LOGINGemma“For real?”Gigi’s mouth fell open as she stared at me.“Yes, Gigi. I wouldn’t make something like that up.”“Vanessa went from eating ice cream to giving birth that same afternoon? And you were there through everything?”“Pretty much.”“I’m so jealous! I can’t believe I missed all that excitement.”I smiled at her reaction. Gigi had arrived at my house earlier that evening to spend the weekend with us, and we’d spent the last few minutes catching up on everything that had happened since we last saw each other.Katia came into the living room carrying a bowl of fruit and took the seat beside Gigi.“Are you still talking about Vanessa?” she asked.“Of course! I still can’t believe you two went out for ice cream and ended up at the hospital.”Katia picked up a slice of apple. “Believe me, I wasn’t expecting that either. I didn’t even get to finish my ice cream.”I watched them exchange words, amused by their usual banter.“So, what are we doing this weekend?” Gigi asked, making he
GemmaI followed her gaze to her dress. The front of it was getting wet, and water was running down her legs to the floor.“Vanessa?” I called, rising from my chair.She stared at the floor in shock before looking up at me. “Oh my God,” she whispered. “Gemma, I think my water just broke.”My eyes widened. “Are you serious? Is the baby coming?”Vanessa placed both hands on her stomach. The shock on her face slowly gave way to a wide smile.“Oh my God! My baby is coming!” she exclaimed, laughing nervously. “I wasn’t expecting this to happen today. I thought I still had some time!”People nearby noticed what was happening and came over to help. One of the staff members brought some towels while another helped move the chairs out of the way. Someone picked up Vanessa’s handbag, and I moved closer to support her.“Okay, let’s get you to the hospital. Have you called your husband?”“I’m going to call him now,” she replied, reaching for her phone.Katia finally stopped eating and placed her
Gemma“Are you nervous?”Katia let out a small breath as she adjusted her handbag. “A little. I just want to know that everything is fine.”“It will be fine. Let’s go inside.”We entered the hospital and made our way to the reception. After a short wait, a nurse called Katia’s name and led us to the examination room.The doctor welcomed us and asked Katia a few questions about how she had been feeling. After listening to her answers, he prepared for the ultrasound.Katia lay back on the examination bed, her fingers gripping the edge of the sheet. I moved closer and held her hand as the doctor began.“Let’s see how our little one is doing,” the doctor said.We both focused on the screen. At first, I couldn’t make out much, but the doctor pointed to a tiny shape on the monitor.“There we go. That’s your baby.”Katia’s lips parted. “That’s my baby?”“Yes. The pregnancy is still very early, but we can see the tiny baby beginning to develop.”She leaned forward, her eyes fixed on the scree
Gemma“Are we there yet, Mum?” Sam asked, looking through the car window.“Almost. Just give me a minute.” I drove through the large entrance of Julian’s house. Sam had been unusually quiet throughout the journey, and I could tell he was a little nervous about meeting Julian.I reached for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Relax. He’s not going to bite you.”Sam laughed. “I know, Mum. I’m just not sure what to expect.”“You’ll be fine.” I parked the car, and we stepped out. After locking it, I took Sam’s hand briefly before leading him towards the entrance.The moment we walked inside, the smell of a freshly prepared meal filled the air. I stopped when I spotted Julian in the kitchen.He stood by the counter, shirtless, with an apron tied around his waist. There was a little flour on his bare arms, and he was busy checking something in a pot.I blinked in surprise. “Julian?”He turned towards us, and a smile spread across his face. “You’re here.”He wiped his hands with a kitche
RichardI watched Gemma’s car disappear from the parking lot, my hands clenched at my sides.“Stubborn woman,” I muttered.I couldn’t believe she had laughed in my face and driven away without giving my situation a second thought. After everything we had shared.With frustration and anger, I kicked a small stone near my shoe before heading towards my car.My company was falling apart, my accounts were nearly empty, and I had three weeks to pay Dave. Yet the one person who could help me had refused without even thinking twice.“Useless woman,” I cursed under my breath as I unlocked my car.I got in, slammed the door and started the engine. My frustration was getting the better of me. I hit the steering wheel with my palm and let out a string of curses.Just as I was about to drive out, two black cars pulled in from opposite directions, blocking my way.“What the hell?” I snapped.I leaned forward, trying to see who was inside. The windows were tinted, and neither car showed any sign of
GemmaThe Maldives felt like a dream I wasn’t quite ready to wake up from.Ethan and I eventually met up before we returned, but I didn’t reach out to Simon. Julian had literally threatened to kill him if I contacted him, and he wasn’t joking about it.It had been days since we returned, and I was still getting used to being home again. The sound of the waves, the cool breeze, and the beautiful evenings by the beach had been replaced by phone calls and business meetings.Not that I was complaining. I loved my life, especially being able to do what I enjoyed. Still, a little more time on that island wouldn’t have hurt.I picked up my phone and called my assistant, giving her instructions about my appointments for the week. By the time I ended the call, I already had a mental list of things I needed to get done.A knock came from the door.“Come in,” I called without looking up from my laptop.Gigi stepped in, holding a takeaway cup. She wore the kind of smile that usually meant she was







