Chapter 1

Chapter 1 

Pregnant 

Elara's POV

“Roses, these are so pretty,” at the voice, my fingers uncurled from the doorknob as happiness seeped through me. He got flowers. Which means he remembered.

Lucien remembered today was our wedding anniversary.

I beamed and readjusted my hair before I heard the sharp distinct voice, the voice I fell for the first day I heard it. “Of course, what did you think? That I wasn't going to watch what I'd be giving Seraphina?”

The world tilted. My vision swayed and I blinked rapidly to make sure I heard well. But it was the same re-echo that I heard. Seraphina.

I wasn't Seraphina— and the only Seraphina I knew was… my sister.

“Seraphina?” I heard Lucien's friend's query, “I thought that was for your wife.”

“Come on,” disgust accompanied Lucien's voice, the same tone he used on me, “you think I would really go out of my way to get Elara flowers? Come on, she isn't even worth that.”

“I see,” his friend laughed, “just some few words and that'll get her smiling? A few made up smiles and she's over the moon.”

“Exactly,” Lucien chuckled, “just a drop of affection and Elara will be completely wrapped around my fingers.”

“Yes man,” his friend laughed, “that woman is completely crazy for you.”

“And greedy for me, and that's what I need until I get enough,” I heard footsteps and Lucien's voice got nearer, “now, let's go give the flowers to the one person who actually deserves it.”

He was coming. I gulped even as my chest ached and rushed back to the entrance I came in from the same time Lucien pushed the door open. He stopped in his steps as soon as his eyes rested on me and narrowed an eye 

“You're here.”

“Yes,” I blinked, fighting back the tears in my eyes as every word they spoke replayed in my ears, “I'm done for the day,” I forced a smile before letting my eyes settle on the bouquet of flowers in his hands.

The same bouquet that I thought for a fleeting moment was mine.

The flowers were arranged in sets, the redness blooming and vibrant, packed together. Roses. The same one I longed for and hoped he would get me.

“I can't,” Lucien would say for three years. And he never did. “I don't need flowers to prove my love for you,” those were his usual lines.

But now, he had gotten them for her… for my sister. For Seraphina. For the woman who stole my life.

The pain pierced my heart so hard I heard it snap but outside, I forced a smile and approached Lucien, “are you done for the day also?”

“You don't need to be worried about that, Elara. You work for me I know, I am the CEO and you should endeavour to keep things formal. You don't have to come see me everyday.”

Everyday? I never attempted to see him everyday. I had only come today because… today was important.

It was our 3rd anniversary but he couldn't even remember. That definitely hadn't crossed his mind.

“I'm sorry,” I murmured and forced a smile, “you have flowers in your hands, got something important to do?”

“Yes,” Lucien barely finished his words when his phone blared furiously in the air. He reached for it immediately, “Our plane has landed!” I heard the squeak as soon as he picked 

“Really?” A wide smile spread across Lucien's face, “I'll be there soon, Seraphina.”

It was her. Seraphina was back in the states and he was going to pick her up, with a bouquet of flowers. Bile rose to my throat while heat burned in my tummy as I watched Lucien end the call.

“I'm going to pick Seraphina up.” He stated and headed for the door immediately.

“Can I come with you?” I asked and he paused in his steps sharply.

“What?”

“Not to the airport,” I clarified, “I've closed for the day. You can help by dropping me off at the bus stop.”

“You have your own car, Elara.”

“I didn't use it today because it’s faulty,” I continued, “it won't interrupt your journey, Lucien.”

“Fine,” Lucien huffed and I headed after him, each glance at the bouquet hanging over his shoulders a reminder of the torment I've had to endure; of the fact that he never did that for me.

In no time we reached the parking lot and as I reached for the front seat, Lucien stopped me, “use the back seat.”

I looked up with questions before he stretched his hands forward, “I'm dropping these in the front seat,” and I moved away and watched as Lucien placed the bouquet on the seat with so much care that he had never shown me.

A sob rose to my throat and I exhaled shakily to calm myself before heading to the back seat. Soon, we hit the highway.

“Fucking move away,” Lucien cussed at the driver's as he sped. Lucien was never the one to be in a hurry on the highway but he was now, all because of her. 

His phone blared again and he reached for it, “you're not here!” I heard my sister whine, the same seductive voice she used with people, the one who got her loved by many.

“I'm sorry Seraphina, I'm almost there,” Lucien apologised and ended the call, the same time he reached the bus stop. He almost drove by when I said, “I'm to drop here, Lucien.”

The car came to a halt instantly and I heard the click as the door opened, “now.”

“You shouldn't park here, Lucien,” I looked out the window, “this is not the boundary.”

“I'm not crossing to the other side,” he scoffed, “get down, she's waiting.”

I sighed and reached for the door. Pushing it open, I got down and just as I reached for my bag, Lucien was already driving away. “Hold on,” I screamed as I sprinted after the car, “Lucien, my things!”

As I struggled to hold on to the door, my grip loosened and my legs jerked. I gasped as I doubled over and just as my knees hit the floor and my face dug to the ground, strong hands held me.

“Hey!” The man screamed as my chest still raced from the unwilling sprint I just made. I looked forward and saw Lucien's car speeding along the expressway without even bothering to wait for me.

“Are you okay?” The man asked and I blinked repeatedly before forcing a nod. He helped me up and cussed instantly, “you're bleeding.”

“Oh my god,” he reached for my arm immediately, “I'll take you to the hospital.”

“No, it's fine.”

“No it's not, your knees are injured,” he pointed at my bloodied knee and led me to his car. He got in and within minutes, I was being attended to at the hospital.

“It's just a scratch,” the doctor concluded as he wrapped my palm. “You should be more careful next time.”

“Yes,” I nodded and forced a smile, “I will, thank you.”

“Have a lot of rest, you need it, especially in your state.”

I raised a brow, “what state doctor, I'm just scratched not—”

“You don't know,” the doctor's voice came, light and my heart skipped a beat as I raised my head to him.

“What…”

“You're pregnant, Mrs Ashford.”