Chapter 3 To be or not to be!

The streets of Manhattan's forgotten corners were alive with the sound of vendors shouting over the honks of moving cars, Arianna walked aimlessly, her thoughts a cloud of confusion and fear. The revelation of her pregnancy had left her reeling, and the weight of it pressed down on her like a million thorns in her flesh. She was lost in her thoughts; thoughts of the life she imagined, the jobs she planned and the career path. But the pregnancy test in her bag had her in shambles. She was pregnant! Of all times Why now?

What about her betrothal? She needed someone to talk to, but Tracy had been distant since she found out about the betrothal. Ari didn't think much about it initially but given the discussion of the previous day, Ari wondered what had changed. Tracy Carrie Delaney, her best friend forever. She was witty, social, with high tastes and a knack for getting into the elite circles. Though her choice of men left much to be desired, she had been with Ari all her life and had her back or so Ari thought. Daniel wasn't a man to be trifled with, if the tabloids were accurate and he wouldn't want her if he knew she was pregnant. Ditching him would ruin her life forever and she couldn't afford that.

He was out of place here, his tailored coat and polished shoes stark against the worn pavement and outdated walls. He had never ventured into this part of the city before, but something had drawn him here, a curiosity about the life she had lived, the streets she had called home. His father's death had brought him back to New York, but this was a world he had never known. Lost in thought, a street urchin darted past him, making off with the watch in his hand. As he signaled his security to follow the street urchin, an unexpected force caused him to lose balance almost hitting the worn-out pavement.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't see him until it was too late. She collided into him with enough force to make her stumble back, her bag slipping from her shoulder.

"Watch where you're going!" he snapped his voice sharp and impatient at how bad his day was going so far. His eyes narrowed as he took her in-her disheveled appearance, the faint tremor in her hands. She looked up at him, startled, her wide eyes meeting his cold gaze. Of all the people, it had to be Arianna he thought! What she must think of him right now.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the noise of the street. She bent to retrieve her bag, her movements hurried and clumsy. She didn't spare a glance at the stranger's face but from his well-polished shoes, he was clearly rich and out of place here.

He watched her, a flicker of something unrecognizable passing through his expression. There was something about her, the dreariness and uncertainty in her eyes. She was different from the pictures he had seen, the look in her eyes distant, like she had no idea who he was. And she seemed frightened by him.

She didn't linger. Without another word, she turned and disappeared into the crowd, her heart pounding in her chest. She had a lot going on and couldn't afford trouble with anyone, especially not the rich. But the temptation got to her, so she turned at the street corner to get a glimpse of him and shock rooted her in place. It was the one and only Daniel Devaras, her husband to be! She needed to sit down and catch her breathe; it was really happening. Daniel was back! Did he recognize her? If he did, he hid it really well.

He stood there for a moment, staring after the trail she had left, the encounter leaving an inexplicable mark on his mind. He continued his walk, this time paying attention to the beggars lingering, lest he was attacked again.

As Ari got close to her home 30 minutes later, a commotion in the street ahead caught her attention and as she moved closer to see what the buzz was about, she realized her nightmare was about to become a reality. There was a sleek expensive looking black car packed right in-front of her house and people gushed over the unusual sophistication it exuded for their neighborhood. With one guess she knew it could only be her fiancé whom she bumped into earlier. She couldn't meet him again, not in this state.

As she was pondered her situation, she spotted Tracy, dressed in a pink bandage gown, her hair dyed ginger like Ari's, black mango stilettos and a guess 2021 edition clutch as she strode down the opposite side and let herself into Ari's old 2 Storey house, her only inheritance after her dad's demise. Her friend was always dressed to kill but today it was clearly overboard, and Ari wondered how she could afford all that with their mediocre jobs. As she heard the sound of his engine come to life, she wondered what his purpose was but for now she had to get to Tracy to understand the change she just witnessed.

As he sat in his car, Daniel fixed his gaze on the worn-out buildings and narrow alleys that had shaped her life. He couldn't shake the image of her-the way she had looked at him, the fleeting connection that had stirred something deep within. The familiarity and most importantly, her scent! But the scene he had just witnessed left a weird feeling in his mind. The woman he bumped into earlier and the woman who just walked into the house couldn't be the same. They looked the same but how was it possible? Thirty minutes earlier, she had been meek, absent minded, apologetic and dressed in the simplest clothes. But just now, she was all pimped up, dressed to kill and didn't spare a glance to her passing neighbors, clearly feeling too good to be in this area. Weird! Well, he had enough time to find out!

His car engine soared to life and took off; leaving Ari wondering what that was all about. Arianna seemed to have multiple lives, and he had to find out all he could about her. His private investigators had work to do, and he was leaving no stone unturned.