Inseminated By Mistake

Chapter 2

A NEW BEGINNING

Arya Montenegro

A new day, and my soul is still lost. Yet this morning, I feel great motivation. Gloria has found a support center for me. They say that when dealing with depression and difficulties, support is necessary. Anyone who believes they can get out of such a situation alone lives in a world of deception. At this moment, my greatest support comes from my best friend. She is a great woman, my sister, and my only family member. Even though we do not share the same blood, she has taken care of me and sacrificed herself to make me feel better. It is said that sometimes we receive more support from strangers than from our own families, but this doesn't affect me. On the contrary, it helps me to know who deserves to be there when I start anew. I am willing to do whatever it takes to get out of this darkness that torments me and leave my past behind, along with that dream I had with Arturo, who has forgotten about me and moved on with his life without looking back. There is nothing left to connect us except for that dark house, which I have put up for sale. I have no intention of going back. As Gloria says, "It is best to let go of everything that clings to your past." The past that has become my biggest nightmare and that I am trying to turn into my strength.

"Are you ready?" Gloria asks with a concerned look on her face.

"Yes, let's go in," I say, taking a deep breath as we stand in front of the clinic.

It all begins as soon as we enter, and I realize that I am not alone, and that my problems are not as severe as those of many of the members of this pleasant group. I feel that if they can do it, so can I. I will get through this, and the single mother with four children next to me gives me hope.

"Do you have kids?" asks the blonde woman with hazel eyes as she lovingly breastfeeds her little one.

"No, but I hope to have one someday. Maybe I am the one with the problem, as my ex-partner said. The fact is that I need someone to achieve this desire that I feel I will never be able to fulfill."

"Or maybe not," she says with a smile as she holds the little one in her arms, leaving me with a bitter taste that I struggle to digest in response to her comment.

"What do you mean?" I defensively respond, and the next thing I feel is her hand on mine with a look of such certainty that I feel what she will tell me will be something positive.

"Arya, isn't that right?"

I nod my head and give her a small smile.

"Estefany, it's a pleasure," she says, returning the smile. "Let me explain. You don't necessarily need a partner. You don't need to find that special someone. If that's what you desire, then wait for it. If not, I feel that you can do it on your own. I know that at this moment, and because of your situation, you feel obligated to hold onto someone. Maybe thinking about the absurd notion that you have to have a partner in order to be a mother. I chased after that dream of a happy family for a long time, and I got tired of searching for something that doesn't exist, at least not in my point of view. I decided to fulfill my dream regardless of the 'who' or the 'how.' I simply set aside the excuses and sought a way to make my dream possible. After years of trying, I found a fertility clinic where I underwent treatment and conceived my little Ashley. She is my miracle, and although I was initially filled with expectations and doubts, I don't regret doing what I did. Now I am so happy that I come here to talk about my experience and let off steam in moments of anguish. I feel that life sometimes hits hard, but it is up to us whether we fall or get back up. It may sound harsh given your experience, but someday you will see this as a sad nightmare that will remain in memory."

My expression fills with sadness, and I give myself the opportunity to imagine that for a long time, I clung to a dream in which I fought alone to achieve it. I went through so much that now, as I see it, the dream belonged more to me than to Arturo. I am still on that tightrope, and finding a way to try now tells me that I am not ready—not for now.

"So, how did it go?" Gloria asks as she waits for me outside.

Her worried expression changes when she sees me smile.

"It was amazing, thanks for bringing me here," I say, giving her a tight hug.

"Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea how happy I am to see that smile on your face. Trust me, everything will be fine."

Her hug and those words became my drive, another motivation has entered my life. But before that, I want to find myself again and seek my stability.

***

Three months later

I have become Ashley's aunt; that beautiful princess fills my life with hope. The support of the group, Gloria, and Estefany has helped me a lot. Today, I am running to make it to my first class at the institute. Yes, after so long, I have decided to return. The first step begins with doing what I want, and for me, designing is my greatest dream. Making the decision to give it up was a big blow, but I felt like I was doing everything for my family, the family I wanted to create with Arturo, putting my dreams and aspirations aside. Big mistake. Now, I am in no hurry, other than to make it to my first class.

The light turns green, and I keep running to cross the street, but I am stopped by a black Ferrari when I hit it with my handbag, feeling it on me.

"i***t, can't you see it's green?"

I can't make out the person driving, and I aggressively hit the car's hood again. I am angry because of the scrape on my knee and the rude way that no one bothers to get out of the car and confront me. For the last time, I fix my stare at them, and I can see how rudely they make the engine roar. Yes, I'll be late, but I won't give way.

I stop in anger in front of the car, waiting for them to dare to run me over, when five black BMWs strangely appear. Two men get out of the car, and one of them taps on the driver's seat window of the Ferrari, which turns on its light and dares to make its engine roar again insistently, managing to remove me from its path. The two security men get back into their cars. I step aside, very angry, and observe the scene. My anger increases, and the time on my watch does not calm my anguish.

***

One year later

"Congratulations, Arya, you did it. My friend, you finally finished your degree. What do you want to do now?"

Gloria's question torments my mind for months. It is a big step that I have just taken, and with it, a big decision comes back into my life. The only part of my past that I want to be a part of is returning to my family's company. I know it will be tough to start from scratch, but I have faith that everything will turn out well.

"I am going to recover my family's company and create my own empire with it."

"What wonderful news, Arya! This needs to be celebrated."

"That means I will be bothering you a little more at home since with the money I recovered from the divorce and the sale of the house, I have invested in the remodeling and recovery of the company. Arturo drove it to bankruptcy and left the building abandoned. The payment for the lawyer to recover the property has been a lot. There is a lot to fix, but I promise you that as soon as I recover, I will reward you," I say, ashamed of the time I have been a burden to her.

"Don't be silly, my friend. I am happy to have you at home. When you decide to leave, I will feel very lonely and sad. You don't know how happy I am for everything you have achieved. You have set out to reclaim your life, and there is not a day that I don't feel blessed to be a part of each progress."

"Thank you, Gloria. I couldn't have done any of this without your support."

"And without your willpower to move forward. Don't worry, better times will come. I'll treat you to dinner."

Better times. Since that night, there is not a day that I don't hold onto that possibility, especially when the desire to become a mother grows stronger in me every day. Every second that passes, I long to hold my baby in my arms. I have researched, and those treatments are expensive, but that only motivates me to keep going. And with the inauguration of Arya Confections, my world begins to take a big turn.

***

One year later

"Arya, my friend, this is great news. Do you remember the dress that was anonymously bought? It turns out that the niece of Prince Samir wore it to the gala dinner. They're talking about you in Lanx magazine, you're famous, my friend."

Gloria's happiness makes me smile. After many ups and downs, we are featured in one of the most popular gossip magazines of the moment. My business partner and best friend keeps walking around the office, reading the article that brings tears of excitement to her eyes.

"Did you hear? The princess described your design as unique and glamorous, Arya. Do you know what this means?"

"She liked our design?"

"My friend, this opens doors for us. After this, we will be on the list of famous people to design for. Arya, your dream and the dream of all those who support you will come true."

Her excitement grows, but my mind takes me back to the day that, if it weren't for me stopping that mysterious Ferrari with my handbag, none of this would have happened. Could it be him?

I can't help but smile at my best friend. She is a wise and positive woman. It didn't take long for our mail and marketing team to receive a lot of attention. In less than five months, many celebrities were requesting our designs. Orders for my unique designs were coming in every week. I was constantly creating unique and exclusive designs that set me apart from other designers. In the blink of an eye, I found myself at the gala in New York and fashion events in Paris. I created exclusive catalogs, working for hours and including designs for men, which opened the door to new income.

A mysterious man contacted Gloria. I am now creating trendy designs for him, and his advance payment fills my day with great happiness. I have done it. I have acquired a huge apartment and my own car. We have started to reap the rewards, and the entire team that has been with me from the beginning is amazed by what we have achieved. And now, I am here at the fertility clinic, holding Gloria's hand, both of us feeling very nervous.

“Do you want a juice? Tequila or something?” I look at her with a smile and she responds in the same way. “I'm sorry, I'm nervous. I feel like you've been waiting for this moment for so long that when you received the exam results.” I imagined a mini Arya running through the entire company.

“Will you cry?”

“I will cry. This wait makes me anxious. I'll get some coffee. Do you really not want anything?”

“Yes, a juice.”

“Alright, I'll be here in a few minutes.”

Gloria leaving the room makes me even more nervous. I don't know why they take so long. There are so many patients that makes me think this is the right place. The nurses don't come out and I can see that in the corridor to my left they captivate all their attention. It seems like they're taking care of the same queen. They have too much security to be a normal patient, but it doesn't surprise me, it's the best clinic I could find. It's very prestigious and expensive. I feel like I can achieve my dream here.

“Aaah...” complains a nurse who drops the formulas on the floor.

I quickly get up when I see how nervous and rushed she is. You can see the pressure she carries on her shoulders. Perhaps the number of people waiting since early morning is affecting her that much.

“Thank you...” she says looking at the paper and the samples on her cart. “Damn! I had a number. What did I do with the number? God, they'll kill me if I don't find it.”

I look at her with a smile and I take the number she anxiously looks for from her elbow.

“Relax, here it is.” I hand her the number and she smiles.

“Thanks again, you saved me.”

“You're welcome,” I say, turning back to Gloria who arrives with the juice.

“Even the cafeteria is full, don't they ever plan on calling you?”

“MS. ARYA MONTENEGRO.”

“They're calling me, will you be alright?”

“Yes, go, go, good luck, my friend.”