Chapter 5 I Just Had To Get Pregnant

Kira's POV

I stare at my phone for the millionth time today. Malcolm hasn't answered my calls or messages in weeks. Swiping through the countless messages I've sent, my heart breaks with each unread notification.

Hey babe, are you okay? You haven't been picking up my calls.

Hey Malcolm, I miss you. Can we talk?

I'm going on a business trip with my boss. I'll be away for a month. Please answer me. I'm so sorry for everything. I promise I'll make it up to you when I get back.

I toss the phone onto the couch, my eyes quickly welling up with tears. How did we get to this point in such a short time? The deafening silence serves as a constant reminder of our mistakes.

"Maybe he just needs time," I murmur, but I know better. He trusted me with a mission that we had planned for over eight months, and I failed it all in one night. I'm an idiot.

The sun streams through the window, illuminating the apartment, but my mind stays in the dark abyss of distressing thoughts. My stomach growls, and I rush to make something to eat. I have been feeling really hungry and tired lately. Thank God Gavin gave me two weeks off to prepare for our trip.

I crack two eggs into a pan, the sound of them frying disrupting the quiet atmosphere in the apartment. But just as the aroma reaches my nose, my stomach churns, and the bitter taste of bile reaches my mouth.

I gasp, barely making it to the sink before feeling the push. I double over, spilling the contents of my dinner once again. This is the fourth time I've experienced this in the morning, and it is so damn frustrating.

Tears prick my eyes as I lean against the cool counter, taking deep breaths.

"Gosh, this stress surely wants me to lose weight. And I'm not even fat," I mutter, walking toward the sink to wash my hands.

Suddenly, a thought flashes in my mind. What if this isn't just stress? What if it's something more? Everything that has been happening seems to point in a certain direction.

"No, no, no," I whisper to myself, shaking my head in disbelief. "It can't be." But the distinct symptoms tell a different story. I don't think Gavin and I used any form of protection that night, and I'm not on birth control.

I grab my phone and purse and hurry out the door, my heart racing as I make my way to the nearest pharmacy. Once inside, I scan the shelves, grabbing a handful of pregnancy tests, feeling sweat trickle down my skin even in the cold weather.

I pick up eight kits, convinced that one isn't enough to confirm.

"Just to be safe. You know, just a normal day," I mutter, my cheeks flushing as I stare at the cashier.

The cashier raises an eyebrow but says nothing as he rings up the tests, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. I pay quickly, avoiding eye contact, my heart pounding as my mind races through different possibilities.

Once home, I rush to the bathroom, my hands shaking as I prepare to take the tests.

"Okay, Kira. You can do this. Afterwards, you'll see that it is just stress," I murmur, splashing water on my face to clear my mind.

After what feels like an eternity, but was only a few minutes, I finally finish. I clench my eyes shut, then open just one as I stare at the first test.

"Not pregnant, yay!" I breathe out in relief, a wide smile forming on my face. I knew it was just stress.

But as I glance at the next test, my smile drops. Pregnant. I blink, shaking my head in disbelief. "No, this can't be..."

One by one, I check the rest. Pregnant, pregnant, pregnant. "No! This isn't possible! I need to go to the hospital. These things are never true," I think, my mind racing.

By the way, it's barely a month since it happened. The results can't be true, right?

I discard the tests, holding onto one that reads "Pregnant," my world spinning. "God, what have I done?" I whisper, flopping down to the floor as I support my head with my hands.

How can I be pregnant? For my boss, not even my boyfriend. What will I tell Malcolm? How do I face him? What about Gavin? Oh my goodness, maybe I should escape, move to some country, and start afresh.

The thought disappears from my mind as soon as I remember that I don't have money. I've only been working at Wolfe Enterprises for three months, and though the pay is great, it's not enough to care for me and a baby.

Just then, I hear a voice in my living room, jolting me from my thoughts. "Miss Ellington, I've been knocking for ages! Do you think I have any time to waste?"

I raise my eyes, seeing Gavin's towering figure standing at the door. Half of his body is already inside the house. How long have I been lost in thought that I didn't notice he had been knocking?

I look toward the clock, my eyes widening as I realize that I've been wallowing in my pitiful state for over 45 minutes. Damn.

Is this what pregnancy does to people? God, I am not ready for this. Just as that thought crosses my mind, my eyes widen as I realize something; I'm still holding the positive pregnancy test kit. Oh shit. Right in front of Gavin.

My heart jumps as I scramble to hide the test behind my back, my breath catching in my throat. "Um, S-sir, I-I didn't see you there. I'm sorry, I was b-busy," I stutter, my palms growing sweaty as I wish the kit could just disappear.

Oh goodness, what if he has already seen it?

I dare to look up, my wide eyes meeting his furrowed ones. He stares at me for a few seconds before asking, "Are you okay, Miss Ellington?"

"I'm fine, sir," I reply too quickly, my heart pounding as I shift from one foot to another.

"Are you sure?" His gaze lingers on me, intense and calculating.

"Yes, sir!" I insist, smiling slightly.

"What's behind you, Kira?" he asks, suddenly moving closer.

"What? Nothing! Nothing is behind me," I stammer, my legs wobbling.

"Turn around, Kira. What is behind you?" His voice is calm, but the command sends chills down my spine.

I freeze, my heart pounding in my ears. What do I do? What do I do? Oh my God, I'm dead.