DIVORCE CHAOS: BACK TO MY EX'S BED.

THE LITTLE DOT OVER THERE.

Aurelia, you look beautiful," Kevin whispered, his voice filled with disbelief as he lowered his gaze with a soft chuckle. "I can’t believe it’s really you."

She returned his smile, tilting her head slightly. "You look good, too. Are you okay?"

Before he could respond, a loud voice interrupted them. "A toast to Aurelia for finally making it tonight! Six years, and you finally show up. Cheers!" Ben raised his glass, grinning.

The night air grew cooler as time passed. After a bottle of beer, Aurelia found herself sitting alone, staring at the blank screen of her phone, its glow reflecting on her face. Lucien hadn’t messaged her. Not even a single word. Maybe if she just sent a quick ‘Hi,’ he’d respond.

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Tsk… why did you tell me to unblock you if you weren’t even going to text me?" she muttered, grumpy. His assurance that he would call felt like a distant memory now.

"Expecting a call?" a voice asked from behind, making her jump slightly. She turned to see Kevin, handing her a glass of beer.

"Oh. No, I have work tomorrow." She shook her head, pushing the drink away.

Kevin nodded, glancing at the night sky. "Right. Sorry about that." A moment of silence stretched between them as they stared into the darkness. "Are you free tomorrow?"

She blinked, turning to him. "What?"

"I was hoping we could grab lunch or dinner," he said, his tone hopeful.

Aurelia inhaled sharply. "Oh. I—"

"Then the day after?" he cut in before she could finish. His persistence made her chuckle.

"What if I said I was busy the day after, too?"

"Then, I'll wait until you're ready." He smiled, and it was a look she had never seen on his face before. Not when he looked at her.

Her lips parted slightly, then curled into a small smile. "Alright then. Tomorrow."

She stood up, brushing imaginary dust off her dress. "I have to go now."

"Aurelia!" he called after her. "Can I have your number? I'd like to message you."

She hesitated, glancing around as uncertainty crept in. Another man who had hurt her… now suddenly shows interest? She wasn’t sure what to make of it. Maybe he just wanted to apologize. Maybe they could be friends.

Kevin must have noticed her hesitation. "I’ll message you," he said, giving her an easy smile.

She frowned slightly. "How?"

He simply grinned and walked away, leaving her wondering.

A week later. Aurelia stretched lazily in bed, blinking. The weekend had passed in a blur, and now. Monday, but this Monday was different because she had a date with Kevin.

She sighed, rubbing her eyes before dragging herself out of bed. Dressed in soft pyjamas, she shuffled toward the kitchen, her hair still a mess from sleep.

Susie stood at the stove, humming to herself as she stirred something in a pan. Fay sat on the counter, scrolling through her phone. The moment Aurelia stepped in, both of them turned to look at her.

"Oh, look who’s finally awake," Fay teased.

"I pulled an all-nighter. Morning," Aurelia mumbled, heading straight for the counter. "What’s for breakfast?"

"Don’t you have a date today?" Fay asked, raising a brow.

"Yeah. Lunch date," she answered, glancing at Susie.

"Eggs, bacon, and toast," Susie said, plating the food. "And before you say anything, yes, I know how to cook. Oh, and Mom said you should come home."

Aurelia smirked. "Why? So they can scold me? I’m too tired for that."

Grabbing a fork, she reached for a bite of Susie’s food. But as soon as the food touched her tongue, a wave of nausea hit her like a punch to the stomach. She froze, fork hovering midair.

Susie frowned. "Did my food just make you sick?"

Aurelia swallowed hard, her body stiffening. "I don’t know… I just…" A shudder ran through her as nausea curled in her stomach.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and tried again. But the moment the smell reached her, her stomach lurched violently. Before she could process what was happening, she threw the fork down and bolted for the nearest bathroom.

Susie and Fay exchanged a look, stunned.

"Aurelia?" Fay hopped off the counter, concern lacing her voice. Aurelia wasn’t the type to get sick.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" Susie called, knocking on the door. "Aurelia!"

Aurelia gripped the sink, panting. "What… the hell?"

As she reached for her mouthwash, her gaze landed on something by the mirror—an untouched box of sanitary pads. Her fingers slipped from the bottle. Her period… when was the last time? Her mind raced, searching for the answer. Then it hit her. Two weeks before, she had slept with Lucien. That long? Her heart pounded. No. It couldn’t be.

She stumbled out of the bathroom, rushing past Susie and Fay without a word.

"Aurelia!" Fay called after her, but she ignored them, grabbing her car keys and storming out.

"Congratulations, you’re four weeks along. Your baby is very healthy."

Aurelia lay still on the examination table, her eyes fixed on the ceiling as the doctor conducted the scan. Her hands felt cold, her breathing shallow.

Pregnant? For Lucien?

Tears welled up in her eyes, rolling down her cheeks. Her lips trembled as she tried to hold back the sob that threatened to escape.

"It’s difficult to see much right now, but you can come back in three weeks," the doctor said gently.

Aurelia sniffled, turning her head slightly. "See what?"

The doctor’s voice softened. "Your baby. That little dot there—that’s your growing baby."

Her gaze landed on the tiny speck on the monitor. It is a fragile, almost unreal thing. A new life. Her life was forever changed.

Her vision blurred with more tears. She blinked rapidly, turning away from the screen.

As the doctor handed her a list of dos and don’ts, dietary restrictions, and medical advice, Aurelia sat there in a daze, barely listening. What had she gotten herself into? It's almost as if she can't escape Lucien.

Aurelia pulled herself together.

At noon, she drove to the café to meet up with Kevin in a fitted black dress with a soft drape at the neckline. She kept her makeup simple, just enough to cover the tiredness under her eyes. As she arrived at the restaurant, she parked and caught her reflection in the mirror.

She didn’t feel like herself. But maybe that was a good thing.

As she got out of her car, adjusting her dress. She spotted Kevin already waiting. He stood near the entrance, hands in his pockets, his dark blue button-up suited his tanned skin. The moment he spotted her, he smiled, a warm smile that felt different from how she remembered him.

"You look incredible," he said as she approached.

Aurelia forced a small smile. "Thanks. You look good, too."

He pulled the door open for her, and she stepped inside, the rich scent of grilled meat and fresh herbs filling the air.

They were seated near a window, the late afternoon light casting a soft glow over their table. Aurelia focused on the menu, pretending to decide what to eat while Kevin watched her.

Kevin smiled once her eyes held his. "I’m just glad you showed up."

The waiter arrived, and they placed their orders. Aurelia chose something light. Her stomach wasn’t ready for anything too rich. As the waiter walked away, Kevin rested his arms on the table, watching her closely.

"So… I was hoping to introduce you to my son."

She froze, dropping the water on the table. Her stomach, which seemed to bother her, instantly stopped. "What?"

"I just thought about it. I wanted to know your opinion."

She sighed. "I don’t know. I don't think it's— okay, I guess. I mean, does he want that? It's too soon." She lowered her gaze, looking out the window.

Kevin nodded as if he understood. "We've been seeing each other for a few weeks, I figured it would be better, don't you think so?"

She met his gaze and smiled.