I’m Pregnant

Ava’s POV A dull ache pulsed behind my eyes as I slowly opened them. The unfamiliar white ceiling came into focus first, followed by the faint scent of antiseptic that lingered in the quiet hospital room. My memories returned in fragments—the board meeting, Ethan’s public disgrace, the overwhelming rush of emotions while talking to Adrian, and then… nothing. The door opened softly, and a doctor walked in with a warm smile and a clipboard in his hand. He glanced at the monitor beside my bed before looking back at me. “Good morning, Miss Sinclair. How are you feeling?” “My head hurts a little,” I admitted, pushing myself into a sitting position. “What happened?” “You fainted from a combination of stress, exhaustion, and dehydration.” He paused, his smile widening. “But that’s not the only reason. Congratulations… you’re a few weeks pregnant.” For a moment, I simply stared at him. Pregnant. My hand instinctively drifted to my stomach as tears gathered in my eyes. A tiny life was

The Truth

Ava’s POV I sat across from George, my fingers locked so tightly together beneath the table that my knuckles had turned ghostly white. The café buzzed softly around us, alive with the comforting sounds of ordinary life—the hiss of steaming milk, the clinking of porcelain cups against saucers, the quiet murmur of strangers sharing conversations that suddenly felt worlds away from mine. The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted through the air, but it did nothing to calm the storm raging inside me. My heart pounded painfully against my ribs, each beat louder than the last, as though it were trying to warn me not to ask the question sitting heavily on my tongue. There was only one thing I needed to know. I lifted my gaze and looked directly into George’s eyes, refusing to let him escape this time. He needed to see how desperately I needed the truth. “I want to know the truth about you and Adrian,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended, yet firm enough to carry the weight

Gone

Adrian’s POV I arrived at Aurelius earlier than usual, expecting to find Ava already at her desk, she hasn’t been picking my calls so I know she must have been occupied with work. After everything that had happened yesterday, I wanted to see her. I wanted to make sure she was feeling better after collapsing and finally convince her to take a few days off. She had looked exhausted, and despite her insisting she was fine, I knew better. As I stepped onto the executive floor, my eyes instinctively searched for her. Her desk was empty in a strange way, maybe she had cleared it for the weekend. Before I could walk toward my office, Noah appeared from the corridor with an unusually serious expression. “Morning,” I said. “Have you seen Ava?” Instead of answering, he held out a large brown envelope. “This was left on your desk before I arrived.” A flicker of unease ran through me as I took it. The front bore only my name, written in Ava’s neat handwriting. Without another

Starting Over

Ava’s POV The first thing I noticed every morning was the sound of the ocean. It wasn’t the relentless noise of New York traffic or the distant wail of sirens that had become part of my daily life. It was the steady rhythm of waves meeting the shore, gentle enough to soothe my restless thoughts yet powerful enough to remind me that life kept moving no matter how badly your heart had been broken. I stood on the small wooden porch of the cottage I had rented, wrapping both hands around a mug of warm tea. The salty breeze lifted strands of my hair as I looked across the endless stretch of water glowing beneath the early morning sun. It was peaceful here, painfully peaceful. No board meetings, no whispered office gossip. No Ethan or Victoria. No Adrian and despite everything I still missed him, my hand drifted unconsciously to my stomach. A tiny smile touched my lips. “It’ll be okay,” I whispered softly. The words were meant as much for myself as they were for the little life growi

Chase Her Back

Adrian’s POV Sleep had become a stranger. For three nights, I had barely managed more than a few restless minutes before another memory dragged me awake. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the same white envelope lying on my desk. Ava Sinclair. Resignation. The words were burned into my mind. The office felt unbearably empty without her and when I was home her laughter no longer echoed through the rooms. Her coffee mug no longer sat forgotten on the kitchen island. Even the silence seemed different, heavier somehow, pressing against my chest until breathing itself became exhausting. Food had lost all meaning. Mrs. Carter, my housekeeper, continued preparing breakfast every morning, but it always remained untouched. Coffee grew cold beside stacks of paperwork that I never truly read. Meetings came and went, yet I couldn’t remember a single conversation. Everything led back to Ava. To the letter. To the sentence that haunted me more than any other. “Please don’t

The Unexpected Knock

Ava’s POV The knock on the door came just as George was placing the last grocery bag on the kitchen counter. I looked over from the couch, smiling at the sight of everything he had brought. Fresh vegetables, bread, fruit, bottled water, cereal, and enough snacks to make me wonder if he thought I was feeding an entire family. “You really didn’t have to buy all this,” I said. George glanced at me with a small smile. “I promised I would.” “You promised to bring groceries. You didn’t promise to empty the supermarket.” He laughed. “I might have gotten carried away.” For the first time since leaving New York, the sound of my own laughter felt natural. George had become an unexpected presence in my new life. He didn’t ask for anything in return. He simply showed up, helped when he could, and gave me space when I needed it. He unpacked the groceries while I rested on the couch, occasionally asking where I wanted things. “Cabinet or refrigerator?” “Refrigerator.” “Top shelf?” “Yes