Chapter 4: A Gift from the Past

Elysia

I couldn't believe it.

Positive.

I stared at the pregnancy test in my trembling hand. My heart was pounding so loudly that I could hear it.

"I'm pregnant," I whispered to myself. Saying it out loud made it feel more real, but it still didn’t sink in.

A wave of dizziness washed over me as I tried to process the reality in front of me.

I couldn't believe it. It's been a month since I left Vethania, hoping for a fresh start, believing I could forget about him.

But my mind still thinks back to that night. It felt good being with him. The way he spoke and the way he held me that night... I thought it ended there, but fate had other plans.

What if I hadn't left before he woke up?

Not that it would have changed anything; I couldn't stay, even if I wanted to. He was a stranger, a handsome stranger, but also crazy, claiming to be the king.

And now, I was carrying his child.

I was faced with a difficult decision. Should I keep the baby or not? I thought about all the possibilities, all the what-ifs. I even considered abortion or adoption, but something inside me didn't feel right about it.

I was lost. Completely lost.

I didn't even realize I was crying until I felt a gentle hand wipe them away.

I looked up to see my mother; she sat down beside me, her face full of concern.

“Elysia, honey… what’s wrong?”

I couldn't speak; instead, I held up the pregnancy test.

She took it from my hand and gasped, her eyes widening in shock.

“Oh my God, Elysia,” she whispered. “How did this happen?”

I took a deep breath and told her everything: my breakup, the club, and the one-night stand.

My mom listened, her expression changing from shock to disappointment. "Elysia, why didn't you tell me about this? Why did you go and sleep with some stranger?"

I let out a shaky breath, “I… I made a mistake, Mom. I was drunk. I wasn’t thinking.” My voice cracked as fresh tears spilled down my cheeks.

She exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. “Oh, Elysia.”

My mother sighed, but she didn’t scold me. Instead, she pulled me into her arms, rubbing soothing circles on my back. “Oh, sweetheart… I'm sorry you had to go through that," she said.

I clutched her tighter, my emotions overwhelming me.

Mom pulled back slightly, cupping my face in her hands. “Listen to me; it's going to be okay.”

I nodded weakly. “I don’t even know if I can do this,” I admitted. “I don’t have a job. I don’t even know how to be a mother.”

“We’ll figure it out,” she whispered, kissing my forehead.

But I wasn't so sure

Over the next few days, I applied for jobs, trying to get my life back on track. But I couldn't get one.

Most employers didn’t want to hire a pregnant woman. Some were polite about it; others, not so much.

I was fed up.

I sat at the kitchen table, scrolling mindlessly through another list of job openings. That’s when I saw it: a personal assistant position at a prestigious firm.

The pay was good, and the requirements seemed manageable.

I applied immediately.

To my surprise, I was called in for an interview the next day.

I sat across from the hiring manager. I kept my hands folded in my lap, trying to steady my nerves. I didn’t mention my pregnancy.

The woman smiled as she glanced over my resume, after which she asked me a few questions, which I answered.

“Your qualifications and your responses are impressive, Elysia. I think you’d be a great fit for this role.”

Relief flooded me. “Thank you. I’m eager to start.”

She nodded. “We’d love to have you. The job requires a lot of multitasking, but I believe you can handle it.”

Just as I was about to shake her hand and seal the deal, my stomach twisted violently.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep it down, but the nausea won.

I clamped a hand over my mouth and bolted from my seat, barely making it to the bathroom in time.

When I returned, the manager’s expression had changed.

“Are you alright?”

I hesitated, then sighed. Lying wouldn’t help now. “I’m… pregnant.”

Silence.

She exchanged glances with her assistant before folding her hands on the desk.

“Elysia, we’d love to have you, but the first trimester is a high-risk period. This role can be physically demanding, and we don’t want to put unnecessary stress on you.”

My stomach dropped. “So… you’re saying I can’t have the job?”

She gave me an apologetic look. “Not right now. But after the baby is born, we would be happy to reconsider.”

I nodded numbly, disappointment weighing heavily on my chest.

I walked out of the building feeling defeated. My savings wouldn’t last forever. I was running out of options.

That's when my mind drifted back to Sylvie.

We had planned to meet that night before everything changed. Maybe she could help me here since she lives here.

I picked up my phone and hesitated before dialing her number.

She answered on the first ring. “Elysia! Oh my God, I was just thinking about you!”

I smiled faintly. “Yeah… I tried calling you, but my phone died. What happened? You said you had an emergency?”

“Yeah, family stuff,” she said dismissively. “But enough about that. How have you been? What’s new with you?”

I hesitated before sighing. “A lot. Actually… that’s why I’m calling.”

I took a deep breath and explained everything that had happened since we last spoke.

Sylvie gasped. “Wow, Elysia, that’s crazy. I’m so sorry you went through that.” She paused, then her voice softened. “I know this is scary, but I’m really happy you’re keeping the baby. You’re going to be an amazing mom.”

Her words warmed my heart. “Thanks, Sylvie. I needed to hear that.”

“But what about a job? Have you found anything?”

I let out a humorless laugh. “No one wants to hire a pregnant woman.”

“Ugh, that’s so unfair.”

She huffed. “But hey, I might know someone who can help.”

“Really?” Hope flickered in my chest.

“Yeah. But you need to come over so we can talk about it.” She said, her voice suddenly teasing. “And while you’re here, we need to talk more about this mystery man from the club.”

I groaned. “Sylvie… ”

She laughed. “Okay, okay… But the guy you met at the club, what was he like?”

“Why does that matter?”

“Just curious,” she said, sounding almost too eager.

A shiver ran down my spine at the memory.

“He was…” I swallowed. “Charming. Intense.”

Hmmm

“Did you even get his name?”

“Yeah. He said his name was Gabriel.”

Then, in the most serious tone I’d ever heard from her, she said, “Elysia… we need to talk. Now.”

The line went dead.

My stomach knotted.

What the hell just happened?