THE BILLIONAIRE'S BURNING DESIRE

EPISODE 2; WHERE AM I?

Once they were airborne, Kelly rested her head against the window. The clouds stretched endlessly beneath them, looking soft enough to touch. "I wonder what David is doing right now." She smiled faintly. "I hope he's okay." Then another thought crossed her mind. "I can't wait for this exhibition to be over so I can focus on my exams." The peaceful view outside relaxed her. Nature truly was beautiful. For the first time in weeks, she felt calm.

"I can't believe we actually did it!" Kelly hugged Kim and Anna tightly after the exhibition. "You were both incredible." She admired the elegant purple ball gown Kim wore. The flowing silk fabric shimmered beautifully beneath the lights, while the thigh-high slit perfectly showcased the design. "I can hardly believe I designed this." Anna came running toward them with a bottle of wine. "Girls! We won! This calls for a celebration!" She jumped excitedly. "You were amazing on that runway, Kelly." Kelly laughed. "Let's get back to the hotel and change for the after-party."

The three women walked toward the parking lot together. Halfway there, Kelly suddenly slowed. "I don't think I'm going to make the party." She rubbed her temples. "I feel really dizzy." Anna immediately frowned. "You've barely slept for weeks." Kim nodded. "You should stay back and rest. We leave for Boston tomorrow anyway." Kelly smiled weakly. "Have fun without me. I'll be fine." After they left, the hotel room became painfully quiet. Kelly stared at her reflection in the mirror. "What is happening to me?" She placed a hand on her forehead. "I should see a doctor. But not now. My exams come first." With a heavy sigh, she lay down on the bed and was asleep within minutes.

"I hope Brian likes surprises." Kelly smiled to herself as the plane descended into Boston. She had never surprised him before. Now she had two reasons to celebrate. She had officially become an internationally recognized model and an international fashion designer. Everything she had worked for was finally paying off. "Brian is going to be so proud of me." After landing, she booked a ride home. "I'll drop off my luggage first," she whispered. "Then I'll surprise him at the bar."

The ride was unusually quiet. When the car stopped outside her apartment, something immediately felt off. She stepped out with her suitcase and frowned. The building was unusually silent. "Brian should be at work. Why is his car here?" Her heartbeat quickened. She slowly unlocked the front door. The living room was a mess. Clothes were scattered across the floor. Then she froze. A woman's blouse lay carelessly across her couch. Her heart sank. "No..." She walked toward the bedroom with trembling legs. "Oh, God... Please let this not be what I'm thinking."

She slowly turned the handle. The door swung open. Time stopped. Brian. Gina. In bed together. Kelly's entire body began to shake. Brian jumped to his feet, scrambling for his trousers. "Kelly... I can explain." Her lips trembled. "You told me she was your cousin." Tears streamed down her face. "And you're sleeping with your cousin?" "No!" Brian pleaded desperately. "It's not what you think." He reached for her. "Please, babe, just listen—"

"DON'T YOU DARE!"

Her voice echoed through the apartment.

"Not another lie!"

PRESENT DAY

"Where am I?" Kelly's voice was barely above a whisper as she slowly opened her eyes. A sharp pain shot through her head, making her wince. She instinctively lifted a hand toward her temple but stopped when she felt a tug at her wrist. A cannula. She looked down in confusion. "Oh... God." "Easy, honey," her mother's gentle voice came from beside the bed. "You're in the hospital, sweetheart." Kelly turned her head and saw Tina sitting beside her, her eyes swollen from crying. "Mom?" she frowned. "What are you doing here?" Tina smiled through her tears and gently brushed a strand of blonde hair away from Kelly's face. "You didn't think I was going to leave you all alone, did you?" she asked softly, squeezing her daughter's hand. "I'm right here, baby. I'm not going anywhere."

Kelly tried to sit up, but another wave of pain forced her back onto the bed. "My head..." she murmured. “I'll get the doctor," Tina said immediately. "Please stay still." She hurried toward the door and called out, "Doctor!" Moments later, the door opened and a young doctor walked into the room. He was tall, with neatly combed black hair and striking blue eyes, and the calm smile on his face instantly put Kelly at ease. If hospitals had doctors this handsome, she thought weakly, patients might never want to leave. She couldn't help smiling. The doctor returned the smile warmly. "Good morning, Miss Kelly. How are you feeling?" Kelly looked around the room in confusion before answering. "My head hurts. What happened? Why am I here?" The doctor spoke calmly. "You collapsed, but the good news is that you're going to be just fine." Kelly let out a slow breath of relief.

The doctor turned to Tina. "Mrs. Tina, I'd like to speak with you privately in my office." Then he glanced back at Kelly. "She should also have something to eat. She's been unconscious for several hours." "Of course," Tina replied. As she turned to leave, Kelly reached out and touched her hand. "Mom..." Tina immediately returned to her bedside. "Yes, sweetheart?" Kelly hesitated for a moment before asking the one question that weighed on her heart. "Where's Brian?" The room suddenly seemed colder. Tina gently kissed the back of Kelly's hand and smiled sadly. "Don't worry about him." Fresh tears welled in Kelly's eyes. "I don't want him here. Please don't let him come. He's a liar... a user. I should have listened to you." Her voice broke as the words left her lips. Tina tightened her grip on her daughter's hand. "You'll be okay, my child. I'm here, and you're not alone." The doctor cleared his throat politely. "I'll be waiting in my office, Mrs. Tina." She nodded and quietly followed him out.

Just as the door closed behind them, it opened again. "There she is!" Angela walked in carrying a large pizza box, grinning from ear to ear. "My sleeping beauty is finally awake." She placed the box on the bedside table before adding, "I brought your favorite. Extra cheese." Kelly managed the smallest smile. "You always know how to spoil me." Angela laughed. "I take my responsibilities seriously." She turned toward Tina. "Hello, Auntie." Tina smiled warmly. "You two should have been twins." Angela laughed again. "We practically are." She leaned over and kissed Kelly on both cheeks. "My sweet girl. Come on, give me that beautiful smile." Kelly looked away and sighed. "I wish smiling was that easy. My head still hurts." Angela pulled a chair closer and sat beside the bed. "You've been through a lot." Tina looked at both of them and said, "I'll be with the doctor. I won't be long." A moment later, the door closed behind her, leaving the room in silence.

Angela looked at Kelly, and her heart ached. She didn't deserve any of this. Kelly blinked rapidly, trying to stop the tears gathering in her eyes, but they refused to stay back. Angela gently reached for her hand. "Don't hold it in," she said softly. "You don't have to pretend to be strong." That was all Kelly needed to hear. The tears finally escaped. "I thought he was my future," she whispered. "I trusted him with everything. There wasn't a single dream I didn't share with him." She wiped her face with trembling fingers before continuing. "I worked two jobs, Angie. My Biochemistry degree is already demanding enough, but I pushed myself because I believed we were building a future together." Her breathing became uneven as she struggled to speak. "I was falling apart, and nobody knew. I did everything for us... and this is how he repaid me." Angela didn't say a word. She simply wrapped her arms around Kelly, held her tightly, and whispered, "Shhh..."

"Sometimes the truth hurts because it reveals what was hidden all along." Angela sighed and gently brushed Kelly's hair away from her face. "I never liked Brian. I kept quiet because I knew how much you loved him." She lifted Kelly's chin until their eyes met. "But listen to me. You deserve so much better. He's the one who lost someone precious, not you." Kelly cried quietly against her shoulder, letting the pain she had been holding back finally pour out. Angela held her for several moments before forcing a smile. "Now, enough crying." She reached for the pizza box and opened it. "It's time to celebrate the newest international supermodel and fashion designer." Kelly laughed softly through her tears. "You always know exactly what to say."

A few minutes later, the door swung open and Tina stepped back into the room. The moment Kelly looked at her mother's face, she knew something was wrong. Tina's smile was gone. Her eyes were red, and the worry she was trying so hard to hide was written all over her face. Angela immediately stood. "Auntie... what's wrong?" Instead of answering, Tina walked quietly to the chair beside the bed and sat down. She picked up her phone, read a message from the doctor once more, then slowly slipped it back into her handbag. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Kelly and said softly, "I think... we need to talk."

Kelly's heart skipped a beat. "Mom?" Tina forced a smile that never reached her eyes. "How are you feeling now?" "My head still hurts," Kelly replied, studying her mother's face carefully. "But I'll be okay. You're scaring me. What did the doctor say? Is something wrong with my head?" Tina shook her head gently. "No, sweetheart." Kelly swallowed hard. "Did I suffer any internal injuries?" "No." "Then what is it?" Tina remained silent, and the silence seemed to stretch forever. Kelly's breathing became uneven. "Mom... please tell me. Am I seriously ill?" When Tina still didn't answer, tears gathered in Kelly's eyes. "...Am I going to die?"

Immediately, Tina reached for both of Kelly's hands. "Oh, no! sweetheart." She shook her head repeatedly. "You're not dying." Relief washed over Kelly's face for only a second before confusion replaced it. "Then why do you look like that?" Tina swallowed hard. "The doctor ran some routine tests while you were unconscious." Kelly frowned. "What kind of tests?" "Just standard hospital procedures." "And?" Tina glanced briefly at Angela before looking back at her daughter. "There was... something unexpected." Kelly's heartbeat quickened. "What did they find?" Tina paused for a moment before whispering, "Kelly... you're pregnant."

The room fell completely silent. Kelly stared blankly at her mother, unable to process what she had just heard. "...What?" she whispered. "You heard me," Tina replied gently. Kelly let out a nervous laugh and shook her head. "No... that's impossible. I have an IUD. I've been on contraception. The doctor said those things are over ninety-nine percent effective." Tina nodded. "They are. But no contraceptive is one hundred percent effective. The ultrasound confirms that you're approximately six weeks pregnant." Kelly slowly lowered her eyes to her stomach, her breathing becoming shallow. "...Brian's baby?" No one answered. The silence itself was enough.

Fresh tears rolled down Kelly's cheeks. "No..." She covered her mouth with both hands and shook her head. "This can't be happening. My God..." Her voice cracked as the weight of everything came crashing down on her. "I just found out the man I love has been cheating on me. My relationship is over. My final examinations are only weeks away. My career is finally taking off..." She looked at Tina with frightened, tear-filled eyes.