I'm pregnant
3rd P.O.V.
Someone snatched Beatrix away from Apollo.
Apollo was too far away to follow them all.
"WHERE ARE YOU?!" he shouted.
"Apollo!" she screamed.
But her voice seemed to come from nowhere.
Apollo suspected it might be a speaker.
He looked around, but he couldn't find Beatrix.
They were still in the parking lot, and only a few minutes had passed, so she couldn't have gone far.
"Beatrix..." he whispered.
Apollo felt like the world was playing a cruel joke on him.
Just when he was trying to change, to become a better man for the love of his life, this happened.
Was he finally getting what he deserved?
For years, he had been a pain in the ass to everyone.
He had cheated on every girl he had been involved with.
There was this recent girl named Aileen who had almost destroyed his relationship with Beatrix.
But what he couldn't understand was, if he was the real target, why were they hurting Beatrix?
Apollo heard a rustling sound from one corner of the parking lot.
He had been hearing it for a while now.
Slowly, he approached the source of the sound... only to find Beatrix kissing Harold.
His heart felt like it was being crushed.
It squeezed tightly... then it started to feel as if it were tearing into pieces, as the grip tightened.
He walked toward Beatrix and Harold, doing his best not to judge just yet.
He needed to know what had happened behind the stupid kissing he had just witnessed.
But he couldn't.
He grunted and walked away.
Little did he know, as he turned his back, Beatrix slapped him and stormed off to find him.
Apollo got into his car, started the engine, and drove away.
He knew that Beatrix was waiting for him.
"But we don't have a formal relationship. All I did was express my desire to turn our contract into reality. I didn't tell her that I wanted her to be my girlfriend. Honestly speaking, there's nothing going on between us," Apollo muttered to himself.
He was trying to justify his actions, thinking it was enough for him not to feel as though he was still in the wrong with Beatrix.
His phone rang.
But Apollo had no intention of answering it.
He stared at his phone, completely oblivious to what was in front of him.
When he tried to peek in, he nearly collided with two people.
He stepped outside.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" It was Charis.
As much as Apollo wanted to apologize, knowing that Charis was Beatrix's friend, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
He simply turned his back on Charis, who was with Harley.
"You didn't get hurt, so don't act so angry. If you want my money, just tell me," Apollo said, throwing away all the money in his hands.
"Fool," Charis murmured as she observed Apollo's change in behavior.
Or was he truly different?
This was the first time Beatrix introduced Apollo.
---
Beatrix's point of view (RIX):
I slapped his face, first on one side and then the other.
Tears started to well up again, but I fought hard to hold them back.
I am strong and courageous.
Crying doesn't define my bravery.
But if I let the tears flow, I will lose control.
"Why did you do that?" I asked.
"Why not me?"
I let out an awkward laugh.
"Don't play games with me, Harold. We both know there was nothing between us," I said.
Harold chuckled. "I know there wasn't. But just because nothing happened between us doesn't mean I wasn't allowed to feel something for you."
I let out a sigh, trying to process what he had just said.
But I couldn't.
I sat down on the ground.
I was done questioning everything.
Harold sat beside me.
"Do you want to hear a story?" he asked.
I slapped him again.
"Do you really think I still care about your stupid story after everything you've done to me?
Harold lowered his gaze.
"I know I was at fault, and I'm sorry for that. But it wasn't my intention to make you feel that way."
"It was your intention. You kissed me aggressively!"
"Fine. I was jealous of Apollo."
"You don't have the right, and you know that..."
Harold seemed hopeless.
I didn't know how to console him.
Harold took my hand, knelt down in front of me, and said, "Please forgive me. I still want to be friends with you, even if you don't like me."
I was shocked! I panicked so that he would stop kneeling before me.
What am I, a god?
"Come on, get up. I'm not mad at you."
He looked confused.
"Not mad? But..."
"Stop! Don't go near my friend!" It was Charis.
She rushed towards me, ready to hit Harold.
But I stepped in front of him, hoping to shield him from Charis's incoming attack.
Charis was breathing heavily as if she had just finished a marathon.
"Don't hurt him."
Charis's eyes widened. "Why wouldn't I?! I heard him! He was one of those guys I saw in the hospital hallway. They were using you for their own gain!"
Charis pulled me away from Harold.
Harold still wanted to explain his side.
But Charis had already taken me away from him.
I struggled to keep up with Charis as she pulled me away from the parking lot.
Harley was right behind me. I saw him, glancing back to ensure no one was following the three of us.
"Stop. Stop this! I need to stop now because I can't breathe, Charis,” I said.
But still, neither of them listened to me.
Before, whenever I said something, especially the keyword "hurt,” Harley would panic and do everything he could to help me escape from Charis. But now, he’s not.
We didn't know how far Charis would go when she was angry.
But right now, Harley wasn't doing anything to help me.
Charis hurriedly led us to the nearest convenience store.
Finally, she let go of my arm when we went inside.
“Ouch!” I winced in pain.
"There are so many things that have happened today, and I can't absorb it all. But right now, all I wanted you to do is to listen to me, as you eat the food that I’ll buy for you," Charis said.
She was about to say more, but Harley pushed away Charis.
"Your contract husband almost killed Charis. What happened when he drove away? Something must have triggered his anger like that."
I listened attentively and suddenly thought that maybe his father had called him, and there was something urgent he needed to attend to.
"So, what are you trying to say now? I mean, just get to the point. I don't want to think anymore," I said.
Charis rolled her eyes. "Did you two have a fight?"
"What do you mean? We didn't fight. Someone pulled me away from him, and when I was about to look for him, you came and brought me inside the convenience store. And after that, I don't know anymore."
"You two were together?" Harley asked.
I nodded in response.
"I was planning to get back to him, but you stopped me from talking to him," I explained.
"Alright, now Apollo wasn't in the parking lot. He was somewhere else,” says Harley.
“He left me? Why?" I wondered aloud.
Whatever.
Even if he left me, I’m sure he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. I knew him.
"Alright, let's continue with my point," says Charis. She took a deep breath aggressively.
"I overheard that man we were talking to earlier mentioning something about Apollo being targeted," I said.
He did something with Apollo?
What does he want with him?
What could it be?
Is there something I don't know?
"Right now, many people have been trying everything to secure their positions in the company. I didn't expect those three men to be involved," Harley shared.
"Enough about that," I interrupted. "Charis, please stick to the important details. I want to know what is with Harold?"
"I told you Harold was using you, aiming for a higher position than Apollo. He wanted to gain a 10% stake in the company. It seems he couldn't achieve that because he underestimated your negotiation skills. But there's only one man defending you, and I'm certain it wasn't him," Charis explained.
How could Harold plot something worse for Apollo?!
Is it because he likes me, or is it just another factor that led him to engage in this kind of shit?
"I need to see it for myself," I said.
Charice laughed. "You know you won't catch someone who doesn't want to be caught."
I looked at her.
I just took a deep sigh.
Maybe not now, but I would do everything to find out what had happened.
I didn't know how dark things had become between Apollo and Harold. I wanted to know everything.
"Charis, I have a problem," I said.
Naturally, Charis reacted to the revelation, and she did.
"Is it because of Apollo?!" she exclaimed.
Harley squeezed Charis' shoulder.
"Would you rather listen to her first before reacting so strangely?" he asked.
Charis glared at him. Now Harley couldn't do anything but listen to Charis, and she fell silent.
I took a deep breath.
Right now, Charis was looking at me, waiting for my next words, while Harley was looking away, trying to suppress his desire to argue with Charis.
"Okay, I don't want to let it go further. You were my friends. I want you guys to know first. I'm pregnant."
As expected, they looked at me with wide eyes.
But now that I had announced my pregnancy, I felt an overwhelming desire for the baby.
I didn't just say that I was pregnant; I was claiming the title of being a mother.
"How did it happen?" Charis asked.
"This is what you were waiting for, right? Hoping for something like this to happen," I teased.
I was laughing at her. But she looked at me with a disappointed expression.
Finally, she managed a smile and started to speak.
"What happened?" I asked.
"I just can't believe that you're pregnant... It's a big responsibility to take if you decide to bring the child into the cruel world," she said.
"I just want my child to know that he has a father who will love their mother deeply," I replied.
Charis and Harley went outside to talk about something that I didn't want to know.
They had two options: share the information with me or talk in front of me.
But since they didn't choose either, I assumed it wasn't about me. However, their behavior suggested otherwise.
Maybe I wasn't the main subject, but their actions made it seem like I was.
It didn't matter as long as the stories were all positive.
I was sipping my coffee when I noticed someone walking by. Their back looked familiar.
Was it Apollo?
Oh, wait, I suddenly remember Jade.
I grabbed my phone and asked Nurse Anna to run an errand for me.
Since I couldn't take her with me, I needed Nurse Anna to do the job for me.
I knew I would compensate her beyond her usual duties for going outside.
I asked her to bring Jade to her home.
Scanning the surroundings, I realized it was indeed Apollo.
I left the convenience store and followed him.
He was accompanied by a girl.
Perhaps he was searching for me.
Without warning, I left him in the parking lot, alone.
I was certain he would be worried sick, desperately looking for me.
He entered an alley, and as I followed him, I called out his name.
"APOLLO!"
My face lit up with a smile.
He looked at me, our eyes met, and I waved my hands excitedly...
But instead of a longing expression, all I received was a glare.
He proceeded to kiss the girl while maintaining eye contact with me.
My world crumbled once again.
How could this happen twice?
