Orlando: Goodnight.
Okay. It didn’t sound like a proper response, but that was all my hare brain came up with. Why does it have to be so hard?
Orlando: I miss…
My phone rang, disrupting my typing. Irritation flared as I swiped at the answer button. “Hello.”
“Sir, Mr. Waylon’s son is on the line.”
“Okay.”
After a beep, his gruff voice greeted me. “Mr. Cortez, what a surprise! I must say I wasn’t expecting your call this time of the night.”
“I wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t necessary.”
I heard the ruffle of clothes in the background and a woman’s sleepy voice drifted through the phone. “I’ll be right back.” I heard him telling her. “What is it?”
“Your stepmother-to-be paid me a visit.” I heard a curse from the other end and who’d have thought Raphael had a sailor’s mouth. A chuckle slipped out of my mouth. “With an interesting plan if I may add.”
“What does she want?”
“Everything that belongs to Desmond. Listen, she’s secretly buying out the shares of Waylon Inc. And your father promised forty percent of his shares upon their marriage. If this wedding happened, then—”
“Waylon Inc. will be hers.”
“Exactly.” While her plan included a high profile divorce that’d drain Desmond dry, I knew better. No one would notice if Desmond had a little accident.
“How many shares does she own now?”
“Sixteen percent, if my sources are right.”
“Damn!” I could imagine him running his hand through his unruly golden blonde hair. We weren’t friends. But not rivals either. Though we were in the same line of business often competing with each other, we were social. We talked when we met in social gatherings. And Raphael was a man with honor. “I owe you for this.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Now it was his headache and it was up to him what he did to save his family’s legacy. My eyes stung because of a lack of sleep. When I returned to the hotel around one a.m., Sheila had arranged another suite. “Your first meeting for the day is in eight hours. I left the reports you have to go through on the table,” she said, leaving me to my devices.
Remembering the message in my drafts, I pulled my phone out only to realize my phone had died. Shit. I hooked the phone to the charger and plopped in bed, slowly drifting off to sleep.
I miss you too, Arianna.
Chapter – 19
Arianna Swanson
The sunrays infiltrated through the dark curtains. It did less to lift my spirits. My phone lay on the head side table. No calls. No messages. Three days had passed and it killed me from the inside. Rosie called, complaining I was shutting her out again, but I was barely trying to get through, one day at a time. This morning was no different.
My body swayed when I slipped out of the bed. I gripped the wall, steadying myself and made it to the bathroom. The next thing I knew, I was puking my guts out.
“Oh, fuck…” I groaned, reaching for the tissues. I hadn’t puked since my seventeenth birthday. Eyes rolled into my skull as I rested my head on the edge of the bathtub, waiting for the moment to pass.
It felt like a great achievement when I finally got dressed for the day. Only, I couldn’t make it work. This was the worst time to catch the stomach flu. Patrick, the bulldog of the office would go nuts if I didn’t show up on time for the presentation. At this rate, I didn’t think I’d make it.
I grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and made my way to the nearest bus stop. Another wave of dizziness washed over me and nausea threatened. Maybe there was something in the takeout I ordered last night. Hailing a taxi, I muttered the address of the closest clinic all the while holding a paper bag tighter in my clutch.
The drive to the clinic was short. Fortunately, there were fewer appointments that morning. After a few formal questions, they took my blood and asked me to drink water while I waited.
Arianna: Am running late. Can you hold Patrick till noon?
I messaged my colleague, Susie and relaxed in the waiting room.
Susie: The bulldog has asked for you thrice already. I’ll see what I can do. Are you okay?
Arianna: Stomach flu. I’m at the clinic.
Susie: Oh, take care, girl. I’ll hold him off.
Arianna: Thanks.
“Ms. Swanson?” The friendly receptionist called.
“Yes.” I stood, adjusting my shoulder bag.
“You may go in now.”
The doctor, in her early forties with curly brown hair and glasses above her sharp nose, lifted her gaze from the reports she was reading and asked me to sit.
“So, when was your last period?”
“Um… almost two months ago.” My period was irregular and I didn’t think it has anything to do with my sickness. I’d know the bitchy cramp even before it started. I had no cramps or backache.
“All right.” She stood, motioning me to the nearby bed. “Hop on.”
My frown deepened, but I proceeded to the bed.
“Your reports came positive.” Her smile was bright and warm.
Positive? Am I diagnosed with some deadly disease? Then why is she smiling?
“The ultrasound will help us deduce how far you’re into your pregnancy.”
“Pregnancy?!” I almost jumped from the bed. She caught my shoulders, pushing me down gently.
“You sound surprised.” Her brows rose. “That’s what happens when you have unprotected sex.”
What?
“I… I…”
Orlando always used protection. But there was one time he didn’t. My eyes widened with realization. Sweat coated my brows and upper lips. The doctor handed me a tissue and continued to rub the gel on the ultrasound stick.
“It’s okay. It happens sometimes even if you’re on the pill or using condoms. Let me check your bladder first.”
I sucked in a sharp breath when she pressed it on my lower abdomen. Discomfort washed over my pelvic region. The fluids I’ve been consuming in the past hour had already accumulated in my bladder. “Here,” she said, pointing her index finger on the screen. My gaze snapped to the monitor. I saw nothing except the gray screen.
“That’s your baby.” She tapped a little grayish-white spot. She applied more pressure on the stick, getting a closer look. “You’re seven weeks along and your child is healthy.”
Tears gathered in my eyes when she printed a copy and handed it. Holding it tighter, I looked at her. My tongue was glued to the roof of my mouth. Out of all the things, I sure wasn’t expecting this.
“You don’t want this baby?” the doctor asked.
A baby.
“Accidental pregnancy could come as a surprise, shocking even,” she continued. “Take a week. Discuss it with your partner. I’ll write some vitamins for you.”
I watched wordlessly as she wrote me a prescription. A baby. Orlando’s baby. I didn’t know if the sudden lurch of my heart was because of joy or shock.
When she handed the prescription, I took it, staring at the slanting letters that made little sense. “Thank you,” I whispered, swallowing the invisible lump in my throat.
“Call me anytime, if you want to talk.”
I nodded, leaving the room. My body was on autopilot as I made it outside. I called the office before heading home. Patrick yelled something when I was on the call with Susan. “I’m done with the presentation already. Take it from my drive.”
“Sure. You take care. I’ll handle him for today,” she said.
Worry grabbed me as soon as I ended the call. How do I tell this to Orlando? Pulling the ultrasound picture, I stared at the little dot. A sudden foreign emotion clogged my throat. My baby. A daughter or a son. Tears spilled. I’m pregnant with Orlando’s baby. Somehow I made it to the safety of my apartment and felt my knees shaking.
With shaking hands, I called Rosie, disconnecting it in a single ring. No, she would jump to the skies
squealing ‘I told you so.’ But I had to tell someone. I needed some advice. I had to talk to someone.
Frantic fingers dialed the familiar number and a sob of relief slipped out when her voice greeted, “Hello.”
“Gaby!”
“Arianna is everything all right? Why are you crying?” Gabriella asked. She hollered for Uncle Frisby when I didn’t respond. “Sweetie, what is it?”
“I’m… I’m pregnant.”
Gabriella went silent. “You’re pregnant?” she asked after a few moments of silence.
“I just found out. I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.”
“Does he know yet?”
“No.”
“I’m coming,” she said. “Frisby, book a ticket to Linnesse right now. And you’re coming with me.” I heard her ordering Uncle Frisby. “Oh, God, Ari. I’m not sure if I have to be happy or worry about this.”
“Please don’t tell anyone.”
“I won’t. Now, you stop crying and get some rest. I’ll be there before you know it.” Her soothing voice offered little comfort.
“What’s gotten your panties in a twist?” Uncle Frisby’s voice demanded in the background.
“We’re going to be grandparents. It’s our Arianna. She’s pregnant. Can you believe it?” Gabriella’s excitement radiated off her. She often forgot she was on a call and the person on the other end could listen to her conversation.
I ended the call and sank into the mattress. What’s happening? Staring at the little dot again, the doctor’s question rang in my mind.
Do I want this baby? I did. Hell be damned if I ever turned my back on my child.
Warmth spread into my chest as I traced a finger over the grainy picture. A life is growing inside of me. My baby. My heart lurched with sudden joy.
The uncertainty I felt a while ago vanished as I stared at the new life, taking form. It was so tiny. I could take care of him or her. I had a job, a place to stay and I had friends.
I’ll love him or her with all my heart. And I’d never do the same mistake my mother did.
How would Orlando react to this news? What if he doesn’t take this well? I was sure Mike would’ve his hide if he ditched us now. Well, while I didn’t want to tie him down with a baby, wouldn’t he want to know about his baby? He should be a part of his or her life.
The mild ache started at the back of my head again, spreading to the front. Damn. I told him I expected nothing from him. What would he think when he learns of this?
Ugh!
I couldn’t wait for Gaby to get here. She would know what to do. Closing my eyes, I forced my body to relax by taking deep breaths. Everything’s gonna be fine. Just breathe and relax. With these words repeating in my mind, I fell asleep.
***
Brian Schultz
“You’ll not get another penny from me,” Henry’s voice boomed across the office.
I shifted from one foot to the other as the paparazzi uncrossed his legs with a smug smile. “Your loss.” He stood, collecting the fresh set of photographs he’d spread on the table. “I’m sure the gossip-loving world would love to see what a whore of a daughter Mr. Swanson has.”
The guy had balls to demand a ten million for the crappy photos he’d shot recently. That was a huge lot of money. I’d been telling Henry he should deal with this differently. That he shouldn’t encourage the guy by paying him every time he walked in with a fresh set of photos.
“Enough! Leave now.”
Henry’s nostrils flared and his face was red. I’d never seen him so furious. I shifted from one foot to the other, waiting until the paparazzi left the office. The door banged shut and I released a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
“You shouldn’t have shut him off like that.”
Henry’s burning gaze snapped. “He’s been robbing me blind for years. I won’t be putty in his hands for any longer.”
I sighed. He was right. Henry had been paying the paparazzi for the past seven years to keep the photos off the media. He’d told me this when I first approached him with the photos. Shame and disgust coated his features.
“I can’t believe I have a whore for a daughter.” He ran a hand over his face and sat. “I gave her everything she ever asked for and this… this is how she repays me.” He gulped the glass of water and slammed the glass on the table.
“Did you take her to a shrink?” Arianna always had this rebellious edge. She liked no one dictating her life. When we dated, I tried to tame her wild side and failed.
He shook his head. “She wouldn’t go anywhere with us. When Claire went to talk to her, she shut her off.”
And I knew about Claire, my mother-in-law, who was a hot-headed stubborn woman, all about respect and shit. This situation wouldn’t be this worse if it wasn’t for them. She must be doing it just to spite them. But Arianna had also shut me off when I tried to talk to her. It was foolish of me to even think I could help her.
Then again, I was in no position to talk to her. I fucked up and lost any progress I made with her.
“She’s no longer my daughter. Forget this ever happened.” He went back to work and left me mulling over it.
Why would Arianna keep doing this? Wasn’t she dating Orlando? Wasn’t that enough? He was rich, handsome and he had everything. What more did she need? The photos the paparazzi brought in today were from some party last night.
From my little chit chat with him on the day of my wedding, Orlando knew about her sexual escapades and he didn’t care. He said he knew about it with a smug look and claimed he knew his woman. What kind of man would let his woman stray?
My phone beeped with a message.
Alana: Hey…
A sigh drifted out of my lips and I returned to my cabin.
Brian: How are you feeling now?
Alana: Not good.
I swallowed the invisible lump in my throat. She’d had an accident at home where she fell down the stairs and lost the baby. It took a toll on us all and she hadn’t talked to anyone for a week. Alana was always crying and I saw first-hand how much that baby meant to her.
Brian: Look, we’re in this together, okay? Please never ever shut me out again.
She’d shut us all out and I was glad she started talking again. I felt sorrier for even going behind her back to Arianna. While I initially thought Arianna was a breath of fresh air and I could be happier with her, I knew better now. Alana may be boring, but she loved me and I saw why I am better off with her.
A shudder ran through my body thinking how my life would’ve been if I had chosen Arianna instead of my wife. My throat constricted as shame ate me from the inside. I hurt Alana, but she never gave up on me, on our love. She trusted and waited patiently while I dated Arianna.
Alana: I won’t.
I wondered how much it would’ve hurt her to see me with her sister. At first, I’d been displeased with her for coercing me into this marriage. Now I thanked the woman every day in my mind for the wonderful life she’d given me.
Brian: How about we order some pizza and have a movie night?
Alana: Sure.
I sighed, thinking of ways to cheer her up. Perhaps we should go on a trip. Yeah, that will work. I’d plan a surprise trip to her favorite destination. A change of scene should lift her spirits. And it wasn’t like we can’t have a baby again. If it meant so much to her, then I guessed it was only fair as an understanding partner to give her just that.
Brian: I love you. See you soon.
Alana: I love you too.
With a smile, I dialed the number to the travel agency that had planned our honeymoon. It was time for a fresh start for our lives.
Chapter – 20
Orlando Cortez
Dead. She’s dead. Inhaling, I closed my eyes. Martha Pennington, the only evidence in was dead for three years. Despite what our legal team claimed, I didn’t think we stood a chance with the drunken video we have on hand. The man, who sat across the table could be useful.
�
��Here’s your drink, sir.”
The waitress placed the tray of soft and hot drinks on our table before leaving. I picked the glass of water and sipped it, all the while eying the shaking male in front of me.
Andrew Pennington, our only hope grabbed the glass of whiskey, gulping it in a go. When Marcus tracked him to a rundown apartment in Vegas, where he lived by taking multiple jobs, I had him flown down here.
The guy now in his early forties looked like shit. And I assumed his battered coat had seen worse. The bags under his eyes and the five-day beard proved my theory. He could use a drink. That was my first thought when I saw him. The dawn will be on us soon and the hotel I stayed in had a bar that was serving their customers past midnight. The music had stopped a while ago and they were clearing out the remaining customers.
“Do you know why you’re here?” I asked. Sure, I needed him to testify against Isabela, given he had knowledge about his mother’s deception. I’m about to find out.
Andrew’s shoulder tensed. “Listen, man, I swear I don’t know who you are. But I’ll pay back every single penny I owe you.” He wiped the sweat off his face and his nervous gaze swept around us. “Just... just let me go.” He eyed Marcus and his security team, who stood behind him. “Please…”
My brows lifted. So, the stories were true. With a newfound addiction to drugs, a seventeen-year-old Andrew had gambled his way through self-destruction. Martha deceived my dad all those years ago to save her son. How interesting. Only my mother hadn’t kept her end of the bargain.
“You don’t owe me anything.”
Surprise crossed his features and his gaze flicked to the security team again. His Adam's apple bobbed as he ran a hand through his unruly hair. I could read his distrust in his eyes.
“Your mother, Martha Pennington worked for my father,” I said and watched as his brows creased. He rubbed his forehead and reclined in his chair. “She helped Isabela, my father’s ex-wife, to deceive my father and get his signature on a few documents.” His gaze averted to his glass and there was no shock in his face. He knew. Good. Opening the first few buttons of my shirt, I relaxed in my seat and crossed my legs. “I want you to tell me everything.”
Resisting Her (Moving On Duology Book 2) Page 16