Chapter Five
1276 Words
Sydney's POV
I stared at the two sharp pink lines on the pregnancy stick and took in a deep breath. My world tilted, and I collapsed to the bathroom floor. This was not happening.
How did this happen?
Nicholas had made sure I was on the pill after we started having s*x.
My mind travelled to Nicholas and what his reaction would be. He had made it expressly clear to me that this was not a real marriage. In the last few days, he had returned to being cold and distant. We barely saw each other, except during the nights we had to appear at an event together. I did my best to avoid him.
My hands rested on my flat belly, and I squeezed my eyes shut. There was a little life fluttering inside me. Someone who was mine.
I felt this sudden burst of emotion to protect this baby that I hadn't met yet. I got ready and left for the hospital to be sure.
It was already evening by the time I returned. The doctor had confirmed that a little baby was growing inside me. It was proof of my love for Nicholas. Though my heart was beating with fear, unsure of what I would see, there was fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, this baby would be the start of something new.
I kicked off my flats and walked up the stairs slowly. The house was quiet, which was not unusual. The staff here were almost invincible.
Then I paused.
There was a deep chuckle, a familiar one, and a sound I loved so much. Nicholas was laughing!
Excited to know what was making him laugh, I increased my steps to his bedroom when I heard another laugh, in a softer voice.
I froze.
My heart clenched while I felt a sense of déjà vu wash over me. I have seen this scene before.
I walked slowly to his bedroom, his door slightly ajar, and the closer I got, the clearer their voices became.
"Nicholas! Stop," the female voice squirmed, laughter filling her voice.
"I can't, you know I love you," he replied in a playful voice.
My world stopped.
Love? Nicholas loved this woman. The same man who had told me he didn't do love was in love with another woman?
I wanted to see this woman, but my feet refused to move anymore. I had no right to barge into them; this was all a sham, and my little heart had fallen for it.
"What about your wife?" the female voice asked.
"She's nothing. I told you we just have a contract. Besides, I married her to get revenge for what her father had done to my family."
Revenge? My father?
"Have you found where her dad is?" She asked.
"No, I don't think she knows where he is? Let's stop talking about her. She doesn't matter to me. I've waited for you for so long. Isabel."
Each word felt like a stab to my chest. Isabel, that was her name.
Nicholas could love, but he just didn't love me.
Tears blurred my vision, and I held my mouth to prevent the choking sound that was threatening to come out. I moved back slowly, away from him and everything.
I ran, out the door barefoot, my flats forgotten. The night air slapped my skin, and I heaved with each step. My breathing was laboured, and I almost doubled over.
I didn't know where I was going, but my legs were moving.
How foolish I had been.
How could I ever think someone like Nicholas could love me? This dream had gone on for so long and as though cold water was poured over me. It ended.
I was never enough. Not for my mother, not for Colton, and now, not even for the man whose child I carried.
The tears were streaming down my face now in full force. I should’ve known better because love, real love, had never been mine to keep.
I found myself in the middle of the city. I had walked for so long that I didn't realise I had gone very far.
The city was bustling with people. The streetlights glittering in the darkness, men and women were minding my business.
I couldn't go back to Nicholas, at least not tonight. I had to make a phone call and call someone.
But who?
Colton.
I walked up to a kind lady and asked her if I could use her phone. She nodded and handed her phone to me. I dialled Colton's number.
I sighed in relief when he picked up on the second ring.
"Hello," came his raspy breath.
"Colton, please, I need you."
There was a short pause "Sydney?"
"Yes, I'm stranded,"
I could hear his sheets rustling, "Where are you? I'm coming to get you."
I described the street I was in, and he promised to get to me in a few minutes.
I thanked the woman who looked at me with sympathy.
'Sympathy'
I was so used to it. People looked at me with sympathy when my dad's business collapsed, when he abandoned us, and when my mother died.
Colton arrived just on time. His eyes were red and filled with regret.
He shook his head as he approached me.
"I'm sorry, Sydney," he said as he shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around my trembling frame.
I nodded and allowed him to lead me into the car.
Once we were in the safety of his car, Colton turned to me.
"What happened, Sydney?"
I tried to speak, but the lump in my throat swelled. My mouth opened… and then, instead of words, a choking sound came out.
Tears ran down my face, and I shook violently.
"f**k! Sydney," Colton moved over and held me.
After I was done we drove off in silence while I tried to get my thoughts together.
Nicholas would be searching for me. Our contract had not ended yet. I glanced at Colton, there was a pained expression on his face.
We drove to his apartment and He showed me to his guest room and brought out some of the clothes I had left in his house when we were dating.
I had a hot shower, got dressed, and slept off, too tired to cry anymore.
The next morning Colton woke me up with a gentle shake. I grudgingly opened my eyes, which were stinging badly from all the crying.
"Leave New York with me, Syd." He announced suddenly.
That was all it took for my eyes to fly open completely and look at him properly "What?"
He sat beside me "I know your marriage with Nicholas is not real."
I looked away, how did he know? Was it so obvious that Nicholas could never marry someone like me?
"Nicholas will not let me go easily," my contract with him had not ended.
He cupped my cheeks "That's why we can leave for some time by the time we get back, he would have forgotten you," he reasoned, his eyes searching mine. Persuading me.
I had no one to run to, so I did the only thing I thought reasonable.
I nodded in agreement as an idea popped into my head.
I won't tell Colton I was pregnant. I would pin it on him, for my child's sake. I wanted my baby to have a good life, and besides, Colton was the reason why I was in this mess; I would use him to save my skin.
He smiled happily, and I returned the smile, but this time I would be in charge of the game.
- Writer
