?PHOENIX ?
Looking at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t help but frown. I felt a pang of insecurity wash over me as I noticed the changes in my appearance my nose seemed to be getting bigger, and those pesky pimples just wouldn’t go away. On top of that, my feet were constantly swollen and sore, and I was plagued with back pains.
This pregnancy was truly humbling. Already in my fourth month, I was obligated to stay with him, as stated in our contract.
It was going to be a long journey for both of us. His house, though spacious and comfortable, always gave me an eerie feeling. But leaving behind my dad and sister, My sister’s birthday was yesterday. Neo even gave me a gift to pass on to her, but despite his apparent interest, I couldn’t entertain the idea of him and my sister.
Mrs. Dante’s silence since I gave her the necklace brought a sense of relief, albeit temporary.
Working with Rome was another challenge altogether. His arrogance was unmatched, and I couldn’t help but wonder how his late wife put up with him. No disrespect intended, may she rest in peace.
As I packed my things, preparing for Rome’s driver to pick me up, I reassured my worried dad that I’d visit often. His concern tugged at my heartstrings, but I remained resolute in my decision.
“Do you really have to go there?” he asked, his sadness evident.
“Yes, the billionaire wants to keep an eye on me,” I replied, trying to lighten the mood.
“He can do that from wherever he is,” my dad insisted, his sadness turning into a faint smile.
“We’ll be rich once I’m out,” I tried to reassure him, but his worry lingered.
“I appreciate everything you’re doing for the family, but I can’t help but worry about you,” he confessed.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to make things better for us, Dad,” I said, hoping to ease his concerns.
“But it should be me doing that, not you,” he lamented.
“Yes, but am I complaining?” I asked, prompting him to sigh.
“No,” he replied.
“Then why are you acting like this? The only person we should blame is that woman who is not worthy of being a mother, yet she is,” I said, referring to my mother.
“She is still your mother, Phoenix. You should not disrespect her,” Dad said, his kindness toward her still unwavering despite her departure.
“I just want us to be happy again, so she can one day regret ever leaving us,” I said, earning a smile from my father.
“Just take care of yourself, and remember, we love you so much,” he said, pulling me into a hug. He was the best dad in the world, and I loved him.
“Thanks, Dad,” I said, returning the hug.
“You’re welcome, honey,” he replied, hugging me back.
I embraced my sister, and she promised to visit me whenever she could. Finally, I was going to live with Rome, the proud guy.
~~NEO~~
Neo observed the apartment for a moment before stepping out of his car, his breath hitching as he sighed deeply, biting his lip until it stung. This was the moment he’d been waiting for, and now that it was here, he couldn’t shake off the nerves. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he’d develop feelings for someone still in high school.
Both Rome and Phoenix believed he was joking about liking Phoenix’s sister, but the truth was, he genuinely did.
He rang the doorbell, patiently awaiting its response, only to be taken aback when Phoenix’s father opened the door instead. Oh, dear. It was always Beatrix who greeted him.
“Uh, sir,” Neo stuttered, meeting the man’s gaze with surprise.
“Call me Max,” he offered, studying Neo.
“Sir is okay with me,” Neo replied, still caught off guard.
“And you are?” Max inquired.
“I’m actually a friend of Phoenix,” Neo explained.
“Oh, Phoenix. She’s not here right now,” Max informed him.
“Well, I’m actually looking for Beatrix, though Phoenix is my friend,” Neo clarified.
“Beatrix?” Max repeated, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Neo confirmed, his nerves still palpable.
“Okay, I’ll go get her,” Max said, shooting Neo a curious glance before disappearing inside.
Neo swallowed hard, his heart pounding as he patiently waited for Beatrix to appear. He felt a lump form in his throat as the door finally opened, revealing Beatrix.
“Hi,” she greeted him, giving him a curious look.
“Hey,” Neo replied, his eyes fixed on her.
“Phoenix is actually living with Rome now,” Beatrix mentioned.
“Yeah, I know that… I’m not actually looking for her,” Neo explained, noticing her confusion.
“Then who are you looking for?” she asked, puzzled.
“Um, you,” he admitted, catching her off guard. Beatrix was utterly shocked. What could he possibly want with her? Had she done something wrong?
“Did I do anything wrong?” she asked, still bewildered.
“No, no. I just wanted to talk with you, that’s all,” Neo reassured her, waiting anxiously for her response.
“Ohhh,” she mouthed, still unable to grasp why he wanted to talk to her.
“Can we take a walk?” he asked. After a moment of consideration, she agreed.
“Okay,” she said, stepping outside.
As they walked, Beatrix suddenly remembered the gift Neo had given her and realized she hadn’t properly thanked him for it.
“Thanks for the gift, I really appreciated it,” she said, smiling.
Neo couldn’t help but admire her smile, and he returned it with one of his own.
“Oh, that. Don’t worry about it, it was your birthday,” he replied.
Beatrix couldn’t contain her smile as she remembered the beautiful bracelet and necklace Neo had given her. They looked so exquisite that she almost believed they were made of real diamonds, although she’d never seen a real diamond in her life.
“Was that diamond?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.
“Yeah,” Neo confirmed, causing her to gasp in astonishment.
“Seriously?” she exclaimed, her mouth hanging open.
“Yes,” he affirmed.
“Wow, you shouldn’t have done that,” Beatrix said, her eyes widening in surprise.
“I would do more if I have to,” Neo replied, catching her off guard with his response.
Why would he do more? The question lingered in Beatrix’s mind, leaving her wondering. Why indeed?
~~JESS~~
Jess couldn’t help but smile to herself as she reflected on her success in Rome’s house. There was just one thing left on her agenda: getting pregnant, which she already was, though Rome thought they had actually slept together. In reality, he had passed out just as they were about to undress.
She regretted putting so much medicine in his food; perhaps then they could have had sex. When she heard about Georgia’s death, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. She remembered how Georgia had reacted when she found out about Jess’s feelings for Rome, leading to their fight. Jess had actually liked Rome before Georgia did, and she felt that Georgia had stolen him from her.
She quickly reached out to Rome’s mother, who was friends with her own mother, and they became close. Through her, Jess learned that Rome would be at a club, so she made sure to go there.
Thankfully, Rome remembered her, or she didn’t know how she would have approached him. However, she couldn’t shake off her curiosity about the woman she often saw with Rome nowadays. Upon asking Rome’s mother, she discovered that the woman was a surrogate mother.
If only she had been there sooner, she could have been the surrogate mother herself. Nevertheless, she still had something she could use against Rome to make him want her.
With the results in hand, Jess made her way to Rome’s home and rang the bell, only to be surprised when the surrogate mother answered the door.
“Why is she here?” Jess frowned, looking at her and attempting to pass, but the woman blocked her path.
“Can you at least excuse me?” Jess rolled her eyes.
“Well, I don’t know you,” the surrogate mother, Phoenix, replied, studying her.
“Well… you should call Rome and tell him that,” Jess retorted, growing increasingly annoyed.
“Maybe you should call him. He isn’t at home right now,” Phoenix said, closing the door in Jess’s face.
Jess was seething with anger as she waited for Rome to arrive. Finally, after two long hours, he showed up, and she wasted no time in approaching him.
“Hi, Rome,” she greeted him with a smile.
“Hey, Jess,” he replied, walking towards her.
“Can we talk?” she asked, causing him to nod in agreement, though he couldn’t help but wonder about the reason for her visit.
As they entered the living room, they were met by Phoenix.
“Maybe you should tell her to call you whenever she wants to come over,” Phoenix suggested as soon as she spotted Rome.
Rome glanced at Jess, silently concurring with Phoenix’s suggestion.
“You should call me whenever you want to come over,” he said to Jess.
“I would have, but what I brought here is really important,” Jess interjected, capturing both Phoenix and Rome’s attention.
“What is it?” Rome inquired.
“So, after that night we spent together,” Jess began, earning a scoff from Phoenix, “I found out that I am pregnant.”
“Wait, you are what?!” Rome exclaimed, looking at her in utter shock.
“I am pregnant,” Jess confirmed.
Oh dear.
To be continued…