LOGIN(Anna's POV)The room felt much smaller with Richard inside.It wasn't because he was doing anything wrong. In fact, he was being very caring.He had adjusted my pillow twice and had filled my glass with water without me asking.He sat beside my bed, watching me carefully. He looked like someone who really wanted to help but didn't know what else to do.If things were different, his kindness would have touched my heart. But every time he moved in his chair, looked at me or asked if I needed anything...I felt the heavy secret inside me becoming harder to carry.I was five weeks pregnant.With his father's child.Technically his step-sibling.This was really fucked up.I needed him to leave so I could think properly.I've never been good at keeping secrets. And this secret was far bigger than anything I had ever hidden before.I wasn't sure I could stay calm for another hour without accidentally saying or doing something that could give me away."Richard," I called.He looked at me im
(Alex's POV)I drove without saying a word.Isabella sat beside me in the passenger seat.She sat up straight with her hands resting on her lap.Her window was slightly open, as if she wanted some fresh air.She had asked me for a ride outside the hospital when I was about to leave.She had asked politely.It was a simple request.She was staying at the Anderson estate, which I would be passing on my way home and her car wasn't with her.So I agreed without thinking too much about it.I kept both hands on the steering wheel, my eyes fixed on the road ahead, but my mind was somewhere else entirely.Anna.I felt partly guilty for what happened.I was the reason she had been hurt. I was the one that had asked her to try and mend things with Richard and had also given her the company to manage.But the plan obviously wasn't working as I had hoped it would.The thought that Richard had put his hands on her made my blood boil with anger.I had tried convincing myself that she going back to
(Anna's POV)The room fell into complete silence.For a few long seconds, no one spoke.The doctor looked from Richard to me, sensing the tension that had suddenly filled the room.The doctor understood the situation immediately.He cleared his throat."I'll give both of you some privacy," he said as he picked up his clipboard. He had worked long enough to know that this was a family issue."I'll come back in an hour."The nurses quietly gathered the medical chart and followed him outside.The door clicked shut behind them.Now it was just Richard and me.He stood a few feet away, still staring at me.His expression was full of confusion."What was the doctor talking about?" he asked quietly. "What didn't you want me to know?"My heart pounded so loudly that I could hear it in my ears.I had only just learned about the pregnancy myself. There was no way I was ready for Richard to know.Not yet.I needed time to think.I needed to speak to Alex first.Most importantly, I needed to und
(Richard's POV)I slowly woke up.My whole body felt uncomfortable, like someone who had drunk too much alcohol and slept on a couch that was never meant for sleeping.I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut.The room smelled strongly of whiskey.My mouth was dry and my body felt heavy.Slowly, I forced my eyes open.The familiar ceiling of my office greeted me.I frowned.My office?Why was I here?I pushed myself upright and immediately regretted it as another wave of dizziness hit me.I looked at the window, the sunlight coming through the partly open blinds told me it was much later than I normally woke up.Just then I felt someone stir softly beside me.Isabella.She was sleeping against me. Her hair rested across my shoulder, and her legs tangled against mine. We were both naked.I slowly looked around the office.The office was a complete mess.Several empty whiskey bottles lay on the floor.A chair had been knocked over, and documents were scattered across the marble tiles and our
(Anna's POV)The first thing I noticed when I regained consciousness was the smell.It was the familiar scent of disinfectant, medicine, and fresh sheets.I was in a hospital.I frowned and slowly opened my eyes. The bright white ceiling above me shone in my eyes and I squinted, trying to block the bright light.My head felt heavy, and every part of my body seemed tired, as though I had slept for days.I blinked several times, my eyes adjusting to the light.I slowly turned my head to see someone sitting beside my bed.Alex.He was asleep in the chair with his head resting against the side of the mattress. One of his large hands was wrapped gently around mine, as though he had been afraid to let go.For a moment I simply stared at him.His usually neat hair was slightly messy. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, and the wrinkles on his clothes showed he has been here for quite a while.He looked exhausted.Had he stayed here all night?My heart squeezed painfully.I carefully
(Alex's POV)I was dreaming about Julia.It was one of the happy dreams that sometimes came to me, bringing back happy memories.We were standing in the kitchen of our first house in Pasadena. It was a small house, the one we lived in before Richard was born and before we moved to a bigger place.Julia was laughing at something I had said.Her head was tilted back, and there was still flour on her hands from whatever she was baking.The loud ringing of my phone jarred me awake, pulling me out of my sweet dreams.I frowned and reached blindly across the bedside table.The room was dark.The digital clock beside my bed read 11:17 pm. Almost midnight, and I wondered who on earth that could be calling at this hour.For a second I considered ignoring it.Whoever it was could surely wait until morning.The ringing stopped.I let out a tired sigh and lay back on the bed.I closed my eyes again, trying to get back to my dream when the phone started ringing once more.This time it sounded even
(Richard's POV)My heart sank as I quickly rushed to Anna's side the moment she collapsed.“Anna!” My voice came out sharper than I intended. “Anna, look at me.”No response.Her body lay limp on the floor, one hand slightly curled near her chest, the other against the edge of the bed where she had
(Richard’s POV)I quietly closed Anna’s door and stood in the hallway for a moment, trying to understand what just happened.She was not as happy as I expected.I thought that she would be over the moon when she sees the honeymoon vacation tickets.But instead, she looked confused. She was hesitan
(Anna’s POV)I woke up to soft morning light coming through the hospital curtains and the steady sound of machines beeping.For a moment, I was confused. Where was I? What happened?Then I remembered everything.I was at the hospital.I had fallen asleep with Alex holding my hand.Alex.I quickly
(Alex’s POV)The icy-cold water ran down my face in steady streams.It hit my skin and slid down my body, soaking everything, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside me.I stood under the shower, both hands braced against the tiled wall, my head lowered, eyes closed, breathing hard.I tried to







