Chapter 21 Chapter 21
Savannah woke up in a strange room. For a moment she didn’t move. Her eyes looked at the ceiling, the white curtains, the clean floor. It was quiet, not like the noisy place she used to sleep in. No rats, no smell, no broken bed. This was different. Too different.
Her hand rested on her stomach. The baby was calm, but her heart was not. She sat up slowly and looked around. The room was well furnished. The bed was soft, the sheets new. A small lamp glowed on the side table. Everything looked perfect, but she didn’t feel at home. She felt out of place, like she didn’t belong.
Adrian’s voice came from the door. “You’re awake.”
She turned her head quickly. He walked in holding a paper bag. He looked fresh, dressed in a simple shirt, and carried a calm air. He placed the bag on the table.
“I bought some groceries,” he said. “You need to eat well. Not only for yourself but for the baby.”
Savannah lowered her eyes. “You didn’t have to do all this for me. I can manage.”
Adrian pulled out bread, milk, fruits, and some fresh vegetables from the bag. He placed them neatly on the counter. “You call that place you were staying managing?” His voice was soft but firm. “No, Savannah. That was survival. This—” he pointed to the room, “—is living.”
She looked at him, her eyes wet. “I don’t want to be a burden. You’ve done too much already.”
“You’re not a burden,” he said quickly. “You just need a chance. Everyone deserves that.”
Savannah stayed quiet. She rubbed her belly gently. She wanted to believe him, but years of pain and rejection weighed on her. She remembered Nathaniel’s cold eyes, the way he pushed the papers in front of her on their anniversary night. She had no strength left to trust anyone.
Adrian pulled out a chair and sat down across from her. “Savannah, you can stay here as long as you want. You don’t need to worry. You’re safe here.”
She blinked fast. “Safe.” The word felt heavy. She had not known safety in years. Her lips trembled but she pressed them together. “Thank you,” she whispered.
They ate together in silence. Adrian watched her closely, noticing how carefully she ate, as if afraid the food would disappear. He wondered what kind of man would leave a woman like her in such a state. And pregnant too. He could not understand it.
After breakfast, Savannah walked around the small apartment. The living room was neat, with a soft couch and a bookshelf. She touched the edge of the table and stared at a family picture on the shelf. A younger Adrian stood with an older couple who must be his parents. They were smiling. Happiness showed in their eyes.
She felt a sharp ache. She could not even remember the last time she had smiled like that. Her life with Nathaniel had been full of cold walls and silent dinners. She had never been enough for him. And now, she was here in another man’s home, hiding like a ghost.
“Do you like it?” Adrian asked from behind her.
She nodded quickly and stepped back. “It’s… it’s nice. Too nice.”
Adrian studied her face. “You’re not used to this, are you?”
She shook her head. “No. But I’ll get used to it. I just don’t want to stay too long.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“Because,” she said softly, “nothing good lasts for me.”
Adrian didn’t argue. He simply said, “Then maybe it’s time something good did last.”
Savannah turned away before he could see the tears in her eyes. She sat back on the couch, hugging her bag. She still carried it everywhere, even though there was nothing valuable inside. Maybe it was the only thing that made her feel like herself.
Adrian watched her quietly. He wanted to say more, but he knew she was still carrying too much pain. He would wait. For now, all that mattered was that she and the baby were safe. And he would make sure it stayed that way.
But deep inside Savannah’s chest, fear still lived. New walls, new bed, new safety—but old scars were hard to forget.