Chapter two

Sterling crossed his well muscled arms against his chest, brushing his hair slightly as he held my hands for a split second.

“You don’t have to be afraid of anything while with me,” he squeezed my palms as he stared at the document before me.

His words hit me as I wondered what type of man he was to tell me not to be scared. Hesitantly, I flipped open the documents

”Legal Protection: Full coverage of all criminal charges and liabilities under the Sterling legal network.” My eyes stopped on the line.

Full coverage meant no arrest, prison and consequences.

Just then my phone rang, I picked it up immediately.

“Mom?”

“Vanessa, what is going on? There are people outside, police, reporters, everyone is talking,” her voice shook.

Before I could respond, another notification flashed across my screen from my workplace.

New Email. Subject: Contract Termination

Everything I worked for was now in line, my job, freedom and life.

I picked up the pen, inserted my signature.

“Good girl,” his dark husky voice caressed my skin.

“My lawyers will be here soon,” he added. Immediately, he dialed a number. On the phone, he spoke about the media dropping everything. At this point, I was already feeling my head turn, and next I saw black and white and blackness swallowing everything.

My body and eyes felt heavy as it blinked open to a nurse adjusting the beeping machine.

“You’re pregnant,” I heard the nurse say a few minutes later. My heart dropped. Pregnant for Harris? Unbelievable.

Hearing that, my door opened, revealing Sterling’s, the scent of his perfume washed the entire room. “How is my wife?” He asked, and the nurse looked surprised at me.

He held my hands gently, caressing my fingers. At the same time, my heart beat sank. “She’s three months pregnant,” the nurse announced, looking at my face.

To my surprise, he kissed my forehead. “I’d excuse you,” the nurse said as she left. “The child is mine, we are going to call her Lilac, what do you say to that?”

“No… it’s not yours.”

“You are mine. So is the child,” his voice firm and sending echoes through the wall.

Seeing there was no use arguing, Slowly, I reached for my phone on the bedside table.

My fingers trembled slightly as I unlocked it.

“I’m pregnant,” I typed

“It’s yours,” I added.

“Who are you texting?” Sterling asked, stretching his hands to get the phone from my hands.

“Give it back!”

He looked at my phone, “You told him,” he said, then slipped his phone into his pocket.

“You’d get it back when you be of good behavior,” he added.

I stood in front of the mirror.

Motionless.

A white dress clung perfectly to my body and next I was walking down the aisle, looking around, faces of millionaires and affluent men and women sat watching me. As I walked, I scanned, I searched to see the face of my mom.

“You may now kiss the bride,” the priest said, and Sterling held me by my head, his face inching towards mine and lips colliding.

A few minutes into the wedding, I felt nauseous. “I need a minute,” I whispered quickly, and he smiled, agreeing to my request. I walked away to the quiet bathroom.

I exhaled sharply and pushed open the bathroom door.

While inside, a knock sounded,

“Vanessa.”

“Harris?”

Without warning, the door opened and Harris walked in.

“What are you doing here?” My throat went dry.

“I came for you,” he said, and I rolled my eyes. “You have to leave before I call security on you,” I said, trying to make my way to the door. He held my wrist, my hair flowing and brushing my face.

“Vanessa, I didn’t choose her,” he said quickly. “You don’t understand what happened that day.”

“Well, it's too late for that now,” I responded.

Harris gripped my wrist tighter, his hazel eyes desperate and burning into mine. "But I'm not letting you marry him. Vanessa, I love you."

Before I could respond, his other hand reached up and tangled in my hair, pulling me toward him. His lips crashed against mine with a hunger that stole the breath from my lungs.

I tasted salt from my tears as his tongue parted my lips, deepening the kiss. My hands came up to his chest, feeling the frantic beat of his heart beneath my palms.

We were lost in each other, oblivious to everything outside this bathroom. His hands moved from my hair to my waist, pulling me flush against his body. I could feel every inch of him pressing against me as our kiss intensified.

"God, I've missed you," he breathed against my lips, before claiming my mouth again. His kisses traveled from my lips to my jaw, down my neck, leaving a trail of fire wherever his mouth touched.

His fingers fumbled with the zipper of my wedding dress, desperate to feel skin against skin. "Vanessa... please..." His voice cracked with emotion as he looked at me, searching my eyes for permission.

“No shhh,” he immediately grabbed me close to himself, covering my mouth with his palm. The footsteps got closer.

“Mrs Sterling, are you in there?” Adrian's voice came from outside.

“I am in here,” I responded, dropping Harris' palms from my mouth.

“The boss requests that you come with me,” he said to me, and hesitantly, I walked out of the restroom, carefully shutting the door with Harris in it.

“Let's go,” he said to me, guiding my path.

Something in my chest tightened as I walked towards Sterling. “What took you so long?” He asked as I sat down next to him.

“My stomach hurts, and I feel nauseous,” I responded, then he held my hand, patting it gently.

“Do you want to leave? I’d ask the driver to take you home,” he replied, and I shook my head in disapproval.

“I’d stay”

Soon, it was over, and in the car with Sterling, but the flashback of Harris and I in the restroom occupied my head.