Prologue

COME on, Claire. You can do it. 'I told myself as I stood at the entrance of the bar.

Arthur, the tattoo artist, told me this is where I could find Adam — the man who impregnated me.

Just three days ago, I found out I was pregnant. And there's no doubt who the father was. Of course it was Adam — the man I had a one-night stand with (correction, it was a three-night stand) two months ago.

I raked my fingers through my short hair as I entered the bar. I wanted to shut my eyes when the blinding neon lights welcomed me. Damn.

"Excuse me…" I said as I tried my hardest to examine the faces of the people in front of me. I was looking for a particular man. Tall, handsome with dark fuck-me eyes, straight nose and kissable lips. And of course I wouldn't forget his tribal tattoos on his left arm.

I tried to roam my eyes, but the dance floor was too dark and crowded for me.

Come on, baby. We need to find your daddy in fifteen minutes. Because if not, I was sure as hell going to paint this place with my vomit.

"I'm sorry…" A woman bumped into me, half of the glass of alcohol in her hand spilled on my blouse.

I looked down and frowned when I saw my white button up top was now stained with alcohol.

"I'm really sorry, dear…"

I sighed. "It's okay—" I stopped mid-sentence when my eyes drifted to the woman in front of me.

Shit. He's there. I said to myself as my eyes noticed a familiar man on the corner of the dance floor making out with a woman. I could only see his side profile from here, but I couldn't deny it was him. I wouldn't forget those familiar wavy hair, that familiar jaw that I've kissed a hundred times, that particular tribal tattoo on his left arm.

My palm touched my still flat belly as I walked towards Adam.

I cleared my throat as I stopped in front of him and the woman he's kissing. I could clearly see how his tongue dipped on the woman's mouth. Damn. A certain memory flashed into me.

"Adam," I called him, but he's so preoccupied I'd doubt if he did hear me.

I didn't want to waste my voice shouting, so instead, I grabbed his arm. That finally stopped them from devouring each other's mouths.

Adam turned to me with an annoyed face. "What the hell?"

"What the fuck, Miss!" The woman beside him gave me a murderous look. "What do you want from my boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend?" I muttered as I raised my brow at Adam. Two months ago, when I was on his bed, he told me doesn't do commitments. So, was he lying to me then?

"Yes, he's my boyfriend," the woman smugly repeated, giving me an annoyed look. "Now, who are you?"

I smirked. No one dares to raise my voice at me. "Well, get lost, Miss. Because the man you're calling your boyfriend got me pregnant."

"What the fuck?" It was Adam. He suddenly grabbed my arm and dragged me to the exit of the bar. "What the hell are you talking about, Miss?" he asked, facing me as we stopped near the parking lot. "I got you pregnant? I don't even know you."

"It's me, Adam." I said, looking into his eyes. "Claire."

"Claire?" His brows furrowed as he examined my face. "I don't know — Claire?" His eyes widened, and he finally recognized me. "You've changed."

Well. I looked different from two months ago. I was no longer wearing my black rimmed glasses. And my hair was now short.

"Yeah."

"But what are you talking about, Claire? How could you be pregnant? You said you have cancer?"

"Well, I thought I had cancer, but the doctor misdiagnosed me," I explained to him. "But now I'm pregnant." I stared at his dark eyes. "We both know you're the father of this child."

His lips parted, then he shook his head incredulously. "What? How can you be sure that's mine?"

I scoffed at him, offended by his words. "You're the only one I had sex with the past two months, Adam. And you didn't use a condom when we first did it." I swallowed. "I thought I was safe that night… but turns out I wasn't."

He frustratedly ran his fingers through his hair. "You're not kidding, are you?"

I slanted my eyes. "Do you think I'd joke about this matter?"

He shut his eyes. "Fuck!" He cursed loudly and took out a cigarette from jean's pocket. He put it in his mouth.

But before he could light it up, I grabbed the stick and threw it on the ground. "Don't you dare smoke in front of me."

He exasperatedly looked at me. "What's your plan? About that." His eyes drifted to my belly.

"You need to take responsibility for this, Adam," I said, looking him in the eye. "You have to marry me."

His lips parted. For a second, I got distracted with his red lips. Damn. I knew how good those lips were. "You're insane, Claire. How could you think of marriage when we don't even know each other?"

I just arched my brow. "But you got me pregnant. You need to take responsibility for this."

He let out another curse, then tilted his head upward. He looked at the night sky for a few minutes. I saw how his Adam's apple moved. "Fine. I'll father your child," he said, meeting my eyes. "But I won't marry you."

"Oh. But what I want is for you to marry me," I said in a stern voice. "I can't get pregnant without a husband, Adam." I brought my hand to my mouth when I suddenly felt nauseous. "If I have to pay you just for you to marry me, I'd gladly do it. Just name your price."

Adam looked at me as if I had grown horns on my head. "Fine. Ten million dollars, Claire."

"Ten million? Consider it done," I answered just as I finally threw up my dinner in front of him.