Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 165(@200wpm)___ 132(@250wpm)___ 110(@300wpm)
In her mind, she couldn’t help but recall the memories. She saw his laughter as he tickled her one morning. She had tried to fight him off, but they had ended up making love. He’d kissed every inch of her body.
They had shared so much together in the past four months. She was with him every single day, joining him at work, looking over some of the figures, helping with problems. Draven had held her hand or pulled her into his lap, and they had felt like a real couple. Like she could make this work.
After showering, she stepped out, wrapped her body in a towel, and stepped over to the sink. She opened the small cabinet with the mirror and pulled out the test. Draven hadn’t seen the results yet, but there it was, blaringly obvious. Pregnant. Two red strips foretelling her future.
She pressed a hand to her stomach. Babies were meant to bring happiness. Her child was going to take hers away. She felt so happy and sad at the same time.
She placed the test back on the counter, and then stepped into the main bedroom. The bed where they’d spent every night together. Draven’s arms wrapped around her, holding her close.
She forced herself to go to their shared closet. Without lingering, she pulled out a suitcase and began to fill it.
Maria had hoped to wait, to hide the fact she was pregnant for some time. She swiped at the tears as they fell, and she hated them as well.
If Draven was going to send her away, he might as well do it now. She didn’t want to create more memories to give up. She was pressing down on her case, zipping it up, when the door crashed open.
Maria stood up, startled to find Draven there. He didn’t step into the room. He stood perfectly still in the doorway. She stopped zipping up the case and stood as well. Taking a deep breath, she couldn’t help but look up and down his body.
Maria didn’t know how he had gotten home so fast, and she didn’t care. He didn’t say a word, neither did she. What was there to say? The silence unnerved her.
“I’m ready to leave,” Maria said. “There’s no point in denying the truth. You know it. I’m pregnant.”
“Why did you leave the party?” Draven asked.
He still hadn’t stepped into the room.
She chuckled, but it was a forced sound. “You’re not even going to listen to me? Acknowledge what I said? I’m pregnant.”
“Answer my question.”
“I’m pregnant, Draven.”
“Why did you leave the party?”
She didn’t want to answer him but his refusal to even accept what she said was hurting a lot more than she anticipated.
“I don’t belong there. Don’t you get it? They don’t want me there. They never did. I’m a traitor to them. Even though I helped to save all of them from my parents, they still see me as the enemy.”
“And you care what they think?”
“No, I don’t care what they think, but when your brother pointed out how radiant I looked, I had no choice but to leave!” She wanted to stamp her foot.
This time, Draven took a step into the room. “You think I left because my brother pointed out how stunning you looked tonight?”
“You ran away pretty quickly.”
“An ex-soldier had entered the kitchen, carrying a knife. He was intent on harming people at the party. I had seen it happen through the windows in the doors. I left to take care of the situation. Imagine my surprise to find my wife gone.”
“Oh,” Maria said. Guilt filled her. She hadn’t thought of him doing his duty. She didn’t think there could be a threat at an engagement party. “I had no idea.”
He stepped closer.
“It doesn’t change the truth, though, does it? I’m pregnant, which you can’t seem to accept, and you don’t want anything to do with me. That was what you said, wasn’t it? You’d want me to leave. So, I’m ready. I’ve packed my bags and I’m ready to leave.” She hated the tears that were filling her eyes again. She kept swiping at them.
“You’re not leaving.”
“Damn it, Draven, I’m pregnant. I carry our baby.”
He reached out, grabbed hold of her hip, and pulled her in close. “And I’ve told you, you’re not going anywhere.”
She opened her mouth about to argue with him, but he silenced her by slamming his lips down on hers. Surprise stopped her from reacting.
Maria had expected him to pick up the suitcase and not even give her a chance to get dressed. She imagined him forcing her into the car, still dressed in her towel, and taking her to somewhere horrible to live the rest of her days with a child. Each scenario she played in her mind was even worse than the previous one. They were nonstop.