Todos os capítulos de Pregnant from a one night stand: Capítulo 11 - Capítulo 20

The nurse pulled the floral curtain shut with a sharp *zip*, cutting off the hallway.The fabric swayed between us, but my mind was still spinning. My heart pounded against my ribs so hard and fast it felt louder than the hospital machines.I had stared at that man through the gap in the curtain, my head buzzing. Was it really him? Could it truly be the same stranger from that rainy night, standing in this exact hospital? Or was my exhausted, terrified mind just playing tricks on me?"Alright, dear, let’s get you up here gently," the nurse said, her voice soft as she supported my elbow.I stood from the wheelchair, wincing as a dull ache pulled across my lower stomach. I gritted my teeth and climbed onto the high examination bed, lying flat on the crinkling paper sheet.The doctor, a calm woman with glasses resting on her nose, pulled a rolling stool beside me and snapped on a pair of rubber gloves."I hear you were shoved in a crowd," the doctor said, her voice steady and warm. "Let'

I was still leaning over the reception counter, waiting for the clerk to check the urgent care logs, when the chime of the main entrance sounded behind me.I turned around just in time to see the sliding glass doors glide shut.Beyond the tinted glass, all I caught was the silhouette of a woman and the back of her head as she stepped into the bright afternoon glare.*Gloria.*My instincts flared. I stepped away from the counter to follow, but a hand caught my forearm, stopping me dead in my tracks.“Adriel.”I looked down. Selena stood before me, her arms crossed and a mixture of frustration and hurt clouding her eyes.“Can we talk?” she asked.“Not now, Selena.”“You’ve been saying that since I got here.”“Because my father is in surgery,” I said, pulling my arm free and looking back toward the doors. The woman was already gone. “I don’t have the energy for this right now.”Selena’s jaw tightened. “I came here because I was worried about him—and about you.”“And I appreciate that.”“

AdrielThe quiet room smelled of rubbing alcohol and medicine.My father lay propped up on two pillows with an oxygen tube under his nose and a drip taped to his hand. He looked tired and pale under the lights, but the steady beep of the monitor meant the worst was behind us.My mother sat by his side, holding his hand tightly. “You gave us quite a scare” she murmured softly.My father gave a weak smile. “I’m not leaving you that easily, Vivian.”I stepped up to the bed and touched his shoulder. “How are you feeling, Papa?”He looked at me, giving my wrist a gentle squeeze. “Like an old engine, but the doctor cleared the blockage.” He looked at me closely. “You look exhausted, Adriel.”“I’m just glad you’re okay,” I said.The door opened behind us, and Selena walked in carrying three paper cups of tea. Her hair was neat and her clothes were smooth, but the cold look in her eyes told me she was still furious.“Auntie Vivian,” Selena said softly, setting a cup on the side table. “The nu

Adriel“My personal search?” I asked, keeping my voice level, though the hair on my arms stood on end. “What does that have to do with fleet operations?”Marcus didn’t answer right away. He stood on the Persian rug in his slightly oversized gray suit, looking around the massive corner office like a man appraising real estate.“Nothing, sir,” he said easily. “Just human curiosity. When an acting CEO is screaming at strangers and begging nurses for a girl’s file in an urgent care lobby, people notice.”My fingers dug into the edge of the mahogany desk. “You’re an operations supervisor, Marcus. You have three minutes to show me what’s in that folder before security walks you off the premises.”“Fair enough.”Marcus stepped forward and dropped the thick file onto my desk. But he didn't open it.Instead, he reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out something small, placing it right on top of the paperwork with a dull plastic click.A silver hair clip shaped like a twisted leaf.My bre

The double doors of Boardroom Two swung open, and thirty pairs of eyes lifted from their papers. The room was cool, smelling of fresh printouts and cold air conditioning. Every director sitting around the long frosted glass table had worked with my father for twenty or thirty years. They were older men and women in dark, tailored suits, watching me with guarded expressions, waiting to see if I would show any sign of weakness on my first day in the seat. I walked straight to the head of the table and sat in the high-backed leather chair. Patricia slipped into the seat behind me, opening her tablet to take minutes. At the far end, the vice chairman adjusted his glasses and looked up with a solemn nod. “Good afternoon, everyone,” I said, resting my hands flat on the smooth glass table. “We are relieved to hear your father pulled through, Adriel,” the vice chairman began, his voice deep and measured. “A heart procedure is serious business. But the market does not wait for recovery. Th