain: I couldn’t go back to my aunt, and I couldn’t return to Mr. Zanders.

My options were rapidly narrowing, and the weight of that realization settled like a stone in my chest, draping breaths out of me.

Suddenly, the cab jerked to a stop, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked up, startled, as the driver turned to face me.

“We’re here,” he said softly.

“Where?” I asked, confusion lacing my voice.

The driver pointed out the window, and I followed his line of gaze, feeling my breath catch in my throat.

There, on the other side of the street, was a small, run-down clinic. It wasn’t much, but something about it called to me—a place where maybe, just maybe, I could find a sliver of hope.

As I stepped out into the cool evening air, dragging the briefcase that seemed heavier than a rock, instead of what was supposed to seem like a lottery to me,

"Hey Beta," he called, his accent hinting at an Indian origin and I turned my head to meet his gaze.

"I don't know what it is that you're going through, but I want you to know that it'll be alright. Brace yourself up and smile," he said, handing me a bottle of water.

I took the bottle from his outstretched hand, the cool plastic slick against my trembling fingers. His words, simple as they were, struck a chord deep within me. I hadn't realized how much I needed to hear them until now.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible. The tears that had been threatening to spill over earlier welled up again, but this time they felt different—less like the bitter remnants of despair and more like a release, a cleansing.

He gave me a small nod, his eyes kind and understanding. "Take care, Beta," he said before turning back to the steering wheel, leaving me standing alone on the sidewalk.

I watched as the cab pulled away, the taillights fading into the distance. For a moment, I felt utterly alone, standing at the edge of a decision that could change everything.

The clinic loomed in front of me, a beacon in the darkness, offering a chance—albeit a small one—for solace or at least for some guidance on what to do next.

I took a deep breath, the crisp evening air filling my lungs, and glanced back at the clinic. Could this place really help me? Was I ready to face whatever came next? My hand tightened around the bottle, the cab driver's words echoing in my mind.

"What was I supposed to I do here? A dark thought wisped to my mind and I shook it off.

However, what if was the only choice that I had.

To get an abortion...

With one last look at the clinic's flickering neon sign, I made my decision. I squared my shoulders, pushed back the fear gnawing at my insides, and took the first step toward the entrance.