Chapter 12

After staring at my reflection in the mirror for what felt like an eternity, I grew tired of waiting for him to return. Was he serious about telling me to wait here?

Or maybe he just meant I should wait in his office, not the bathroom. I facepalmed, shaking my head at my overthinking, and stepped out, once again admiring the office's sleek design. I walked over to the large glass window, gazing out at the city skyline below.

It must feel incredible to have this kind of money, this kind of power.

My hand instinctively went to my stomach, still flat. The weight of my decision started to creep in again, bringing with it a flood of regret. Was this worth it if it meant losing the man I loved? I should have been more patient. I should have tried harder. Instead, I wanted it all at once, greedy, impulsive, and now dealing with the fallout.

If my mother could see me now, she’d be so disappointed.

"Are you okay, Miss Eva?" Leornard's voice pulled me from my spiralling thoughts.

"Yeah, I’m fine. I'm just feeling..." I stopped mid-sentence as I turned to see him. His once black suit had been replaced with a grey one. "What did you do?" I asked, confused.

"I changed into a new suit. One without perfume," he said casually, like it was no big deal, and walked to his desk.

I hadn’t expected such a considerate gesture from him. "Wow," I muttered under my breath.

"Do you need to see a doctor?" he asked, already flipping through some files.

"No, it’s fine. I'm just allergic to certain things. Nothing to worry about," I assured him.

"Good." He barely glanced up, quickly returning to his robotic state. I awkwardly moved toward his desk, watching him as he immersed himself in papers. How could he switch between being considerate one moment and emotionless the next? It was exhausting trying to keep up with him. No wonder he didn’t have a girlfriend. who could possibly deal with this?

"I'm hungry," I said, suddenly breaking the silence. "I want pizza."

"Pizza isn’t food, Miss Eva," he replied flatly.

"But I want pizza."

"You need to eat healthy for the baby."

"I still want pizza."

He sighed. "Fine, but only after we get some actual food first."

I smiled. "That sounds fair."

A knock on the door interrupted our banter. "Come in," Leornard called, his eyes fixed on his work.

The door opened, and in walked a man dressed in a white shirt and blue suit pants, his smile wide and friendly.

"Leornard!" he greeted warmly, and before I could even blink, Leornard was up from his seat, walking quickly to embrace the man.

"Jason," Leornard said, patting him on the back. Their easy familiarity made me feel even more out of place.

"I didn’t know you were back," Leornard continued, visibly happy to see his friend.

"I came back last night, wanted to surprise you," Jason replied with a chuckle.

"Well, you definitely did." The two of them exchanged a few more pleasantries before Jason's gaze shifted to me.

"And who’s this?" Jason asked with a raised eyebrow.

Leornard turned slightly, glancing back at me. "This is Eva. My childhood friend," he lied effortlessly. "Eva, this is Jason, we’ve been friends since college."

Jason extended his hand toward me. "Nice to meet you, Eva," he said, his tone polite, but something in his eyes lingered.

I shook his hand lightly. "Nice to meet you too, Jason."

He held onto my hand for a second too long, his gaze never leaving mine, making me feel uncomfortable. Leornard cleared his throat, and Jason finally let go, but the uneasiness lingered.

"Sorry, I was just caught up in your beauty, Eva," Jason said, grinning. I instantly felt the need to escape.

"Nice one, Jason, but back off," Leornard warned sternly. There was an edge to his tone that Jason didn’t seem to take seriously.

"Well, we were just about to head out before you came," Leornard said, turning back to me.

"Shame," Jason replied, still smiling. His eyes flicked back to me. "Will I see you again, Eva?"

I glanced at Leornard for some kind of help, desperate to get out of this situation.

"Actually, she’s leaving town tomorrow," Leornard lied again, his voice clipped.

"Yes," I quickly agreed. "That’s right."

Jason’s smile faltered for a second before he shrugged. "Bummer. Well, I have some meetings to attend, so I’ll be off. It was nice meeting you, Eva." He waved as he left the room.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Leornard's entire demeanor shifted. His face hardened, and his eyes darkened with something colder.

"You’re never coming here again," he said abruptly, his words sharp and final. "I don’t want that to happen again. You’re not supposed to be a part of my life, you’re just supposed to bear me a child. That’s it. Stick to it and stop trying to manipulate me, Miss Eva. You’re just my employee. Nothing more."

His words hit me like a slap. It felt like he had punctured my heart with a spear. My vision blurred with tears, and I was determined not to shed in front of him. Without a word, I grabbed my purse and headed for the door.

"I’ll drive you home," he said, his tone detached.

"Don’t bother," I spat, slamming the door behind me.

I stormed out of the building, barely able to hold it together. Once I was outside, I hailed a cab, not even caring where I went. I just needed to get away.

When I finally got home, Clara greeted me with a warm smile, asking how my day had been, but I couldn’t speak. My chest tightened painfully, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

"Eva? Are you okay? Was Leornard a jerk again?"

At that, I broke down, tears flooding my eyes. Clara rushed over, wrapping her arms around me as I sobbed uncontrollably into her shoulder. I hadn’t expected such kindness, but I didn’t pull away. I needed this.

"I regret doing this. I really do, but it’s too late now," I cried, my voice shaking with emotion.

Clara pulled back slightly, her eyes filled with concern. "What happened? Talk to me."

"I lost my boyfriend because of all this. I thought I could handle it, but I was wrong." My voice cracked as I admitted the truth. "Kelvin broke up with me."

"Oh my God, I’m so sorry," she said, pulling me in for another hug. "I didn’t know. You must be in so much pain."

"It’s my fault. I chose this, all for money. And now, I’ve lost the man I love," I whispered, my heart aching.

Clara stroked my back gently, her voice soft and soothing. "Don’t be so hard on yourself. Anyone in your position might have made the same decision. It wasn’t about greed, it was about survival. Stop blaming yourself."

"But it cost me everything. I can’t go on without Kelvin."

"He’s hurting right now, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you," Clara said, pulling back to look at me. "Give him time. He just needs to process everything."

"Do you really think he’ll forgive me?" I asked, feeling unsure.

"I believe so," she said with a soft smile. "Call him. Tell him how you feel. You deserve closure, at the very least."

I hesitated but eventually nodded. "I’ll try."

"Good." She wiped the last of my tears away. "But first, let’s get some lunch. You need your strength."

After eating, I took Clara’s advice and called Kelvin.

"Hello?" His voice was cold, distant.

"I need you, Kelvin," I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion. There was a long pause, and then the line went dead.

My heart shattered all over again. I sent him a message with my address, hoping, praying he would come.

Hours passed, and I started to give up hope. But then, the doorbell rang. I rushed to open it, and there he was.

Kelvin stood in the doorway, his face pale and drawn, but his eyes softened when they met mine. Without thinking, I launched myself into his arms, hugging him tightly.