Adrianna Valdez’s POV
“You look different.” Those were Olivia’s first words to me the moment she saw me as I stepped into her home.
“Different? Different how?” I questioned as I put my coat on the coat rack.
Olivia studied me before giving me a shrug. “I don’t know. Just different.”
I raised an eyebrow before heading to the kitchen. “Have you had lunch? Because I am feeling pretty hungry.”
“Yeah. There is leftover lasagna in the refrigerator. So how are things between you and Damien?”
I shot her a confused glance. “What about Damien and me?”
Olivia gave me a disbelieving glance. “About your trip back home to Spain. How did your parents and Damien go?”
The thought of that terrible incident made me frown. Even though it had been a month since it happened, the thought of my judgemental father made my blood boil.
“It was a disaster. Papa disliked him immediately and disapproved. He had called Damien terrible things and humiliated him. Mama accepted him. But, all in all, it was a terrible trip,” I said angrily as the memory surfaced.
Olivia’s eyes widened, and she gently took the plate away from me. “Okay, Adri, calm down, you are stabbing the food, and you might break my plate. At least, both of you have confessed your love for each other. Have you talked to your parents ever since?”
I sighed heavily and put the fork down. “No, and I would not until Papa apologizes. I do not understand why he dislikes Damien so much. I mean why can he not be happy for me that I found someone that loves me in return after so many years? Does he not want me to be happy?”
My lower lip trembled, and tears sprang to my eyes. “Why can he not accept Damien? D-does he not love me anymore? I am his only daughter. He cannot not love me anymore, right? But it doesn’t matter! If he doesn’t want Damien in his family, then neither will I be in it! Now that I know Damien cares about me more than my own father, I would definitely choose Damien over him. I will not initiate any talks with him until he apologizes.”
I said furiously and wiped the tears away from my eyes. Olivia watched me quietly as her eyes grew wider as she listened to me. Studying me, she asks, “Adri, is everything okay? You seem really strange lately.”
I glanced up at her. “No, Everything’s fine. It’s just been an emotional rollercoaster these few months.”
Olivia nodded before narrowing her eyes at me. “Are you sure everything is all right?”
I raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask that?”
Olivia snorted. “Don’t play with me. Come on, you’re having mood swings. You’re glowing like how pregnancy does to women. When I was pregnant, Drake thought I was high on drugs because he claimed I was all smiles and glowing.”
Pregnant? Me? Me pregnant? The idea seemed too absurd to even be considered. But it sort of made sense. I had mood swings, and I had seemingly caught the flu bug two weeks ago where I had been throwing up constantly.
Having me speechless was all Olivia needed to know. “You didn’t know?” she questioned, and I dumbly shook my head; too shocked to even reply.
Suddenly, everything clicked, and I panicked, “Oh, my God, sweet gods.” I gasped and stared at Olivia. “No. It cannot be that. I-I mean, it definitely can’t!”
Olivia chewed on her lower lip with Trevor sitting on her lap. “It could be. I mean, anything could happen.” Trevor reached out and played with Olivia’s hair as he mumbled baby gibberish.
“But— no! I do not think it is the right time,” I said helplessly and glanced around the room anxiously before my eyes met Trevor.
Olivia gently took my hands in hers. “Everything will be fine. Damien loves you. I’m sure if what we suspect is true, he will be very happy.”
“But—” I started, and Olivia gave me a pointed stare.
“Didn’t you always go on and on about how being a mother was the best thing in the world? Why are you so concerned about the possibility of being pregnant?”
“We are not even married, Olivia. And our relationship is too young to even consider children.”
Olivia sighed before holding my hand tightly. “If you love Damien and he loves you in return, everything will be all right. So now, go and check. I already have pregnancy kits in my room. Go on.”
I eyed Olivia to see if she was serious and was met with her serious stare. “Fine, all right. Where’s the test?”
Olivia handed Trevor to me and went to her bedroom before passing me a white package. “Here, go and check right now.”
I took the kit, went to the washroom and waited anxiously for five minutes. What if I really was with Damien’s child? How would it affect our relationship? Would Damien be pleased? Or would he want me to abort it? Immediately, my mind furiously rejected that idea.
Aborting the baby was out of the question more so when the baby was mine. If Damien didn’t want this child, I would have to leave him. I would raise this child on my own. But maybe Olivia was right; Damien had been talking about children ever since we started dating.
Or maybe all this thinking was not even necessary. I may not even be pregnant at all. I glanced at my watch. Five minutes has gone by. I took a peek at the test, and my jaw dropped.
I was pregnant.
I stared at the test as thoughts whizzed through my mind. I was going to be a mom. I had imagined this day when I was younger and telling Jacob, and he would be pleased, as we had been trying for one.
But now? I was uncertain whether Damien even wanted this baby. “So? Are you pregnant?” Olivia called out from behind the door.
I shakily opened the door, and Olivia peered at me expectantly. “Yes. I am Olivia. I am going to be a mother,” I said disbelievingly.
Olivia gasped. “Oh! That’s amazing. Trevor is going to have a new friend. You have to tell Damien. I’m sure he’ll be really pleased.”
“Should I tell him tonight? We are having a dinner date later on.” I chewed on my lip as I unconsciously rubbed my abdomen.
“Yes, you should. He should know as soon as possible. Besides, he loves you. He’ll be pleased. Don’t worry about it. I mean I didn’t know Drake actually liked children, and I was worried that he wouldn’t accept Trevor. But he was very pleased with the idea,” Olivia explained and beamed at me.
“Oh,” was all I could say. I was still too stunned.
“What gender are you hoping for?” Olivia asked curiously as excitement glimmered in her green eyes.
I shrugged and met Olivia’s gaze. “Honestly, if the baby is either a girl or boy, I’m just happy about it. But I really want a boy. That, well, looks exactly like Damien.”
I admitted, and my heart beat increased. I was going to be a mother, and to be honest, I was looking forward to it. I already loved this child, and I just hoped that Damien will be very happy about this news.
***
“You’re cooking for dinner?” I asked as Damien flipped a fish at the stove. “Yes, Adrianna mou, unless you want to go out?”
I shook my head. “No, it’s all right. I was just curious.” I had been thinking about how to break the news to Damien ever since I had gotten back from Olivia’s home and the butterflies in my stomach were doing somersaults.
“Okay, I’ll set the table,” I said as I reached for plates. “All right. Dinner is ready in five minutes.”
After setting the table, Damien placed a dish in front of me, followed by a glass or red wine. I eyed the wine and smiled up at Damien.
“Damien, I have some news to tell you,” I started, and Damien raised his eyebrows.
“Really? Because I have something I want to ask you as well.”
Deciding to prolong telling him that I was with his child, I gestured him to go first. “Okay. You can go first.”
Damien swallowed before downing his entire glass of wine and exhaled deeply. “Uh Adrianna, I— um, since we already share a home, and I love you, and you love me in return… and I don’t think— Wait, I know no one else will compare to you. Will you do the honor of being my wife?”
A smile spread across my face as Damien reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. The ring was gorgeous, a big diamond in the middle of the silver band with smaller diamonds on the whole ring.
I opened my mouth to respond but froze when memories of Jacob doing the same thing years ago came into my mind. Tears welled up in my eyes as the image of his crushed and battered body entered my mind only a week after he had proposed.
I hurriedly stood up as tears fell down my cheeks. “Damien I-I-I’m sorry.” I ran out of our home, sobbing and leaving a shocked, hurt and crestfallen Damien staring at the vacant seat where I had been sitting.