THE REAL TRUTH*
554 Words
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*Chapter Title:* `The Real Truth`
*Chapter 10: The Real Truth*
My hands were shaking.
The sonogram photo in my hands was not mine. Different date. Different name.
`Baby: Hart, Victoria`
Victoria.
Damian's ex.
"This has to be fake," I whispered. "Right?"
Damian snatched the photo from me. His face went dark.
"Where did this come from?" he demanded.
"The delivery guy," I said. "He said it was for me."
Damian pulled out his phone immediately. "Security. Pull the cameras. Now."
He paced the room while I sat there, frozen.
Ten minutes later he came back.
"It was Victoria," he said, voice like ice. "She paid someone to deliver it."
My chest hurt. "Why would she do that?"
"To scare you away." He knelt in front of me again. "Anovia, look at me."
I couldn't. "What if it's real, Damian? What if you and her--"
"Never," he cut me off. "We broke up 2 years ago. We never... not like that. Not anymore."
"Then whose baby is this?" I pointed at the photo.
Damian grabbed his laptop. Typed fast. "It's not real. Look."
He turned the screen to me. It was Victoria's social media. From 8 months ago.
Party pictures. Drinking. Clubs.
"You can't be pregnant and do that," he said. "And look at the date on the sonogram. It's from last year. She photoshopped my last name on it."
Relief crashed through me. So strong I started crying.
"I'm sorry," I sobbed. "I just got so scared."
Damian pulled me into his arms. "Shh. Don't be sorry. This is my mess. Not yours."
I cried into his shirt. He held me. Rocked me.
"I'm not going anywhere," he murmured into my hair. "Not because of her. Not because of anyone."
When I finally stopped crying, he wiped my tears with his thumbs.
"Anovia," he said seriously. "I need you to trust me. Can you do that?"
I nodded. "I do. I trust you."
Something shifted in his eyes.
Then he leaned in.
And kissed me.
Not on the forehead.
On the lips.
Soft at first. Testing.
Then deeper. Like he'd been waiting 2 years to do it.
My hands came up to his chest. His arms went around my waist.
When we pulled apart, we were both breathing hard.
"That," Damian said, voice rough. "That was not in the contract."
I laughed through my tears. "Good. Because I don't want a contract anymore."
Damian smiled. That real smile.
"Neither do I," he said. "I want a marriage."
My heart stopped. "What?"
"I want a real marriage, Anovia," he said. "With you. With our baby. No contracts. No secrets."
Tears started again. Happy ones this time.
"Yes," I whispered. "Yes to all of that."
Damian kissed me again.
Later that night, he posted something on the company website.
`Damian Hart announces: My wife Anovia Hart is expecting. Anyone who disrespects her will be dealing with me. - D`
Elizabeth called immediately. He ignored it.
He came to my room instead.
With pizza. And a movie.
"Date night?" I asked.
"Marriage night," he corrected, pulling me onto the couch.
He put his hand on my bump.
"Goodnight, little one," he whispered to my stomach. "Daddy's got you."
And for the first time, I believed him.
The contract was gone.
But we were just getting started.
- Writer
