Chapter 31

**CHAPTER 31**

**"Are you still mad at me, Ally?" **

"No, no. Not anymore."

"Awee, thanks, Ally!" Rebecca suddenly charged towards her with a huge hug.

"For what?" She asked, startled by Rebecca's sudden change of mood. It'll sure take a lot of patience to deal with this pregnant woman.

"For forgiving me," answered Rebecca with her voice as sweet as candy.

When they pulled away, she began complaining to Allison like a kid on tantrums, "You know Ally, it's so boring to be alone here. I've got no one to talk to, my phone's games are boring, and Isla forbid me to go shopping! She said it's bad for me to stress myself of walking but isn't it supposed to be good because it's an ex..."

"How about we go and buy you maternal dresses then?" suggested Allison.

Rebecca's lips twitched, her mood changed once again. "I would love to, but I don't have any money, Ally. I only depend on Isla's money. But I'm planning to find a job so I won't be a burden."

"Don't worry," she said and fished out Hades' black card from her clutch. She gave her friend a sly smile and a wink. "It's on me."

Her friend's eyes widened. "Ohmygod! A black card! Please don't tell me that you got that from a sugar daddy!"

She playfully rolled her eyes. "Please, Becca, I'm no slut. I thought you wanted to go shopping?"

"Yes! Yes, I do!" Rebecca chanted excitedly before standing up. "Let me change first," she said before happily making her way to her room.

'So, she was still somehow the old Rebecca after all. Maybe she changed a bit. But she's still the old Rebecca,' Allison thought.

"That was fun!" uttered Rebecca as they were walking their way out of the department store.

"It sure was," replied Allison with a satisfied smile on her lips. Shopping for Rebecca's maternal wear made her too excited that she wanted the former to give birth already and see the baby.

"What do you think my baby's gender would be, Ally?" asked Rebecca out of the blue.

"Hmm," she hummed and began collecting her thoughts, recalling articles that read about pregnancy. "I've read in some articles that people from the Philippines... Filipinos believe that if the mother grows blooming while undergoing pregnancy, her child is a girl. But if a mother gets stressed while undergoing pregnancy, the baby is a boy. And you have grown blooming, so I believe that your baby is a girl," she answered.

Rebecca's face heated up. "I hope that's true. I always wished of having a baby girl," she said as she placed a hand on her stomach. "I hope you'll be like your daddy so I would have a female version of him." Suddenly, Rebecca's stomach groaned. She and Allison exchanged glances out of surprise. "It looks like someone's hungry," she said, and they both shared a laugh.

"How are you, Ally?" asked Rebecca as soon as she swallowed her fried chicken with a huge gulp.

Allison looked at her friend while chewing her steak. It was clear that the latter was curious about the comings and goings in her life, they were friends after all, and it was normal to be worried for each other. Besides, ever since Rebecca moved, she was considered a mere outsider of Allison's whereabouts since the latter didn't have any close contact with her anymore.

"Fine, I guess..." 'No, I'm not,' she wanted to answer as she took her glass of water for a sip.

"Are you sure?" Rebecca wiggled her eyebrows, and her tone laced with doubt as to if she's forcing a six-year-old kid to confess that she stole a cookie from the cookie jar.

Allison almost rolled her eyes. "Of course, I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Rebecca lounged her back on the backrest of the chair. "Well, my cousin, Isla, gave me today's newspaper..." she trailed off as if she's a raconteur, telling a mysterious tale that piqued Allison's interest. "...and I've read that..." she grabbed her glass of juice and took a sip.

"Read what?" Allison asked. The thrill was killing her!

"...You're engaged to Hades Ezekiel Friso de Vries," Rebecca finished. She pulled herself to sit straight and said to Allison with gritted teeth. "My God, Ally! I can't believe you didn't tell me that you're getting married!"

Allison's jaw dropped in uttered astonishment. It's all over the news that she's getting married?!

"And not just that, it was said that he and Brent fought over you last night, so they're telling that you're a two-timer." No wonder she saw a frown on Hades' lips while he was reading the newspaper! It seemed that the media was scrutinizing them too much that they were making pointless assumptions. Hades' solution to the scrutiny made a bigger stain instead.

"Allison!" Rebecca called her name, pulling her away from her reverie. She looked at the former in an instant. "Your face is red. Are you okay?" her friend asked worriedly.

Her anger immediately popped like a bubble. "No, I'm okay," she answered, her calm composure coming back.

"Anyway, so? How was he? Was he good in bed? You didn't even tell me that you're pregnant!" Rebecca shrieked like a teenager, enough to gain the people's attention.

Allison's lips parted as she felt her blood draining from her face with her soul going six feet above the ground. Was the media that insane that they even added that too?! They're the worst!

She could not muster any words out of sheer flabbergast. Suddenly, Rebecca's smiling lips turned into a pout. "I'm throwing tantrums at you, Ally!" what's with the sudden change of mood?

Her lips twitched in wonder. "Why?" what's the deal with this pregnant woman? Is it like that when you're pregnant?

"You didn't tell me that you're getting married. It would've been nice if you told me," Rebecca answered.

Allison gave her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I was quite busy," yes, she was. She was busy dealing with her life with Hades. Her life could've been peaceful if they hadn't met. If only she didn't respond to his passionate kisses, her name wouldn't be in the newspaper, her parents wouldn't be disappointed in her. She unconsciously sighed, how she wished she could turn back time.

Rebecca lay her back on the backrest once again. "I know you've been busy preparing for the wedding. Oh, gee! I'm so excited!" she squealed once again.

She gave a sad smile before sighing and looking down. Rebecca noticed her gloomy mood as if the latter were avoiding the topic. So, she reached for her friend's hand. "Hey."

Allison raised her head. "Hmm?"

"What's wrong? Aren't you excited about the wedding?" Rebecca asked. For her, a wedding was an extremely special occasion that made her feel very excited that she could piss on her panties. Unknowingly, she loved weddings. She loved them so much that she dreamt of being a wedding planner.

Allison sighed once again the nth time. "It's not really what you think it is, Rebecca."