The unexpected

NORA'S POV 

My heart sank as I stared at the screen in front of me. I just received the email that I had dreaded all week.

It's a test result stating that I am four weeks pregnant. Four good weeks. I tried as hard as possible not to let the threatening tears that had gathered in my eyes drop. 

How on earth did this happen? How on earth am I supposed to deal with having a child at this stage of my life? A thousand and one questions ran through my head as I re-read the email.

"What's this?" Macy asked behind me.

I jolted backwards at the sound of her voice as i immediately tried to cover my laptop, but she stopped me before I could close it.

"Wait hold on....is that a pregnancy test result?" Macy asked 

"It's none of your business Macy " I replied her as I pretended like I wasn't just about to cry.

"Isn't this your name? Nora you're pregnant?!!' she blurted out loudly 

" This is personal, you don't need to announce it to the entire world" I replied her as I nervously glanced around the office.

I was interning at the Ingrid group of companies and Macy, my immediate superior at work is very ambitious and ready to take out anyone blocking her from getting to the top. She was selfish among many other unpleasant things. We both worked closely with the CEO and chairwoman of the company. 

Gloria Hart. 

The grandmother of the man that I am pregnant for.

"It doesn't change the fact that you're pregnant....... who is responsible for it?" She asked maliciously. It was obvious that she was planning to use this against me 

"Do you really expect me to give you that information? It's my personal life and it's none of your business" I told her, desperately praying for her to drop it. 

Why can't she just mind her own business? I was beginning to blame myself for opening the email at work. I should have just waited till I got home. Of all people, it just had to be Macy!

"I am your superior Nora, I am supposed to know!" She replied me firmly and then asked " it had better not be who i think it is" 

I didn't reply her. Instead I rose to my feet and was about to carry the laptop when she grabbed it from the desk.

"I am talking to you Nora! Where do you think you're going? How dare you try to walk out on me?" She asked all at once, raising her voice in the process. 

"For Christ sake what is it that you even want from me Macy?! This isn't work related, why then are you bothering yourself with it!" I was nervous and upset.

Here i was, still trying to accept reality and figure out what to do next, but she's busy poke nosing into what doesn't concern her. I still don't know how to break the news to Aiden yet.

She scoffed at my words and then replied " you have some nerves Nora...... this had better not be Aiden's!" 

My eyes widened at her statement. 

"....or you think I didn't know that you've been sneaking around with him?" She continued 

I was silent and tried to collect the laptop from her but she was faster, she hid it behind her back. 

"You're not as smart as you think you are, who is the father?.... It cannot be Aiden, you know how much the chairwoman is totally against you being with him!" She stated loudly.

"Can you just keep your voice down and give me back my laptop?!" I pleaded.

I was scared to death. No one must find out that I've been secretly dating Aiden Hart for over 8months, not to talk of the fact that I'm carrying his child.

"What on earth is this shenanigans?" A commanding voice asked at the entrance.

I turned around to find the CEO herself, Gloria Hart standing by the entrance of the office door. I almost froze to death.

"Mrs Hart.." Macy spoke first 

"Am I paying you to act like a riffraff?" She asked rhetorically " if you're not ready to do your job properly then resign and let those qualified fill up the position" she blurrted out coldly. 

"I apologize ma'am, but I stumbled upon an email on the intern's laptop " Macy said to her.

I gave her a glare that spoke volume and whispered to her " what are you doing?" 

Macy ignored me and went over to the chairwoman.

"This is what I found....a pregnancy test result" she showed the email to her 

Gloria Hart skimmed through it for a few seconds and then faced Macy. "What does this have to do with me or the company?" She asked in an intimidating tone 

"Well, ma'am..... I know how you're totally against dating within the company but unfortunately, I think there's a high chance that the intern is pregnant for someone in the company " she explained 

I swallowed the lump in my throat. How could Macy rat me out like that? What exactly is her problem?

Gloria Hart was silent for a brief moment and then asked. " Is this true?......who is responsible for it?" 

I internally prayed for the ground to open and swallow me. The day I had feared for the past 8 months had finally come.

" It's Aiden ma'am" I replied her nervously 

She looked at me in confusion.

" What are you talking about? What do you mean Aiden?" She asked in a cold tone 

I stared at the floor in fear.

"That's not possible.... how on earth?..." She paused in between her questions and walked towards me. Before I knew what was happening, I felt a sharp pain on my face.

She slapped me hard. Macy gasped at the action.

" How dare you! How dare you try to blasphem the name of my grandson?" She asked in anger 

"I...I'm sorry ma'am... but Aiden is the father" I replied in a shaky voice as I used my palm to rubb my cheeks. The slap had really stung.

She scoffed at my words. " You still have the guts to blurt out that nonsense!" 

Her words were intimidating, they pierced my heart deeply. She was never in support of my relationship with Aiden from the very beginning, that was why Aiden and I had to date in secret. Now, not only was she about to find out about our relationship, she's also finding out about the pregnancy!

"You think you can tie down my grandson with a child?!" She asked fiercely. I could see the anger and disgust in her eyes.

" It wasn't my intention to get pregnant ma'am....." I tried to defend but she cut my words short 

" Let's even say that you're pregnant, what's the probability that it belongs to Aiden? We never can tell, but you might be seeing multiple men " she stated 

" I would never do that to Aiden....he is the only man that I have ever been with..." I defended 

" Oh please spare me the excuse....." She replied and then asked. " Does Aiden know about this?" 

" Not yet ma'am" I replied nervously 

" Good.... we're going to keep it that way" she stated 

I gave her a confused look . " I don't understand " I said 

" You heard me...we are going to keep it that way. ........Nora Simmons" she called out. " listen to me carefully, you are going to do two things....."

I listened carefully.

"number one, you are going to get rid of that baby" 

My eyes widened at her words.

" ... There's absolutely no way that I would allow an illegitimate child come to life." She blurted out ruthlessly. " You are also going to end things with Aiden...I don't care how, but you just must end things him!" 

I stared at her in shock and disbelief. How can she be this ruthless? I was carrying her great-grandchild and she just wants me to get rid of it like it's nothing?

"I don't understand...." I replied her. I was at the verge of tearing up. 

"I am not making a request Nora, infact I am giving you an ultimatum to do the right thing, besides it's for your own good. Aiden is leaving the county for his PhD in two months, and he wouldn't be back for a very long time ' she said. " And trust me, there's absolutely no way that I would let him settle down with you " My heart tightened as she spat out the words.

Aiden is leaving? Why didint I know about this?

"My grandson deserves someone in the same class as he is, why do you think I was against the relationship in the beginning? But you ignored my words and went behind my back to date him..... do you know how angry I am right now?" She asked 

"I'm sorry ma'am, it wasn't my plan to get pregnant " I pleaded. I was scared for my life. Gloria Hart was someone not to mess with. 

"Get rid of the child and end things with Aiden. Only then will I forgive you, but if you refuse, I am afraid but you would see a side of me that you wish you didn't" She blurted out and then walked towards her office.

I stared at the wall in disbelief. I could not believe that this was happening to me. Aiden had done nothing but love and cherish me despite what his grandmother thinks. How on earth am I supposed to look him in the eyes and break up with him for no particular reason? 

My heart ached in Soo much pain as I thought about it.

Our relationship wasn't going to last anyways. The relationship had been more of a fairy tale and fairy tales are bound to end. I guess this was the end of our own fairy tale.

But then, how can I just end things with him? My heart ached as I stared at the floor in despair.