EMMAThe moment I told Amy about my plan I could see the shock and panic on her face as she grabbed my tighter.“What? What do you mean you’re leaving?” Amy asked me with a panicked look on her face. Even in a million years, I won’t forget how scared she looked as she took my hands, which warmed from her touch.“I want to leave, Amy. I want to take my mother and start a new life anywhere else than here.”“What about your job and school?” She asked in a panic, like she was looking for anything she could use to hold me back.“You know I’m done with my project, and I have applied to graduate early. My job was always an internship. I can find something better with what I’ve saved,” I explained to her. Most of it was true, though I haven’t found a job opening yet. I know that with what I have saved, I could get decent housing there. I would look for a job to pay Mrs. Layla back, and I would take care of my baby myself. I thought as I rubbed my belly.“You don’t mean that. I mean, you have a

RowanI just couldn’t believe it. Emma was gone; her whereabouts were nowhere to be found. She had played me and used me, and now she was finally with Paxton, and they must have run away together. My anger knew no bounds from Emma’s endless betrayal. Every night I went to sleep, I dreamt of her. But why did she look so broken that day? Yet she decided to leave me without a second thought. Now my thoughts were filled with her, and it had become maddening.I steeled myself to forget her—forget everything we ever were. As I woke up in the morning and wore my work clothes, I got a call with the ID showing that it was my mom. She must have found out by now. "Fuck," I muttered as I watched the phone ring, and only on the third ring did I pick it up. "Hello?" I started as I buttoned up my suit."What is the meaning of what I’m hearing?! Where is Emma?" My mother raged over the phone. I knew it wouldn’t be long until she found out, even if she was out of the country. "What do you mean you can

*EMMA*Call me a coward for running away, but what choice did I have? There was nothing left for me back in New York. Not only was I rejected and disgraced by Rowan, but my workplace sees me as a villain in Rowan's life. I have the most important person in my life right now growing in my belly, and one of them is in the city of Los Angeles that I’m currently heading to.Leaving Amy at the airport was bittersweet, but I knew that wouldn’t be the end of us. She is my best friend, and as soon as I got settled in, I would be sure to bring her along. But right now, I needed to focus on starting a new life.On the way to the hospital, I filled in my work experiences at different local shops and management firms.I knew I had saved enough from selling our appliances and the pay I had gotten from work to sustain us for a few months with rent. But that would not stop me from striving for a better future for me and my mom, especially since there would be another addition to my family soon.“We

•Emma•I settled into my new job surprisingly well. Since I knew how to tend and serve drinks from working in the restaurant, I got into a turn behind the counter and learned how to make coffee while my mom was in the back with Mrs. Ford while they both worked in the kitchen to perfect mom's recipes, which had become a bestseller in just the months that we’ve been here. Life was simple and not as complicated as it was in New York; it was quiet, and people were friendly. A lot admired me and called me pretty with a pregnant glow, even though some still asked for the father. When I didn’t answer, they got the hint but didn’t judge. My thoughts were interrupted by the jingle of the café bell, and it opened up to a familiar face; he was tall and had one of everyone’s dreams, as well as my employer’s son, Eric Ford.And he had been making his visits more frequent, even though he had work in other branches. Like I said before, Mrs. Ford was very humble not to tell me how they had a chain s

EMMA..“Ryan R. Smith! Get back here!” I called out to the small baby boy who waddled around the room butt-naked while I pursued him with his little shorts. He had the nerve to giggle as he led me around the apartment in an attempt to run away from wearing his shorts. “Mama, no! Mama!” he called with a giggle.I couldn’t believe my two-and-a-half-year-old was trying to outrun me. I caught him, and he let out a laugh, half-scared. I blew mouth bubbles on his tummy. “I caught you, baby!”“Ah, that tickles, Mama!” he called to me happily as I laid him on the carpet and put on his pants with a bright smile on my face. He was my joy and everything to me. Luckily, today was Sunday, even though I had missed one of the most important days of my best friend's life. I was sorry I couldn’t come for the engagement.My phone buzzed at that moment, and I reached for it to see if it was a video call from Amy. I picked it up immediately, as I was met with a blinding smile from my friend.“If it isn’