Jake's POV Surprisingly enough there was no breaking news or humiliating headlines doing the rounds. I sat up on my bed, rubbed my eyes and looked at the clock again. The bottle was in the bed beside me, the duvets stained because it must have spilled. There was no way I could have fallen asleep had I not drunk a little. The door bell rang. My legs shook as I went ahead and answered it. It was Rosa. She pushed me and got inside , locking the door behind her. " Do you have any idea what you did last night? Do you have any idea whose party it was? Do you have any idea whose wrong foot you stepped on , Jake? ” She looked angry and disappointed. " Look, I am sorry I messed up last night. Don't try to shove it in my face again and... ” I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to fix them. " Jake! You have been mourning your ex-girlfriend as if she was dead. She willingly left you. It happens. People leave. People break up and they move on. You are acting l
Lea's POV Phill hadn't been back for days. He had called only once and said that he was caught up in some family problem and asked me to take care of myself and call him whenever I needed. Though there were a lot of times when I thought I could do with a helping hand, I could never reach for the phone and call his number. It just never happened. My belly was significantly growing and there was no way I could hide it any longer. I was already showing. Soon I would reach my last trimester and there would be no way I would be able to move around freely. I would have to go on leave and that meant I would need a lot of saving. I didn't even do any shopping for the baby. Damn! There were a lot of things pending. I tried to wrap up as much as I could before the next meeting with my gynecologist. It would be my first meeting with him alone . I was already dreading it. Perhaps I was already starting to depend too much on Phill. It was unhealthy. I was grateful for his long absence
Author's POV Elizabeth Rodgers glanced up as her private detectives laid their investigation reports about Jake on her desk.It was pretty fast but Elizabeth was always their VIP client and first priority. Detective Murphy cleared his throat, “Mrs. Rodgers, we’ve dug deep into Jake’s past. The kid’s got a humble background. Born and brought up away in a hill town, tucked away from the mainland, mother died at childbirth,father was alcoholic and abusive. He worked his way up in showbiz with no connections or godfather to speak of. It’s pretty impressive, really.” Elizabeth’s expression darkened. The thought of her daughter associating with someone from such a low-class background made her blood boil. “Humble background? Is that supposed to impress me? I don’t want my daughter anywhere near someone like him.” Detective Hardy shifted nervously, exchanging a glance with Murphy. “Well, there is one interesting detail we found.Its quite surprising.” Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, he
Jake's POV Me going to the Rodgers Mansion was weirder than them inviting me for dinner. I went only because I wanted to make amends and did not want to end up on their wrong foot. That place and I had nothing in common. The food tasted like ash as they continued serving. Not because it was not tasty but because Phill sat right beside me, glaring at me constantly. I could have never imagined I would end up having dinner at his house of all places. The world really was getting smaller day by day. Mercy tried to do some damage control and I smiled for her sake. The dinner dragged on with awkward small talk and forced smiles. Finally, Mercy suggested we move to their game room,much to my relief. Phill and Percy immediately started competing with each other, and Mercy joined in. I hung back, watching them from a distance.The only thought that kept crossing my mind was "What the hell was I doing in their world? " " Mercy, take my spot. Make sure Percy doesn't cheat. Keep
Phill's POV Lea finally called. " Phill, my phone broke! Is my aunt... is my aunt really dying? ” She gasped from the other side. It seemed like she had run a couple of miles. " Lea, breathe. Sir down, wherever you are. You are hyperventilating. Calm down! ” " No! I can't. Just tell me it's true or not? What happened to her? ” I wanted to ask her how she got to know about their aunt but I wasn't going to pry. " It's true, Lea. I called the hospital where your aunt is admitted. I don't know the details. I will go and check on her first thing in the morning. Alright? ” " I want to come with you. I am taking the next flight. Can you please pick me up from the airport? ” I could sense it wasn't just about the aunt. But nevertheless, I was going to be there for her, like I promised. Always. No questions. No demands. " Of course, I will pick you up, Lea!Just be careful. Don't panic. She is stable at the moment, though in critical care. Take it slow, alright? " " I am
Lea's POV I wanted to run into his arms. Break down, shed all those tears, let all my worries go but I found my legs stuck on the spot. I couldn't even move. It wasn't any different for Jake. It seemed like our breathing had become difficult. Luckily, Phill came along just then, swinging his car key. Jake's gaze immediately turned hostile but Phill ignored it. " They are allowing only one visitor at a time. Isn't that right, Jake? We should be moving! ” He ushered the two of us inside as I walked towards the ward, head hanging, heart heavy, as if it was a walk of shame. They let me go first. My heart shattered all over again as I watched Aunt in that condition. Weak, frail, tubes and wires tangled all around her body, barely breathing, her eyes closed, hands over her chest. I ran beside her, fell over her legs and started sobbing. " I am so sorry, I felt . I didn't have a choice. I didn't want to leave you alone. It's just that... it's just that I am. pregnant, "
Jake's POV Lea was pregnant with Phill's child? That's what they told me but I still couldn't wrap my head aprund that fact. I should have seen it coming. The glances, the whispers, the sudden need for privacy,the distance,the running away...How could I have missed it? Lea, my Lea, pregnant with Phill's child ? I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. The room spun, and all I could see was red. "You gotta be kidding me!" I screamed, my voice raw and unrecognizable. The walls seemed to close in, mocking me with their stillness. My fists clenched, and I threw the first thing within reach.A framed picture of us at the beach last summer. It shattered against the wall, the glass splintering into a million pieces, much like my heart. "How could she do this to me?" I roared, my voice echoing in the silence of my room. "With Phill of all people! That slimy, backstabbing son of a ..." I couldn’t finish the sentence. My throat was tight, choking on the words. I reached for the whiskey bot
Jake's POVWe pulled up to her apartment, and she helped me out of the car, practically carrying me inside. I felt a wave of shame wash over me, but I was too far gone to resist.She got me to the couch and sat me down, her eyes scanning my face. “Jake, you’re better than this,” she said softly. “You can’t let them break you.”I managed a weak nod, the reality of my situation slowly sinking in. Rosa was right. I couldn’t let this destroy me. But right now, all I could do was try to survive the night.“Stay here,” she said, standing up. “I’ll get you some water.”I watched her go, feeling a strange mix of gratitude and despair. She didn’t have to help me, but she did. Maybe, just maybe, I could find a way out of this darkness. With Rosa’s help.She handed me a glass of water, and I gulped it down, feeling a slight clarity returning."Jake,” Rosa said, sitting down next to me. “...you’re not alone in this.”I looked at her, my vision blurring and sharpening in waves. “Thanks, Rosa. I don’t