THE ESCAPED FATE

The rain had been falling for hours, turning the city into rays of blurry lights. Juliana Lawson stood on the rooftop edge of the Voss Tower, arms wrapped around her body, staring at the skyline she had once aspired to conquer. Tonight, she wasn't thinking about her dreams. Tonight, she was struggling to breathe. Her phone beeped for the twentieth time. Tommy. The name was actually incinerated. Juliana wiped her wet cheeks, not sure if it was rain or tears, and forced herself to look away from the cliff of her vanishing hope. The lift ride felt like forever, with each falling floor removing another piece of her heart. When the golden doors opened, she stepped into the penthouse hallway, where she had previously felt protected. It now felt like a stranger's home. Rather, a villain's lair. Tommy wasn't meant to be at home yet. He was, unfortunately. First, she heard someone laughing. It sounded like another woman’s laughter, like she was the happiest in the world. It was actually Indie Winston. Juliana stiffened, and her blood became frigid. She walked towards the living room, her heart pounding with each step. Tommy was on the couch, shirt undone, lips stained with Indie's lipstick. Her manicured hand slipped away from his chest as soon as she noticed Juliana. The room froze. Tommy sat up as he looked over. He looked annoyed seeing her, as if she was the problem. It was as if she had interrupted their good moments. But Juliana was not surprised. She was just broken again. "Juliana," he said bluntly. "You're home early." This time the deceit cut deeper because it was not the first one. Tommy had been drifting away for months, with more lies, absences, and harshness wrapped in excuses. But tonight was different. Because Juliana's world was already crumbling. And she had not even told him the truth yet. She held the envelope tightly in her fingers, squeezing it. "I need to talk to you," she said softly, her voice shaking. Indie smirked and stood up, brushing imaginary dust from her beautiful outfit. "I'll give you two a moment," she replied smugly, knowing she'd already won more than Juliana could. The door suddenly closed behind her. Silence filled the room. Tommy moaned, as if he was fatigued, just inhaling the same air as her. "If this is about earlier.” "It's not," she said sternly. Her tone of response astonished them both. Juliana never raised her voice against him. She'd always softened herself to meet his storms. Not tonight. She held out the envelope to him and, He looked at her with disgust. "What's that?" She tried to force the words out. "A pregnancy test." His entire demeanor changed — first confusion, then horror, and then something much deeper. "Juliana, no," he mumbled, getting to his feet. "You can't be serious." "I am." "I'm pregnant," she said, looking directly into his eyes, which she had once thought was her world but were now just dark pits of horror. For a brief moment, she hoped that he would have compassion or apologize or even embrace her, and make a promise to change, but Tommy Voss reacted differently. He glanced at her with disgust. “Juliana… this was not part of the plan.” Her heart cracked. "Whose plan? Your own? Your mom's? Indie’s? "Don't start," he yelled. "You're not ready for this. As it is, you are barely able to keep yourself together. She said, "And you think you're fit to talk about stability?" Once more, silence. This time, however, it was shaking with a fading love and two broken souls. Tommy collapsed onto the sofa. "I work in a reputable firm. I have a reputation and there will soon be a merger. I am unable to handle a child at this time”. Her chest tightened as she murmured, "A child?" "It's our kid." He shook his head. "No. Not in this manner.” Those words were the final blow that finally shattered everything. Even as Juliana's knees grew weaker, she held herself from falling in front of him. She stuttered, "I love you." "Ever when we were young" I was blindly in love with you Foolishly. And all you've done is take.” "Juliana," he looked at her exhausted. "No." Her voice broke. "Not this evening." His jaw tightened as he averted his gaze. "Perhaps we ought to take a break." Her heart ceased to beat. A break. In Tommy’s vocabulary, a break meant an ending. And Indie was the end. Feeling the world tilt, Juliana took a step back. She pleaded, "Tell me the truth." "Have you been cheating on me?" Tommy halted. A deadly, ruthless silence. She knew the answer. The universe was burning all around Juliana. She turned and left the apartment without saying another word; it was the same penthouse where they had promised a future, but now it was just a cemetery of dashed hopes. She was unsure of where she was going to. All she knew was that she needed to get away before she bled out in front of the man who continued to cut her. She left, unaware of the weight she was carrying within her, was more than one life. It was two. Two identical twins. She swore to keep it a secret till the end of her days. A secret she would use for her comeback. A secret that would destroy Tommy Voss one day.