Anne’s POV
As I approached the mysterious individual who had captured my interest, the music pounded in time with my heartbeat. The pulsing bass seemed to mirror the agony in my heart with each step, erasing out the painful recollection of Nathan's treachery. His focused look never wavered, his eyes fixed onto mine with a magnetic pull that drew me in, unraveling a combination of excitement and uneasiness inside me.A whirlwind of emotions swirled beneath the surface as I neared him. Was it conceivable to find comfort in the arms of an unknown? The idea sounded both dangerous and seductive, a tempting diversion from the sadness that hung heavy on my chest.It was difficult to deny the aura of confidence he radiated as he stood there, a picture of undiluted manhood. His chiseled features and piercing eyes carried a calm charm that sent a chill down my spine. He stood tall and was elegantly dressed. As I neared, the corner of his mouth twisted into an inviting grin, and his words caressed me like silk."Care to dance?"His modest offer, which carried the promise of a momentary relief from my suffering, hovered in the air. I gave him a silent nod and let him take me onto the dance floor. We were engulfed in the music's beat like a sensory maelstrom. His contact sent off a spark of energy as we moved in time, momentarily pushing away the gloom that had engulfed my mind.The weight on my shoulders appeared to lift with each step and sway, replaced by a fresh sensation of release. The previous several hours vanished, leaving just the current moment, the music, and the mysterious man who had attracted me into his circle."You dance beautifully," he said, his soothing voice a salve to my wounded spirit.I managed a faint smile, the corners of my mouth twitching upward, despite the lingering despair."I'm very grateful. I haven't had the urge to dance in a while.His eyes communicated to me with a depth of wisdom as though he had witnessed the battle under the surface."Neglect can sometimes be the best medicine for healing."Our dance became a type of wordless communication, beyond the bounds of speech, with the beat of the music directing our motions. I felt myself submitting to the moment in his arms, letting go of the grief and heartache that had haunted me. It was as if the universe had conspired to bring us together, delivering a little reprieve from the storm raging in my heart.We came to a halt as the song's final notes faded, our breaths mingling in the space between us. The intensity in the club was palpable, and the dark lights threw a strange tint on our surroundings. I raised my eyes to his, our gazes locked in a common understanding that words couldn't express.A delicate yet electrifying touch from his fingertips brushed a hair off my face. He asked, scarcely raising his voice above a whisper,"Would you like a drink?"I was dead drunk but my reaction was a short nod, and he glided through the mob to the bar. Few minutes later, he returned with the drinks and after handing me my drink and receiving a word of appreciation from him, he leaned in and said,“Would you like to go somewhere private after this drink?”His question was filled with expectation and hovered in the air. I was experiencing a mix of thrill and uncertainty, but I also had a newfound courage.“Actually, I’m here with my friends. Can I just go and let them know?” I asked.“You’re a big girl; do you still need your friends’ permission?” the stranger said.“Actually scratch that, let’s go,” I said excitedly.I grabbed my purse as I let him drag me out of the club and into the cool night air. I knew what we were about to do but I was too drunk and hurt to stop myself. I was stunned by the size of his home when we arrived there. I didn't believe he was this affluent, even though he seemed wealthy.I followed him into his house as he led the way. The atmosphere was friendly, cozy, and unpretentious. We were standing face to face, the weight of our yearning audible. The climax of a fortuitous encounter that had brought us here, the moment seemed to be frozen in time.I leaned into his touch as my heart raced as he extended his fingers to brush over my cheek. He approached me slowly and gave me a soft yet passionate kiss. There was a blending of feelings—desire, attraction, and a craving for connection.Every touch and caress that was given throughout the course of the evening sparked a fire that had been dormant for far too long. Whispered discussions mixed with our laughing to create a closeness that went beyond the physical. However, a shock suddenly surged through me when the first sunbeams entered the room through the curtains.I woke up to see a man standing in front of me with just a towel wrapped around the lower part of his body. His chest was bare but it was a sight to see. It was well-sculptured and it was definitely eye-candy. It was… hold on. What is a half-naked man doing in my house?I looked up and tried to recognize his face but I couldn’t. I drew in as much breath as I could before letting out a loud scream with my eyes closed. Seconds later, I slowly opened my eyes to see that he was still standing there, not flinching.“What are you doing at my house?” I yelled.“Your house?” he asked, in a cold but deep voice.I looked at him confused until I looked around and noticed that this wasn’t my bedroom. Oh no, I’ve been kidnapped, I thought.Did you kidnap me?” I asked the stranger standing before me.He looked at me like I was drunk or something. I tried to get up from the bed but noticed I was stark naked. My eyes widened in shock. I slowly looked up at him, fear written in my eyes. “Did you rape?” I asked.“I picked you up from the club, ho and your stay here is overdue. Now, get up, get dressed and get out of my house,” the stranger said, his voice exerted anger and coldness.Suddenly, my thoughts were refreshed and I could remember miniature things from the club. The guy I met at the club was nice. This one here was a complete dickhead. As I got dressed, I couldn’t believe that I went home with a complete stranger.“Last night would be the last time I’d have any more drinks,” I said to myself for the umpteenth time in my lifetime.Soon I was done getting dressed and picked up my stuff. I practically ran out of the guy’s house; I still didn’t know his name. I got into a cab and gave the driver my address. Still in t
Anne’s POVIt was Nathan.My heart raced as I confronted Nathan, the man who broke my trust and crushed my heart. His presence in front of me elicited a torrent of conflicting emotions in me, including wrath, hurt, and a tinge of yearning that I desperately tried to conceal."Anne," he said slowly, his voice laced with desire and grief. "We really need to talk."I crossed my arms defensively, putting up a wall between myself and the torrent of emotions that threatened to consume me. Kiama stood on the sidelines, her face tense with anticipation."What exactly it is you have to say, Nathan?" I answered; my voice was a little firmer than I would have liked it to be but I didn’t care.Nathan ruffled his hair, a sign of his anxiousness."I realize I made a mistake, Anne. I know I hurt you deeply, and I can't express how sorry I am. But, please, may we chat in private?"Kiama looked at me, her eyes quietly asking whether I wanted to hear him out. I paused, caught between wanting to give hi
Anne’s POV"Positive."My entire body jolted in disbelief as the word glared back at me from the little screen of the pregnancy test. Pregnant? I was pregnant? “No way,” I said in a shaky voice.How did this happen? My legs began weak and I slowly fell to the floor. My mind was filled with a lot of thoughts. I began to blame myself for being careless and stupid for letting something like this happen to me. Suddenly I heard a knock on the door in the bathroom.“Ann-Ann, are you in there? I heard noises,” I could hear Kiama’s voice from outside the door.I didn’t say a word but soon again I heard a voice, different from Kiama’s.“What’s up girl? Are you good there?” Gemma’s voice resounded.My heart was still racing as I returned the pregnancy test into the box and opened the bathroom door. "No, I'm great," I replied. I just came to use the restroom."Kiama's eyes widened as she glanced at me, definitely detecting a problem. "Are you certain? You appear to have encountered a ghost."
Anne’s POV“Well young lady, I’ve had my fair share of One-night stands in this lifetime and you won’t be the first to approach me with this silly tactic. You all are gold diggers, looking for whom to extort money from. But young lady, you came to the wrong house today. Now if you could excuse me, I have to round up my meal and get on with things more important,” Lucian said to me.I felt so angry and embarrassed. How could he say that to me? Me? A Gold-digger? How did I end up sleeping with a heartless man like Lucian? “Excuse me, Mr. Lucian, I’m not here to extort money from you. Hell, I didn’t even know who you were until I got to know that I was pregnant. I’m only here to tell you about your child that I’m carrying so you can perform your fatherly duties towards him or her. I could have taken care of this child on my own but my pay isn’t enough,” I said.“See, a Gold-digger; you couldn’t take care of yourself alone but then you went ahead to get pregnant for just any man and you
Anne’s POV“Fine; I’ll agree to it. I’ll agree to the 1 year or rather 9 months contract marriage so that in return Lucian can accept the fatherly duties,” I said.Mr. Macaulay and Lucian looked at me like they couldn’t believe my reply. Wasn’t that what they expected? I asked myself. “That’s if the child ends up being mine,” Lucian added.I rolled my eyes at him. “That’s a good decision, Miss Anne. Now you’ll have to sign a few papers to effect the contract,” the lawyer said.“No problem,” I said.I just wanted to be done with that and get out of here. The lawyer brought out the contract which I later found out was the document Lucian had typed while waiting for the lawyer. He gave it to me and I read the necessary parts to be read before signing the contract. I handed it back to them when I was done and asked the question that had been in my mind since I agreed to this contract thing.“When will the fake wedding be held?” I asked.“This weekend,” said Lucian.“What? That early?” I
Anne’s POVThe pain suddenly stopped and I felt better again. I looked at my best friends with a smile and said,“Sorry; I guess it’s just a fake alarm. The baby kicked; it has been doing that for some time now. I’m in my 4th month so it’s normal.”Kiama and the girls sighed in relief. They were worried that something else gone wrong. The fun vibe returned as we conversed and laughed throughout the remainder of dinner. We eventually finished our meal, said our kind goodbyes, and they left, leaving me with a heart full of thankfulness for the beloved connections that had gotten me this far in my trip.One day, I was in the living room surround with different snacks. Don’t blame me, it’s the baby’s cravings. I was watching TV while eating the snacks when Lucian walked in. “What’s going on here?” He asked, a disgusted looked on his face.“What does it look like?” I retorted back.“Why have you turned my living room into a garbage house? You could have done that in your bedroom,” he said
Author’s POVKiama, Daisy, and Gemma, Anne's friends, couldn't help but look at each other nervously as Lucian appeared out of nowhere. Unaware of the tense atmosphere in the space, Anne questioned their apprehensive looks."Why do you three appear to have witnessed a ghost?" Anne asked with worry rushing through her body.Her friends responded by motioning for her to turn around while trying to discreetly communicate their point. The fact that Anne was still unable to understand their signs just made her uneasiness worse.As her frustration grew, Anne said,"What's happening? I'm scared of you."Look behind you," Daisy muttered as she leaned closer.Slowly, Anne moved her head to see what her friends were looking at. Lucian was there, in the space, his presence throwing an unexpected shadow over the group. His unexpected return caused Anne's eyes to widen as she processed it.She asked, her voice tinged with a range of emotions, "You're back?"Lucian returned her stare with a myster
Author's POV"Can you tell me more about your friends?" Lucian asked Anne as he moved closer to her and took a seat beside her.Anne told Lucian how she met her friends starting with Kiama whom she met at high school then to Daisy and Gemma whom she befriended in college. She told him all they've been through as friends and how they've got her back. She told him of their professions and Anne noticed the change in Lucian's demeanor."Don't be a scared; they only hit anyone who hurts me like my ex?" Anne said."You were in a relationship?" Lucian asked curiously."Yes I was; the night we met, I caught my fiancé as of that time with another woman on our bed in my apartment. It was so heartbreaking," Anne said."I'm...I'm so sorry about that," Lucian replied, showing signs of true concern."I went to the clubhouse that day to drink away my sorrow and that was the day you saw me and brought me to your home. Now here we are and I'm carrying your child. I could still remember how you humilia