Chapter 3

LEILA’s POV

My breath quickened as the backseat door flung open. A pair of red heels stepped out first. My eyes followed the figure rising from the car.

“Sienna?” I said, my voice filled with shock and disbelief.

Sienna’s big blue eyes were fixed on me as she made her way towards me, her heels clicking on the floor. “It’s so nice to see you, Leila.” She greeted, smiles radiating from her face.

“Same here.” I managed to say.

“I was just about to attend a party.” She announced, hugging me and dropping a kiss on my cheeks.

“Oh… I wasn’t aware.” I replied, forming a chuckle to hide my despair.

She pulled back from the hug with a shocking expression on her face. “You’re joking, right?” She asked. “Girl, I called you. No response. And check your DMs. You told me you weren’t interested.”

I racked my memory to remember when I had told her that but I couldn’t seem to remember telling her that. Or maybe I had done that in a rush to avoid meeting her father anywhere.

Either way, I'm very much not interested in attending.

“Girl, come in. Let’s get you rocked up.” She said, holding my hands.

“Babe, I’m sorry but I can’t go with you.” I replied, removing my hands gently from hers.

Stunned, she raised her eyes to mine. “Why? I don’t understand you recently at all.”

“I just need to see your father. I have something important to let him know.”

She furrowed her eyebrow, obviously questioning me from her mind.

“It’s nothing serious, girl. Chill out.” I laughed, forcing a smile.

“Leila,” she breathed. “Just let me know if you need anything, okay?”

“Sure. This one just involves your father directly.” I responded.

How the heck will I tell her that I’m carrying her own step sibling.

“Okay then. I’ll leave you to it.” She smiled. “He’ll be back in the evening.”

She stepped into the car and left while I got ushered into the mansion. The maids offered me some drinks but I wasn’t in the mood to take anything.

My mouth was growing sour. My lips, almost turning white for no reason.

As night fell further, my stomach grumbled terribly. I’ve only had breakfast throughout the day. The maids repeatedly came to ask me but my response was still the same.

When my body started shaking, I had to request for food. As they brought the food, I picked up my spoon and I haven’t taken the first swallow of food when the door opened, Dante walking in.

His gaze flickered towards my direction, sending chills down my spine. But the gaze wasn’t as deep as his usual eyes. And he also looked quite pale.

He moved swiftly towards me, almost staggering.

Why did he looked so different?

“How may I help you, Leila?” He asked, sitting comfortably on the couch adjacent where I sat.

“I- I…” Continuing to stutter, no words came out PF my mouth until he pressed on, wanting me to talk.

I shut my eyes and finally let the cat out of the bag. “I’m pregnant.”

The room went silent for a few seconds until he laughter tore through the room. “We never had anything to do with each other. Why would there be a child between us?”

My eyes fell open but with tears flowing down heavily. My world spinned as my eyes rolled backward.

“I am really pregnant for you.” I said again, searching through my purse to bring out the pregnancy test stick but it was gone.

How?

When?

I am very sure it didn’t fell off in the car. Then I remembered how I had spread my hands, blocking the car hours ago. Even inside, I had visited the restroom once without carrying my purse.

“Evidence not found?” He asked, smirking.

He picked up his phone. It was even different from the one he used before. I literally know everything about him. But he’s rich. He could change his device every day.

Fuck my obsession for him.

I stood and ran tiwards him. “Dante, I’m really pregnant for you. I’m carrying our child. If you don’t accept me, you have to accept this child as your own.”

“What makes you think I’ll believe you?” He chuckled.

As he spoke, anger pulsed through my veins. Calling my child such names are mever in my agenda since I was young. I never got the love of my parents, so my child must have it.

“You’re just another random bitch who spread her legs for men on the streets and try to pin the unfortunate pregnancy—”

I raised my hand in the air amd it went crashing down on his face, the should echoing through the room. The slap sent his face pointing downward to the left.

While he rubbed his cheek, my eyes remained fixed on him with disgust. “I hate you!” I spat, my voice cold amd daring. “When you were in between my legs, you don’t see me as a bitch? Now, you call me because I’m pregnant for you?”

He returned his head to face me. His gaze darkened with something I haven’t seen before. Fear crept into me as I stepped backward.

“You’ll regret what you’ve just done. Haven’t you heard that I can’t keep a wife? I’ll do what I did to them to you as well.”

I was still trying to process what he meant when the for bursted open. A few men ran into the room, fully armed with guns.

My mouth fell open as I staggered backward. “D-Dante?”

“I don’t want to see her disgusting face ever again!” Dante said as his hand gripped my jaw tight.

He released my jaw and darted up the stairs, leaving me with the men.

They didn’t wait for long before they bounded me up and carried me outside. Even my purse was left behind. I struggled to free myself even as tears flowed out of my eyes.

Rain hissed on the pavement, turning the lights into halos that shimmered around puddles.

They pushed me inside a car and dumped me somewhere not too far away from the Moretti estate.

As the car screeched away, I tried to pull myself up but my vision blurred. And for a moment, I thought I heard someone call my name.

I turned and froze as my descended on the hazy figure.

Sienna stood near the curb, her hair plastered to her cheeks. Behind her, headlights idled, cutting long shadows across the street.

Relief broke through me first. “Sienna—”

“Don’t.” Her voice cracked, soft but shaking. “I’m not your friend anymore.”