Chapter 49: BOOK 2: ACCIDENTLY PREGNANT BY MY STEP-UNCLE

\[Gianna’s POV\]

“Congratulations!”

The doctor's voice rings out, causing me confusion as I try to understand what in the world she means.

“Congratulations,” I repeat, frowning. “Congratulations for what?”

The doctor stares at me in confusion, but even then I still don’t know what is happening.

“Is that how you tell a patient that they have the flu?”

I woke up here, in this bed, in this room after collapsing during a shoot.

I felt under the weather before even attending today’s job, but I couldn’t possibly say no to it since it paid the bills.

“Ma’am,” the doctor says slowly, clearly feeling me out. “Have you been feeling queasy and weak recently?”

“I have,” I respond. “But I have also been working a lot lately.”

I am a model who until recently did small gigs, but after a clothing brand I modeled for took off, I started to receive more work.

I was slowly getting my name out in the industry, and because of that, I was extremely busy, but if it meant achieving my dreams, I was more than willing to do it.

“Working a lot,” the doctor murmurs, noting down what I’ve said. “And have you had any other symptoms?”

For a moment, I don’t speak as I stare at the woman in front of me. My mind is whirling as I try to determine what exactly it was that she wanted from me.

“How about your period?”

Once again, I don’t speak as I consider, and when I realize that it has been at least two months since the last time I had one, I feel my eyes widen.

“Wait,” I hiss, shock and disbelief rushing through me. “No, there’s no way.”

I was always careful about what I did and with who.

Granted, up until two months ago I was happily engaged, but then…

“No,” I gasp, my eyes growing wide as memories of that night come rushing back to me. “There’s no way…”

“Sweetie,” the doctor says gently. “Maybe it’s best that you see an OBGYN soon and take it easy.”

“Doctor, am I pregnant?” I ask, fear starting to rush through me. “I am, right?”

“Yes, you’re about 7 weeks along.”

Her words slam into me like a brick, causing the air to erupt from my lungs and my stomach to churn.

“P-pardon,” I rasp, certain I didn’t hear her correctly. “What did you just say?”

“You’re seven weeks pregnant.”

At her words, my heart drops to my feet, and I feel like I’m going to fall off the cold metal table that I sit on.

Pregnant.

I was pregnant.

Not only was I pregnant, but I didn’t even know who the father was.

Well, it wasn’t like I didn’t remember the face of the man who did this, but I didn’t know his name or where to even find him.

What happened between us was a spontaneous occurrence.

It was fueled by alcohol and passion, and when the sun started rising the next morning, I left without a word while the man slept on.

Since then, I have avoided the bar where I met him out of fear of running into him because I didn’t want some man or a relationship getting in the way of my ambitions.

So much for that. The small voice in the back of my head huffs. Look what happened.

“Sweetheart,” the doctor's gentle voice brings me back to the present, and when my eyes meet her gentle brown ones, I already know what her next words will be.

“You should make a decision,” she tells me, taking my silence and lack of excitement as my all but saying I don’t want the child in my stomach. “Once you hit 12 weeks, there are no more options aside from carrying to full term. Well, there is adoption, but if you don’t wish to carry the child, then…”

“No,” I say quietly, my hand moving to my stomach. “There’s no way I would consider that option.”

The child was innocent in all of this.

The ones at fault were me and that man, who I didn’t think I would ever see again, and because of that, I was the only one left to take responsibility.

“Don’t worry,” the doctor says, her hand gently touching my arm. “I know it seems scary now, but motherhood is a beautiful thing.”

“I know,” I smile, ignoring the prick of tears at the corner of my eyes. “I’m just a bit overwhelmed.”

“Of course,” the woman smiles. “Just know that if you have any questions, there are plenty of people out there.”

Nodding, I blink away my tears and then wait while the doctor finds me a few brochures for local OBGYNs.

After handing them to me, she writes me a prescription for a prenatal, and then I’m standing and heading out of the room, feeling like the world that I existed in before this moment is completely disappearing, and as I move toward my car, I can almost see the door to stardom closing entirely.

“Dammit,” I growl, climbing into my car and leaning my forehead on the steering wheel in front of me. “How could you do something so stupid?”

As I speak, my phone begins to ring, saving me from spiraling, and when I see my mother’s name on the screen, I remember that I agreed to have dinner with her and her new husband, Anthony.

Sucking in a few breaths, I swipe the answer, and when I bring the phone to my ear, my mother’s cheerful voice erupts.

“Darling,” she cooes, her mood the complete opposite of my own. “Are you on your way yet?”

“Almost,” I tell her, pulling down my visor and examining my face. “I just had to stop somewhere, but I’m about to be heading that way now.”

“That’s great,” my mother responds happily. “There’s someone here who would like to meet you, you see.”

“What?” I ask, frowning. “Are you talking about Anthony?”

Since my mother and Anthony had a whirlwind relationship that led to a quick marriage after only two months of dating, I only had a few chances to meet him, but I did meet him, so who else could she possibly mean?

“No,” my mother responds. “This is someone that you’ve never met. You see, Anthony’s younger brother is back from his business training overseas, and he will be joining us for dinner this evening.”