AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I have to fight. I have to pick myself off this bathroom floor. I have to face this. It’s the only way.
“You will not lose your shit now,” I repeat. “Not now. You have to face the truth, even if it’s fucking terrifying.” I wipe at the tears under my eyes, inhaling sharply through my nose, desperately clawing at every last drop of strength. I need answers. And fast. But I have to be smart about this. No one can know, not until I know for sure. I can’t let the doctor do a house call; that’s the quickest way for alarm bells to sound all around this goddamn place. And if I leave the estate, Nicoli will know by the time I’m out the gates. I can tell Leandra, ask her for help, but there’s nothing she can do that Alexius won’t find out about.
Fuck.I have to try something. I have to know.
I rush back into the bedroom and grab my phone, hoping like hell I can pull this off. I call the pharmacy and order a delivery of nausea medication and a pregnancy test, instructing them to send it immediately.
I quickly pull on a pair of jeans, slipping on a white blouse and shoes before heading out of the room. Security will search any packages before allowing them through the front gate, and the only way I can stop that from happening is if I’m at the gate in time for the delivery so I can accept the package in person. It’ll be less than two minutes before Nicoli finds out about the pregnancy test should security search the contents.
With every step I take, I hope like hell I don’t run into anyone on my way out. Luckily, there’s not a Del Rossa in sight when I walk through the halls, down the stairs, and out the front door. It’s an overcast spring morning with a slight chill in the air, and I’m praying to God that this isn’t the universe dishing out some ominous sign that things are about to get much worse.
The cold breeze hits my cheeks, and I wrap my arms tighter around myself as I walk down the driveway toward the gates. It’s a long walk, but my mind is too much of a mess to notice. I’m putting one foot in front of the other on autopilot, focused on nothing but the chaos inside my head. There are so many what-ifs it’s terrifying. It’s like a wave threatening to crash down over me, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to survive it.
As I approach the gates, my heart starts racing. The security team is strict and thorough. Any packages coming in or out of this estate must go through them first, but if they see what’s inside the package, every Del Rossa in this goddamn city will know.
I try to act casual as I wave at our security guard who looks up from his post with a bored expression before he recognizes me and quickly stands at attention like a soldier. “Mrs. Del Rossa,” he greets. “I have strict instructions that you’re not allowed to leave the estate.”
I muster a smile. “Believe me, no one is more aware that I’m a prisoner here than I am.” It’s meant to come across as mild sarcasm, but by the stern look on this guy's face, it failed.
I clear my throat. “I have a package arriving, so I’m just here to sign for it.”
“I can sign for it, ma’am. I’ll make sure it gets to you safely.”
“It’s, um…” I search around us, trying my best to hide how nervous I am. “It’s kind of private, so I’d prefer to sign for it myself.”
A look of discomfort settles on his brow. “Ma’am, we have strict orders to search through every package that gets delivered.”
Shit. “I know. But this is really private.”
“Those are our instructions, Mrs. Del Rossa.”
Seriously? I shift from one leg to the other. “Fine,” I huff. “But I’d still prefer to sign for it myself.”
“Are you sure? I don’t mind bringing it up to the house for you.”
“I’m sure,” I say, shooting him a half-smile.
“Okay, then.” He tips his hat at me, and I hold my breath as I watch him return to his post. The last thing I need is a nosy guard to make this situation worse than it already is.
The minutes crawl by as I pace in front of the gate, biting my thumbnail, my pulse racing and stomach churning. What will I do if the test is positive? I’ll have to tell Nicoli, but how would I even start that conversation?‘I’m pregnant. It might be yours, or it can be the man who raped me who’s the father, the one you’re hunting like he’s game.’No version of that conversation will turn out remotely close to okay.
How would Nicoli react? Would he want me to keep the child? Get rid of it? Would I want to keep it or get rid of it? But what if it’s Nicoli’s baby, and we end up terminating the pregnancy?
Oh, God. There are so many variables, and the best outcome I could hope for right now is that I’m not pregnant and my nausea is just some nasty bug going around.
A car turns onto the private driveway, pharmacy logo on its side, and I sag in relief, but it’s short-lived when I notice the guard walking up to the gate.
The delivery man steps out of the car clutching a small white bag. “Delivery for Mira Del Rossa.”
I snatch the bag from him, muttering a hasty thanks as I dig through its contents. Tampons, check. Nausea meds, check. Pregnancy—
“Ma’am.”
My heart leaps to my throat as I pull out the box of tampons, showing it to him. “I told you it was private.”
Embarrassment flares across his cheeks, his throat bobbing as he swallows. “Just following orders, ma’am.”
“Mira?”
