Once Aston was filled in on everything, he asked if he could take me out for dinner to help me unwind. Just to go out and have a romantic dinner at an exclusive restaurant in London and spend overnight there and have some time together to relax away from the stressors of the day. Mum thought it was a great idea. I could relax and get pampered while she spends some quality time with Ella and try to see if she’s all right. I packed an overnight bag and Aston drove me to his house where we chatted with his parents for a bit. Then he gathered a bag for himself and we drove into the city for a night on the town. We’re having security meet us at Grand Daddy’s hotel, and they’ll escort us to where we need to go. Aston is keeping it a secret from me, but it’s okay because I love surprises. Well, good ones anyway.

I finish pulling my purple silk dress over my head and slide it down over my body then sit on the edge of the hotel bed and slide on my black pumps.

“Are you wearing heels for me, baby?” Aston asks as he walks in from the en-suite looking gorgeous and smelling even better.

“Yep, I know it doesn’t happen often, but I feel like dressing up for you. Combat boots just don’t cut it with this dress,” I say and he smirks as he walks over to me while I slide on my other shoe. Taking my hand he pulls me up so my chest is flush with his.

“You look stunning, Lennox,” he says and brushes a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

“Thank you, kind sir,” I reply and he chuckles.

“Well m’lady your carriage awaits.”

I smirk and walk hand-in-hand with him toward the hotel door. We make our way down to the entry of the hotel where our security detail are waiting for us. Two men in suits and they look so big and bulky that even I’m intimidated.

“Hey guys,” Aston says as they walk with us to our chauffeured car. Grand Daddy organised the car for us for tonight, even though he’s old he still likes to spoil me.

We managed to get to the car without any paparazzi or minions seeing us, which helps me relax. Security guard one opens the door and I slide in the back and Aston follows. He shuts the door and both the security guards slip into the front seats.

“So, where are we going?” I ask and Aston smirks.

“That new restaurant you’ve been dying to try,” he says and I open my eyes wide.

“You mean the new one, that’s owned by that television chef that we always watch late at night?”

“The one and the same.”

I jump a little in my seat. “Oh my God, I can’t wait!” I say and he leans in and softly kisses my cheek.

“Only the best for my girl.”

We take the short drive over to the restaurant and it looks stunning from the outside and I can’t wait to see what it looks like inside. The car stops and lets us out. There’s a couple of paparazzi outside and we stop for some photographs. We walk into the posh looking restaurant and it’s packed. There're a few other celebrities in here and I smile brightly. It feels like even though today has been a really emotional day, it will be nice to just sit, relax, and eat a meal with my boyfriend in peace. We are shown to our seats and I sit down as Aston pulls out my chair for me. I move in under the table and Aston sits down opposite me.

“You really are amazing to bring me here, you know that?” I smile.

“I’d do anything to see that smile you have on your face right there, baby, especially after today.”

“I wonder if the chef does that potato stack thing he does on television?” I ask and Aston smirks.

“You’re one of the world’s biggest celebrities, and yet you’re fangirling over Oliver Birkenshaw… the chef?”

“Absolutely,” I say and he laughs as we pick up the menu.

“I love that you aren’t so far up yourself that you can still have celebrity crushes.”

“Baby, I only have one celebrity crush and he’s sitting at this table with me.”

“Now you have imaginary celebrities at our table? I think you need to go back and see Dr. Ludwick,” he teases and I throw my napkin at him.

“Ha, fucking ha. You know I love you though?”

“I know, I love you too,” he says and takes my hand over the table.

“Aston? Annie?” I hear someone say from behind me. Aston frowns and then his eyes open in shock and his mouth drops open.

I turn around to see who’s behind me and it’s none other than fucking Amber. I slump my shoulders as she walks around to stand next to me, and then I see it. Her stomach is in line with my face and either she’s gotten really fat or she is… pregnant. My mouth drops open and I look back at Aston who looks mortified.

“Aston, how are you?” she asks resting her hand on his shoulder as he stares at her protruding stomach.

“You’re… you’re pregnant?” Aston asks and she smiles and laughs.

“Noticed that did you?” she says and my heart starts to race and I feel sick.

“Um, how far along are you?” I ask not wanting to ask the obvious question of whether or not it’s Aston’s.

“Just gone six months,” she replies and my world starts to cave in. Six months ago Aston was with her. They were a couple.

Holy shit Aston’s going to be a dad!

My heart races so fast and I have to swallow the bile that rising fast in my throat. Just when I thought today couldn’t get any worse, Amber Leopard Print Pants comes back into my life and turns it upside down.

“Geez Amber, why didn’t you tell me?” Aston asks.

The walls are closing in on me and everything is turning black, but worse is the ringing in my ears. My heart racing so fast which is forcing all the colour to drain from my body.

“Didn’t think it was any of your business. We’re not together anymore. You’re obviously with Annie. So why would I tell you?”

I can’t stand how hot I feel right now. It feels like every inch of me is raging with fire or being dipped in acid. Either way Aston is going to be a Dad and I can’t stand that fact. I stand up and the chair falls backward to the ground.

“Are you okay, Annie?” Amber asks and puts her hand out to rest on my arm. I pull away from her forcefully and look down at Aston.

“How could you!” I say loudly enough, so everyone in the restaurant looks up at us, but I don’t care. Right now, all I know is Aston had unprotected sex with Amber and now they’re going to be a family.

I turn and rush toward the front of the restaurant. One of the security guards follows me while the other one stays with Aston, who’s screaming my name out as I bolt as fast as I can. I make it to the door and the guard helps me out as we rush to the car. Camera flashes go off, but I don’t stop to see if Aston is coming. To be honest, I don’t want him near me right now.

“Take me back to the hotel, please,” I plead to the guard and he nods as we get inside the car. He drives off fast and I don’t look back as my heart thuds so rapidly I can’t think straight. Aston is going to be a dad… with Amber! I can’t take this. I start to cry into my hands as my mobile phone rings and I let it ring out. The guard doesn’t say anything as I start to really sob into my hands in the back of the car.

My mobile rings relentlessly for the short ride back to the hotel. The guard opens the door when we pull up and I rush straight past him and inside the hotel. I feel bad for not thanking him, but my world is ending right now and I just need to get back to the hotel room and cry. I race to the elevator and press the button repeatedly for the top level. I can’t breathe. I honestly can’t breathe.

I walk out of the elevator and stumble. I can’t see through the tears and my lack of breath is making it hard to function. I pull out the card and swipe it and the door clicks open. Rushing in I kick my heels off while closing the door and then resting my back on it. I try to catch my breath, but I can’t see and all I feel is pain ripping through my chest that’s tearing me to shreds. I slide down the door to the ground. This is the worst pain I’ve ever experienced. I clutch my chest trying to get the pain to stop.

It won’t.

Nothing I do is stopping the pain.

I run my fingers through my hair in frustration and then an image of Amber kissing Aston flashes through my mind and my whole body shakes with an ache that is uncontrollable. I tug on my hair trying to feel any pain other than the one that’s inside me right now. It doesn’t work, so I pull harder and I let out a frustrated scream as I bang my head back against the door. My phone rings again breaking me from my stupor. I stand up and pace the floor. I’m hurt and I am angry as hell!

How could he do this to me?

We were going along so well. And this whole time Amber bloody Leopard Print Pants has been carrying his child. I scream loudly in frustration and walk over to the bedside lamp and throw it across the room. It smashes and I sob as I see the shattered glass falling down to the ground to join my shattered heart. I fall to the floor as my knees give way and I lean my back against the side of the bed. I can’t believe this is happening today. No, I can’t believe this is happening at all! My phone rings again and I sob into my knees so hard I’m sure the people in the next room can hear. I cry for so long I don’t even know how long it’s been.

All I know is Aston isn’t here with me.

He’s there with her.

I wipe my face as my crying subsides. It’s not that I don’t want to cry anymore, it’s that the tears are drying up because I’ve cried so many. I stand up and make my way to the bar fridge and open it looking for something to dull the pain. There're little bottles of alcohol placed neatly inside, so I take them all and walk over to the bed throwing them down onto it. I sit down and begin my annihilation session. These bottles won’t get me drunk, but I can always call Boozeline to help me along. I unscrew the vodka bottle and throw the lid somewhere across the room, I don’t care. I bring the bottle to my lips and drink down the entire 50ml of throat-burning clear liquid. I’m pretty sure these are equal to one shot, so I have about five more shots worth of various alcohol – that should help dull the pain a little. I throw the empty glass bottle at the wall and it smashes into tiny shards. I get a small thrill from it as I wipe my cheeks and open the next one containing amber liquid. I put the bottle to my lips and just as I go to drink the suite door smashes open. I see Aston standing there and he looks terrible. I swallow the liquid and then throw the bottle at him. He ducks and it smashes against the door and he backs away shutting the door behind him.

“What are you doing?” he asks sounding annoyed.

He has no right to be annoyed, I’m the one who’s broken hearted here.

“Fuck off,” I reply and open another bottle. He rushes to my side and takes the bottle from me. I fight against him, but he’s stronger than me and he pulls it from my hand and then scoops up the remaining three on the bed and throws them on the floor away from me. I huff and fold my arms across my chest.

“So you think getting wasted is going to fix this, Annie? The second something goes wrong you fall back into old habits?” he asks and then looks at the broken lamp on the floor. “And now you’re breaking hotel furniture too?”

“Like it matters. You’ll have your new family to take care of now anyway,” I say and stand up from the bed pushing past him.

He grabs hold of my arms and pulls me to him. I struggle in his grip trying to force him let go of me.

“Annie… stop!” he says and I thrash harder.

“Annie, I love you. Stop!” he says again and I burst into tears and slump my body. “Will you just listen?”

I glare. “No, you listen. You can’t go and knock someone up and expect me to be okay with this, Aston?” I yell in his face.

He grabs hold of me again, but I break free and slap him hard across the face using all the energy I have left in me. I fall to the floor in the fetal position and sob into my hands.

“Jesus baby,” he says and I cry even harder at the mention of the word baby.

He sits down on the floor next to me and pulls me into his lap. I don’t have the energy to fight him.

“Annie, will you stop! Please, stop crying, it’s not what you think. You’re getting worked up over nothing. Baby—”

“Stop saying, baby! It’s obviously what I think Aston. You were with her six months ago. She is six months pregnant. You do the math,” I grate out through sobs as my chest constricts even tighter and I feel like I can’t breathe again.

He moves his hands to either side of my face and grips onto me tightly forcing me to look at him. “Annie, the baby isn’t mine,” he says and I literally stop breathing.

“What?” I ask and he leans his forehead against mine.

“Amber said she had the dates tested and the baby was conceived three weeks after we broke up. We weren’t together in that way for a week before I broke it off with her. The baby can’t be mine, Annie,” he says and my heart starts to pound even harder and I feel dizzy.

“I feel sick,” is all I can reply. He lifts me and takes me into the en-suite. I kneel next to the toilet as my mouth floods with saliva. I start to wretch and I lean over the bowl as I bring up the alcohol I just drank mixed with today’s lunch.

“Annie, I’m sorry I made you sick with worry,” Aston says as he holds my hair and rubs my back as I throw up into the hotel toilet. “I love you, baby. I promise the only kids I’m going to have will be with you,” he says and I start to cry again as I throw up once more. The emotion of tonight mixed with the emotion of today is just too much for me to handle right now and my body is letting me know it in the worst possible way.

My stomach finally starts to settle so I wipe my mouth with some toilet paper and move away from the toilet into Aston’s arms.

“I’m so sorry, baby. I never want to see you sick because of me,” he says and kisses my sweaty temple.

“She really isn’t pregnant to you?” I ask nuzzling into his chest.

“No Lennox, I promise she isn’t. And even if she were that wouldn’t be it for us. I love you too much to let you go, Annie,” he says and I softly start to cry again as he strokes my hair.

“Please don’t cry, you’ve done enough of that for today,” he says slowly lifting me up and sitting me down on the edge of the bathtub. He bends down to my height and kisses my forehead.

“I love you, Annie.”

“You swear you’re not lying to me?”

“I swear baby. Now let’s get you out of these stinky clothes and get you into a nice warm shower to scrub away the horrors of today, all right?” he asks while he lifts me up to stand in front of him.

He takes off his shirt and I watch as he slowly unzips my dress and it falls to the floor. He unclasps my bra and pulls my panties down leaving me naked in front of him. I stand here not really knowing what to do. I’m so mentally and physically drained from the events of today that I can’t even think straight. He undoes his pants and steps out of them and removes his shoes. Leaning down to take off his socks, then he stands and kisses my forehead. He reaches into the shower alcove and turns on the water and then takes me in his arms and moves us both into the shower. He holds me tightly to him and massages my scalp. His touch is easing my tension and I move my head into the nook of his shoulder as the water flows over my back.

“I’m so sorry, Annie. Please know, I left as soon as I sorted it out with Amber. As soon as I knew for sure it wasn’t mine, I came straight to you baby. You’re the most important thing in my life and I never ever want you to feel like I’ve betrayed you like that again, okay?”

“I’m sorry I just reacted. It’s just the times added up and all I could think was you were going to leave me to be with her and your baby. I couldn’t handle the thought of losing you, so I ran. I just needed to be away from her,” I murmur as I really don’t have the energy to talk properly.

“I wouldn’t leave you for her Annie, even if it were my baby,” he says as his hand continues to massage my scalp and the other runs up and down my naked back.

“Well, that’s nice to know,” I say and he chuckles.

“I know how upset and how devastated you were that you thought it was mine. I don’t think I can ever wipe the look of your face out of my head,” he says and then he nuzzles into my hair.

I wrap my arms around him tighter and hold onto him for dear life. If there’s one thing I want to never feel again is that I’m losing Aston.

“I can’t lose you, you know that, right?” I look up at him through misty eyes.

“You never will, Annie, I promise,” he says and then leans down kissing my lips quickly. He pulls back and smirks at me. “Now brush your teeth, so I can kiss you properly,” he says and it makes me giggle for the first time in a while.

“Thank you,” I say and he smiles at me raising an eyebrow.

“For what?”

“For loving me.”

“I’ve loved you forever, Annie, and I will continue to love you forever,” he says and I smile up at him as he wipes a stray tear from my cheek.

“You’re my constant, Annie. My grounding light. You keep me sane and I cherish you, every last bit of you,” he says warming my heart and filling me with so much love I can feel it oozing from my pores.

Aston is my forever and everything is better with him in my life. He makes my music brighter, my daylight lighter and knowing that he wants to be my forever too, makes me want to jump for joy. Life with Aston from now on will be perfect. No more energy wasted over Amber. No more worrying that he doesn’t love me because I’m not worthy of it. I’m just going to let him love me, and I in return will love him more than I have loved anything in this world.