The Search

ADELINE'S POV

I had to make a decision before it was too late so I grabbed my phone and searched for the hotel.

The Grandview Hotel. Fifth Avenue.

I had to find him.

I took the subway to Manhattan and walked through the revolving doors, my cheap clothes making me stand out.

"Can I help you?" The concierge looked at me with disgust.

"I need to find someone. A man who was here a month ago. Tall, dark hair, grey eyes."

"We have many guests matching that description."

"He was in the bar late at night. Please, I need to find him."

"We can't give out guest information."

"Please. It's important."

"What's going on?" A bartender appeared, the same one from that night. "You were here a month ago."

"Yes! Do you remember the man I left with?"

Pity crossed his face. "That was his first time here. He paid cash, no name. I've never seen him before or since."

My stomach dropped. "He has to come back—"

"Leave your number. If he shows up, I'll call you."

I wrote my number on a receipt with shaking hands.

"Please. Tell him I need to talk to him. It's urgent."

I left the hotel with tears streaming down my face.

He was gone and I was alone with a baby I couldn't afford.

---

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

I was eight months pregnant, working a double shift when my phone rang.

It was an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Is this Adeline Monroe?" The bartender.

My heart stopped. "Yes. Did you find him?"

"He's here right now."

"I'm coming. Please don't let him leave!"

I ripped off my apron and took the subway to Manhattan, my pregnant belly making everything difficult.

By the time I reached the hotel, I was out of breath but I didn't care because he was here.

I walked into the bar and there he was in the same spot looking even more handsome and Richer than I remembered.

I walked toward him on shaking legs.

He looked up, his eyes traveling to my pregnant belly, then back to my face.

"You." My voice cracked. "I've been looking for you for eight months."

His expression went cold. "Who are you?"

"What? You don't remember me?"

"Should I?"

"Do you remember me? We spent a night together. Eight months ago righ….. "

He took a slow sip. "You mean that night you seduced me? The words hit like a slap.

"Graduation night. You were drinking alone. We talked about our exes. We were both drunk”

"Ah. Is that so?" He set down his glass. "I remember now."

Relief flooded through me. "Then you understand why I needed to find you."

"Let me guess. You're pregnant and think it's mine."

"I know it's yours. You're the only person I've been with."

He laughed. "That's what they all say."

"What?"

"Women like you always show up claiming I'm the father, looking for a payout." He pulled out his wallet. "How much? Five thousand? Ten? Name your price and disappear."

Rage burned through me. "I don't want your money!"

"Then what do you want?"

"I want you to know you're going to be a father! Take some responsibility!"

"We didn't create anything." He stood, towering over me. "You got drunk, threw yourself at me, and now you're trying to trap me with a baby that's probably not even mine."

"I didn't throw myself at you!"

"Didn't you? You saw a wealthy man, saw an opportunity, took it. Now you're here expecting me to play hero."

"That's not what happened—"

"You're a liar and a whore." His voice was brutal. "You got yourself pregnant deliberately to trap me. You knew I was drunk that night so you forced yourself on me and now you want to pin this bastard on me and collect a cheque."

The words knocked the air from my lungs.

"How dare you—"

"How dare you show up trying to ruin my life." He stepped closer. "You think I don't know your type? Desperate women who use pregnancy to extort men."

"I'm not extorting you! I'm telling you that you're going to have a child!"

"Why would you ask for sex in your drunk state? What was I even expecting? All your gender are the same” he said icily and my eyes widened.

"What?"

The room went silent.

“Did you just call me…cheap?”

"Yeah.I said what I said . You purposely did it and I’m so not ready for your lies ok?" He replied coldly and returned to working on his laptop.

Tears rolled out my eyes as I stood slowly.

"Let’s go for a paternity test then, take me to any hospital you trust." I said in tears but he kept pressing his laptop.

"Please!!! I have nowhere else to go and I really can’t do this alone. I’m a poor orphan and I…"

“And I don’t care! Look I hate ladies but ladies like you are the worst! I’d rather keep a dog! He snapped and angrily stood.

"You're a monster."

"I'm a realist." He threw some money at me. It fluttered to the floor. "Take it or leave it."

"Take pity on me, I…I…"

He closed his laptop, interrupting my speech and carried it as he faced me.

"You can't leave" I quickly block his way

"Do you know what?" He asked

“What?” 

"Birth the baby and I’ll be here at the same time next year. I’ll take it, but your bitchy self can go to hell afterwards” he said harshly and throw a bundle of cash at me and he walked out of the bar

He walked out without looking back.

I stood there shaking, with my hands pressed to my belly.

He'd called me a whore and offered to buy our baby-like merchandise.

Suddenly pain exploded through my stomach.

It was sharp, sudden and devastating.

I gasped and grabbed the bar.

"Ma'am? Are you okay?" The bartender rushed over.

"I think—" Another contraction hit. "The baby's coming."

"But you said eight months—"

"I know!" Liquid gushed down my legs. "Call an ambulance!"

He grabbed his phone while I collapsed, pain tearing through me.

The baby wasn't supposed to come yet but stress and rage had triggered labor and as sirens grew closer, Pain tore through me. I collapsed against the bar, gasping, and realized… he had walked out. Alone. Leaving me… like this