The Baby Shower.

Alexandria’s POV.

“But… pregnant?” I thought, the words catching in my throat, my voice barely a whisper as I stared at the doctor in disbelief.

My ears were ringing, like the world around me had suddenly gone quiet, except for those two words echoing in my head. Pregnant. With his baby. That couldn't be right.

“That’s impossible. I must have heard wrong,” I mumbled, blinking at the doctor like he had just spoken in a language I didn’t understand. I let out a short, shaky laugh, trying to shake the feeling off, but his face stayed serious and unmoving.

This wasn’t a joke.

“How can this be happening now?” I whispered, my heart beating too fast like it was trying to escape my chest. My stomach twisted painfully, and I felt lightheaded—like everything was spiraling.

“No…” I said again, this time barely audible. My throat felt tight, my eyes burning. I didn’t want to cry, but I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

Rihanna reached out and held my hand. Her touch was warm and grounding. She didn’t say anything at first—just let her thumb move gently across the back of my hand. Her silence was louder than any words.

“Alex,” she said softly, her voice like a quiet knock on a locked door. I looked up at her, my tears falling freely now.

“What am I supposed to do?” I choked out, my voice breaking. “What do I do now?”

She didn’t answer immediately. She just rubbed my back, comforting me in that quiet, patient way of hers. The doctor took the hint and left us alone, his footsteps fading into the background like the rest of the world. It was just us now—and the weight of the news I had just received.

I buried my face in her shoulder and let the sobs come, one after the other, until my whole body shook from the force of them. I had held so much in for so long, and now it was all pouring out of me.

How could this be happening?

Asher had left. He betrayed me. The divorce was final. Everything I had built with him was gone—and now I was pregnant?

“No, this shouldn't be happening,” I whispered again through my tears. “How am I supposed to move on now?”

Rihanna listened quietly as I tried to piece myself together.

“My family will never accept this,” I said, voice low and defeated. “They were already disappointed in me because of the divorce… now this?”

“Alex, you shouldn’t be thinking about them right now,” she said gently. “They’ll come around eventually.”

I turned to look at her, my face full of frustration and disbelief.

“Come around?” I repeated. “Rihanna, you know them. You’ve met my father. They don’t believe in divorce. They don’t believe in second chances. If they find out I’m carrying Asher’s child, after everything, they’ll never forgive me.”

She sighed, clearly wanting to say something that would make everything better but knowing there was no such thing right now.

“Well… maybe you should tell Asher. Maybe he’d be willing to come back. For the baby.”

I looked at her like she had just slapped me.

“No,” I said quickly. “I’m not doing that.”

“But—”

“Have you forgotten Theresa is also pregnant with his baby?” My voice cracked again, but this time with anger. “What would be the point, Rihanna? He had already chosen her. I’d just be another complication.”

She cursed under her breath, looking frustrated. “I forgot about that.”

“Exactly,” I said bitterly. “And he’s already made it clear where I stand. He doesn’t want me. He made that clear when he signed those papers without hesitation. Theresa’s child is enough for him.”

There was a long pause between us.

“So what are you going to do now?” she asked gently.

I took a deep breath, my lungs feeling tight. “I don’t know. I just… need to go home. Think. Try to figure out how to tell my family. Especially my dad.”

She pulled me into a hug, holding me tightly like she could carry some of the weight for me.

“Whatever happens, I believe in you.”

The ride home felt like it took forever, even though it was barely a fifteen-minute drive. The doctor's words of my pregnancy being a cryptic pregnancy, the reason I never knew I was pregnant until I was five months gone filled my mind.

When I got there, my father was already in his usual spot—on the couch by the corridor, newspaper in hand. He didn’t look up when I walked in.

“Hi… Father,” I said, trying to sound normal and cheerful even. He just grunted and kept reading, not even sparing me a glance.

That was all I needed to be reminded I didn’t belong here anymore. Not in this house. Not in their world. I had failed in the one thing they valued above all: staying married.

I went upstairs slowly, the walls feeling closer than they usually did. When I got to my room, I locked the door and leaned against it, closing my eyes.

I imagined his reaction when he found out. My father’s anger. My mother’s silence. The shame. The disappointment. I wasn’t ready for that. Not again.

And then, Rihanna’s voice echoed in my head again.

“Tell Asher.”

Maybe it would help. Maybe he’d understand. Maybe… he’d care, even a little.

And maybe, just maybe, we could fix this. Not for us—but for the baby.

So I made up my mind.

I got in the car, the test results in my bag, and drove to the house that used to be mine.

When I pulled up outside, I noticed the decorations before anything else. Balloons. Streamers. A banner that read, “Welcome to Our Baby Shower.” My hands went cold on the steering wheel.

No. No, no, no.

I stepped out, my legs feeling unsteady, and walked toward the house.

When I stepped inside, the music, the laughter—it all hit me like a wave I wasn’t ready for. And there Ashed was smiling and laughing. Standing beside Theresa, who was glowing in the middle of a crowd.

There was a banner behind them. “It’s a boy!”

And in that moment, something in me cracked. He looked so… happy. Not like the man I had known. He looked like he had everything he wanted, and none of it included me.

I was about to turn and leave when our eyes met. He stopped mid-laugh, his gaze locking onto mine.

Theresa followed his stare and saw me too. Her smile dropped.

“Well, well, well,” she said loudly, her voice cutting through the music. “Look what we have here. The bad omen has arrived.”

The room went silent. Asher stepped toward me, his face hardening.

“Alexandria, what are you doing here?”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

“You show up here uninvited?” Theresa spat. “This is a celebration, not a funeral. Learn to stay where you’re wanted.”

I looked around, feeling like the walls were closing in.

“Why are you just standing there?” she snapped.

“Did you come to curse my baby or something?”

“Please, Asher,” she added with a scoff. “Do something. She’s ruining everything.”

He turned cold immediately. “You need to leave, Alexandria. Now.”

Then he raised his voice. “Security!”

Two uniformed men appeared almost instantly, their faces expressionless as they walked over to me.

I turned to go. My chest was aching. My hands were shaking.

But then something inside me pushed forward.

“Wait,” I said, turning back.

I looked Asher in the eyes, holding up the envelope.

“I’m pregnant.”