The jarring sound of the doorbell shattered the tranquility of Anne's cozy sofa nest, where her eyes were fixated on the television."Who on earth could that be?" Anne pondered aloud, rising from her seat. She had not anticipated any visitors dropping by unannounced. Her mind momentarily flickered to Lucas, but she quickly brushed aside those thoughts."If Lucas were coming, he would have surely given me a heads-up instead of catching me off guard," she reassured herself, gripping the gleaming brass doorknob and swinging the door open, revealing the flustered countenance of Rose."Rose? I must admit, I was not exactly expecting your presence today," Anne exclaimed as Rose strode into the living room."Well, it seems we have been graced with quite a parade of unexpected guests lately," Rose retorted sarcastically, her words casting a veil of confusion over Anne, who remained oblivious to the tumultuous happenings within their mansion."Let me get you a drink then or food perhaps. What

ANNE "Urgh fuck!" I groaned out in anger. My heart was racing so fast and exasperation tightened around my throat. This was literally the hundredth time I had tried calling Lucas this evening. But yet with each unsuccessful dial of his number, the call would always end abruptly.He only picked up my call on the first try, which was surprising. Strangely, he called me 'Mark' instead of my actual name, Anne. Could he have mistaken me for someone else?Or perhaps he was with Arianna? Even so, a simple text message would have sufficed to reassure me that he would speak to me later. Lucas has never missed my calls before, no matter the circumstances. But now he confidently declines my calls and does not even bother to text back. It is disheartening.Oh my God. Maybe Rose was right all along. Will Lucas suddenly discard me like garbage? I took a deep breath and shuddered as I faced the harsh reality.As I dwelled on my distressing fate, the sound of my ringing phone shattered the silence,

ARIANNA Having Anne come over days ago was a blast. She just could not stop showering me with compliments and teasing me about my pregnancy, making me feel like the center of attention in the most delightful way possible.And when my mother joined our lively conversations, the experience became even more memorable, It has been three days already and its safe to say that I had the time of my life with both of them honestly.I desperately needed this break from the stress and anxiety that have been tagging along with my pregnancy. It's been challenging to navigate the swirling thoughts and worries that have been consuming my mind.Now I was nestled on my bed, embraced by its familiar soft sheets and duvets.I honestly have not been myself since today. I do not know if I should call this restlessness part of my pregnancy.I have been having unsatisfied cravings and irrational moodswings. It irked me a lot knowing that my mood was just like a pendulum. It could just sway from being ha

ARIANNAThe atmosphere around me was filled with a deep sense of sadness, as if it was wrapped in a blanket of gloom. The rhythm of life seemed to have lost its luster, lacking any spark or excitement. I found myself gazing emptily at the vast expanse beyond my window, lost in my own thoughts.In that moment, all I could perceive was pain. It consumed me entirely, leaving no room for any other sensation. The agony I felt was overpowering, as if my skull was being crushed and my heart was being torn apart. It was an excruciating ache that seemed determined to rip me apart from the inside.My eyes were weighed down by the burden of regret and sorrow, as if carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken apologies. I was hunched over, burdened by an immense grief that seemed to bend my very being.I wanted to scream and cry badly. I wanted to thrash my hands around and ask God why he decided to give me my one most precious gift and then have it ripped out of me before it even had the chance

ANNEThe morning arrived, bringing with it a mix of anxiety and anticipation. Lucas had promised to meet me today. I was not surprised when he asked for a meet up, I knew this would happen all along but I still felt betrayed. He dejected me and sidelined me like I was not existing.All because of Arianna and her baby, I should not even accept him back here but I just had to speak to him, that is the least I could do. A mild knock landed on the door, driving me from my thoughts of Lucas and I. I ambled to the door, lo and behold Lucas stood at the door, a faint smile plastered on his face, I could see nothing but guilt and regret beneath those faint smiles of his."Lucas? You are here, I did not think you would really come" I lied. "Well.... Here I am" he replied cheekily."Come in" I welcomed him in, my heart pounding with a strange combination of forgiveness and lingering resentment. We sat down, facing each other, the weight of our past hanging in the air. The room seemed to crack