"Come see me in my office." She said swiftly and then turned around to leave.
"Yes ma'am." I replied and the moment I finished attending to the customer, I made my way to her office.
She was on her computer when I walked in but immediately, she took her gaze off and with her eyes on me, she asked, "Are you pregnant?"
Startled, I staggered backwards, my heart lunged in my throat as I stared back at her.
"Answer the damn question Novah." She yelled, slamming her fist against the table.
"I thought you were different from the others. I'm so disappointed in you." She spat out in fury, plopping back in her seat.
Her words made my face go pale as I stared back at her, my mouth slightly agape to defend myself but I couldn't say a word.
Blinking my eyes, I pushed my hand into my hair and then began to tug on it.
"You're unbelievable Novah." She said with a dismissive tone and immediately I stepped out of her office, I rushed to the bathroom.
With a heavy heart, I slide through the door to the floor, pulling my feet to my chin and using my hand to wrap them.
"I can't be pregnant, he is impotent." I muttered but each time the look of disappointment of Lady Elsie appeared in my head, I begged to differ.
My curiosity led me to the pharmacy after work hours to get some pregnancy test kits.
When I got home, I discarded them only to pull them out to confirm if indeed I was truly pregnant or if it was Lady Elsie that was wrong.
The next morning, I woke up late since it was my day off.
I had already forgotten about the kit only for me to see it on the wash hand basin and not only that, it turned out to be positive.
With my breath hitched in my throat, I staggered backwards, sliding through the wall to the floor with my eyes widened in terror.
This can't be happening - These words kept ringing in my head as goose pimples appeared on my skin.
Grabbing my head which was now aching with both hands, I shut my eyes tightly, trying to get a grip of myself but it was to no avail.
"The product is fake." I said, only to start getting prepared hurriedly to pay a visit to the hospital.
When Doctor Fernandes saw me, he stood for a moment, giving me the same look that Lady Elsie had given to me the previous day.
"You should go for a pregnancy test." He said and reluctantly, I made my way towards the laboratory.
While waiting for the outcome of the test, I was in Doctor Fernandes office, fiddling with my fingers as my heart rammed against my chest in quick bolts.
If it turned out that the test kit was right after all, I was definitely going to lose my mind.
To punish him for having his way with me without my consent, I had always hoped I wouldn't bear a child.
He was going to be at a loss since he had already invested a lot of money on me already.
Just then, the door creaked open and Doctor Fernandes walked in with an envelope.
Without being told that it was the test result, I grabbed it from him and then tore the envelope open.
"This can't be real, right?" I yelled the moment I saw the word POSITIVE highlighted.
For four weeks, I had been carrying Riana's child inside of me and I had no idea of it.
Pushing my hand into my hair, I began to tug on it, my eyes shut as my heart constricted against my chest.
"Congratulations Novah!" Doctor Fernandes said, pushing his hand forward for a handshake but I refused, slowly lowering myself on the couch.
The thought of carrying Riana's child drowned every other thought in my head, making me numb.
The only time I returned to my senses was when Riana walked through the door and immediately, I rose, my heartbeat becoming erratic.
"I will take my leave now." Doctor Fernandes said and immediately, he scurried out, leaving me with Riana who kept staring at me with a hard face.
Gulping, I tried to speak but he beat me to it.
"I knew you were going to carry my child the moment I set my eyes on you." His rich baritone did nothing but to shred me further.
With my head stuck up in my hair, I began to rack my head on the perfect word to say to him but my tongue was tied.
"Come with me, we need to celebrate." He said, pushing his hand forward which I reluctantly received.
While inside his car, he exhaled and then made a call to his wife, informing her of the news and urging her to join us at the restaurant he had picked out.
At the end of his call, I shifted my gaze to him, "I can't go with you, my mother..."
"I will bring you back." He cut in.
Gulping, I began to fiddle with my fingers as I darted my eyes around, the air around me was suffocating.
"Thank you Novah!" He said for the uptenth time, the excitement in his tone never wavering even for once.
Just when he was about to take a swerve into the highway, a truck which was on full speed ran into his car, the impact of the hit on the owner's seat which I occupied.
"Novah..." He called out to me weakly as blood trickled down my face, darkness slowly closing in on me.