04

THE doorbell rang again. As though whoever stood behind it was an impatient dog.

Damien frowned slightly and pushed himself up from the couch.

“Who the hell is that?” Vanessa asked, adjusting herself against the cushion, one hand resting lazily on her stomach.

“No idea,” he replied, already heading for the door.

Before he could reach it, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen.

“Mom.”

He picked up.

“Yes?”

Her voice came through, brisk as always.

“I just sent something over. Open the door.”

Damien paused, then looked at the door again.

“What did you send?”

“Food, Damien. What else would I send? The girl is heavily pregnant, for heaven’s sake. Don’t keep the delivery man waiting.”

The line went dead.

Damien stared at his phone for half a second, then shook his head and opened the door.

A delivery man stood there, holding two large branded paper bags and a smaller box.

“Delivery for Mr. Damien Cross,” he announced.

Damien stepped aside.

“Yeah. Come in.”

The man walked in, careful with the bags, placing them neatly on the center table.

The smell hit almost immediately. Warm, sweet and freshly baked.

Vanessa’s face lit up.

“Oh my God, that smells amazing.”

Damien handed the man some cash and dismissed him.

“Thanks.”

The door clicked shut.

Vanessa was already leaning forward, eyes on the food like a child on Christmas morning.

“Aww! Mom really knows me,” she said with a soft laugh, “she has done well,” she added.

Damien smirked slightly.

“She does.”

He moved back toward the couch as Vanessa began opening the bags. Inside were pastries of several kind, croissants and soft rolls. A box of glazed donuts, and a neatly packed container of honey-almond breakfast bars, lightly drizzled and golden.

Vanessa’s eyes sparkled.

“Yes… this is exactly what I needed.”

She reached for one of the bars but paused, glancing toward the hallway.

“Should we call her?”

Damien shrugged.

“She will come out if she wants.”

Vanessa smiled faintly.

“Right.”

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Alessia stood by the counter, slicing bread. Her movements were steady, her mind wasn’t fully there.

Her grip tightened slightly around the knife.

Suddenly, a smell wafted through. She paused and turned her head slightly. It smelt sweet and fresh, different from what she was making.

Her stomach tightened. Still hungry. Still hadn’t eaten, still trying to make something.

She set the knife down slowly and wiped her hands.

For a second, she hesitated.

Then she walked out.

—

The sight that met her was Damien and Vanessa, close and comfortable as always. But what caught her attention most was the food spread across the table.

Vanessa was laughing softly as she opened another box.

Alessia’s steps slowed, but she didn’t stop. She walked fully into the living room. Neither of them looked surprised. Of course not.

Vanessa glanced up first.

“Oh, you are here.”

Alessia’s eyes moved to the food, then back to them.

“Yes.”

A pause. Then, calmly, she spoke.

“Can I take one, Damien? My breakfast is yet to be done and I'm literally starving.”

She nodded toward the table as she spoke, simple and neutral.

Vanessa’s lips curved instantly.

“Of course,” she said quickly, almost too quickly, surprising every soul, before Damien could even speak, “what would I gain if an expectant woman doesn't share? Huh,” she chuckled as she spoke.

Damien glanced at Vanessa, then back at Alessia.

“Yeah. Take whatever.” Casual and dismissive as always, like it meant nothing.

Alessia stepped closer. Her eyes scanned the table once. Then she reached for one of the honey-almond bars.

It looked harmless and lightly glazed.

She picked it up.

Vanessa closely watched her. A flicker appeared in her eyes, then vanished as quickly as it came.

Alessia didn’t notice. She brought it to her lips and took a bite, chewing slowly, then she swallowed.

The taste was sweet amd nutty, warm even. For a brief second, it felt… normal.

Then Vanessa tilted her head slightly as she began chewing on hers.

“Oh…”

Alessia didn’t look at her. She was still chewing.

Vanessa’s voice came again, softer.

“Damien dear, how does mom even know almonds are my favourite?” She chuckled, “this feels so good.”

Silence fell. A second passed, two.

Alessia blinked. Her throat tightened slightly.

She swallowed again, harder this time. Her brows pulled together.

“What?”

Vanessa’s expression shifted, just a hint of innocence layered over something else as she turned to her.

“What is what?”

The world slowed.

Alessia’s fingers tightened around the half-eaten bar. Her chest felt… off. Not pain, no, not yet.

But something wasn’t right, her tongue tingled. Her throat burned slightly. She swallowed again and nothing changed.

No, it actually got worse.

Her breathing hitched once, then again.

Damien straightened.

“What’s wrong?”

Alessia opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her hand went to her throat. Her breathing became uneven.

Short and sharp. Panic crept in fast.

Her chest tightened and her vision blurred slightly.

“Damien…” she tried.

It came out strained, barely audible.

He stepped forward immediately.

“Alessia?”

She staggered slightly. Her hand reaching out for support, her skin was reacting now. A faint redness creeping up her neck.

Her breaths turning shallow and urgent.

“I… can’t…”

Her voice broke.

Damien moved closer.

“Hey— hey— what’s happening?”

Vanessa’s eyes widened, but not in panic, in calculation.

“Oh my God— Damien—” she suddenly gasped, clutching her stomach. Hard.

Her face twisted instantly.

“Ahh—!”

Damien froze.

His head snapped toward her.

“Vanessa?”

She leaned forward, gripping his arm.

“The baby— Damien— the baby—”

Her voice trembled, convincing. Just too convincing.

“I think something is wrong—”

Damien’s attention shifted. Just like that. Away from Alessia. He didn’t even think it twice.

“What? What do you mean—?”

Alessia stumbled again, harder this time. Her back hitting the edge of the table.

The bar slipped from her hand and fell with a dull thud to the floor. Her breaths were now sharp pulls of air and desperate.

Her fingers clawed lightly at her throat. Tears welled in her eyes, not from emotion, but from lack of air.

“D… Damien…”

He looked back for a split second and saw her struggling, gasping for air.

Then Vanessa did the unthinkable, she cried out louder.

“Damien, it hurts!”

That was it. Decision made.

He turned fully to Vanessa.

“Okay, okay— calm down— breathe—”

He held her, focused and paid more attention to her, guiding her to sit properly.

“It’s okay. I’m here.”

Alessia stared. Her vision blurred further and soon began to fade.

Her body weakened.

She tried to steady herself but failed. Her knees buckled.

She hit the floor hard.

A sharp sound echoed in the room and still, neither of them moved.

Vanessa leaned into Damien, still clutching her stomach.

“Don’t leave me…” she whispered.

“I’m not,” he said immediately. “I’m right here.”

Alessia’s breaths were now broken and irregular. Her chest rising and falling too fast and uneven.

Her fingers trembled against the floor.

Her vision darkened at the edges.

She turned her head slightly to look at them. At him.

At the man who had once promised—

Well, nothing. He wasn’t looking, not anymore.

Her lips parted for one last attempt, but no sound came out.

And then—

Everything went black.