CH 112As Alexa saw Cody walk out of the restaurant, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had taken over her. She turned to Anthony and said, "Can we go somewhere else? It's too crowded in here."Anthony looked at her, noticing the unease in her eyes. "Sure, I know a private place we can go to. Follow me," he said.They got up from the table and walked out of the restaurant. Anthony led her to a nearby park that had a small pond and plenty of trees surrounding it. They found a bench and sat down, taking in the peaceful scenery."Is this better?" Anthony asked.Alexa breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, thank you. I'm sorry, I just got a little uncomfortable in there."Anthony reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, I understand. You don't have to explain anything to me if you don't want to."Alexa felt a rush of gratitude towards Anthony. He was so kind and understanding, unlike anyone she had ever met before.As they sat there, Anthony began to open up to

CH 114Anthony couldn't contain his excitement as Alexa broke the news of her pregnancy. He felt like he had won the lottery. He held her in his arms and spun her around, planting kisses all over her face. Alexa smiled and laughed, happy to see him so joyful. But in the back of her mind, she knew that she had just told a lie.Anthony's mind was racing with thoughts of how he would be a father, how he would raise his child, and how he would provide for his growing family. He felt like he was on top of the world. He was so happy that he didn't want to ruin the moment by telling Nolan about the pregnancy. He knew that Nolan would have questions and concerns, and Anthony didn't want to deal with that just yet.As they sat on the couch together, Anthony couldn't help but keep his hands on Alexa's belly, imagining what their child would look like. He talked about all the things he wanted to do with their child, like taking them to the park, teaching them how to ride a bike, and watching the

116That night, as they had planned, Alexa and Nolan finally confirmed their plan to each other. They were going to leave everything behind and start a new life together. They had already packed their bags with all the essentials they would need for their journey. The adrenaline rush was keeping them both on edge, but they knew they had to be careful and stay focused.Nolan looked at Alexa, and with a hint of concern in his voice, he asked her once again, "Are you sure about this, Alexa? We can still turn back now if you want."Alexa took a deep breath, trying to suppress the doubt that was lingering in her mind, and replied with a nod, "Yes, I'm sure. I have never been sure about anything in my life before, but I know that this is what I want."Nolan gave her a comforting smile and held her hand, "Then let's go. We have a long journey ahead of us."As they started packing their bags, Alexa couldn't help but wonder if she truly loved Nolan or if she was just going with him because he

CHAPTER 118Cody knew David would help Alexa and called him an idiot for even stepping out of line. Alexa noticed Jade pointing a gun at Cody and tried to distract him as she shot at him around the house. The staff were getting free one by one and attacking the members by throwing expensive items they took from upstairs. Alexa helped Anthony free from the ropes and helped him up. Suddenly, they heard police sirens alarming nearby, and Nolan asked who called the cops. Alexa lied that maybe some of the staff did.As Anthony tried to walk, he was shot on his thigh by one of the gang members. Cody shot Jade, who jumped behind Alexa to stop him from shooting her friend. Alexa was shocked and let Nolan and Anthony escape while she carried Jade outside. Cody noticed and heard the police siren, so he shot at Alexa's leg, making her fall. This made Nolan stop to check on Alexa.Alexa's mind raced as she lay on the ground in agony, holding her bleeding leg. She knew she had to stay focused and

120The news of Anthony's death had hit Nolan and Alexa like a ton of bricks. They were both devastated, but in their own ways. Alexa blamed herself for not calling the police sooner, while Nolan withdrew into himself and didn't talk to anyone.At the hospital, Nolan stayed silent while listening to the doctors' reports alongside Alexa. The doctors had already told them that Anthony had died when he was shot. Alexa knew it was her fault for not calling the police sooner. She couldn't help but feel responsible for what had happened.They stayed at the hospital for a while, visiting the staff that had suffered during the invasion and checking up on their families. Nolan had offered to pay for their hospital expenses and even compensated for their stay until their recovery. Alexa was surprised that without hesitation, Nolan would do such a thing, and it made her guilt grow even more.In her mind, she wished that Anthony had survived the robbery. She hoped that he would have been able to