Prologue
I'm nervous when I wake up this morning.
I need to tell Christian what I found out yesterday and I'm scared because I know it will change things and he will surely have one of his freak outs because it's out of his control. Surely it won't be that bad. Generally news like this is happy, for most couples anyway.
We met eight months ago at a charity event which his parents were hosting, through my best friend and roommate at the time Kate who is dating Christian's brother Elliot and we hit it off straight away. He asked me for my number and I would have been an idiot to not give it to him. The man looked like a Greek god and made me laugh. He called me the next day and we had our first date the following Friday evening, which ended up turning into a two day fuck-a-thon.
Pretty soon we were spending all of our free time together. Four months later I moved in with him into his penthouse and two months ago he proposed. He actually asked me to marry him. It was so unexpected and romantic, I couldn't be happier.
He made it so easy to fall in love with him, with his big infectious smile and generous heart. I can't imagine not ever being with him.
The wedding is seven weeks away and is to take place in the beautiful backyard of his parent's house overlooking the water. He left most of the other details to me, his only request was that the ceremony be there. The plan is after our honeymoon for us to live in London for three months where GEH is setting up its European office.
This certainly puts a spanner in the works but it doesn't have to.
Things are so good between us that I dread what this news will do. We have never really spoken about children but I assume since we're getting married that means having a family at some stage. Maybe I should have brought it up before now but everything has happened so fast between us and we've enjoyed spending this time just the two of us, being in the moment.
We love each other. He tells me so every single day. I have to believe that everything will be fine. He has a tendency to overreact, perhaps today he'll surprise me.
I walk out of our bedroom to see him standing in the kitchen wearing only his pyjama pants, his golden, muscular chest on display. His hair its usual mess from sleep.
I make my way over and stand on the opposite side of the breakfast bar to him, placing my sweaty hands down on to the cool marble.
"Morning, baby. Would you like some tea?"
It's now or never Ana. Do it quick, like ripping off a band-aid.
"I'm pregnant." I tell him.
He stops making his coffee, raises his head and looks at me with cold eyes.
"What did you say?" He hisses.
"I'm pregnant."
"You can't be." His eyes are wide as he looks at me in disbelief.
"Well I am. I know it's not something we planned on happening just yet but we can do this. I'm scared too but everything will work out."
He stomps around the breakfast bar to stand in front of me, pointing his finger in my face.
"You're lying. There is no way you can be pregnant."
"Why do you keep saying that? I saw my doctor yesterday, she confirmed I'm six weeks along."
I try to hand him the ultrasound scan photo that I had in my back pocket but he doesn't take it, just looks at it in disgust then knocks it out of my hand. I watch it flutter down onto the floor by my feet.
"Who else have you been fucking because that kid is not mine." He growls.
I have never seen him so angry before.
"How can you say that to me? You know there has been no one else, it's only ever been you. Christian please, you know I could never do that to you. I love you."
Tears start to fall down my face.
I knew he would take the news badly but I never expected or imagined that he would outright deny it or accuse me of cheating on him.
"I know no such thing and now you come to me trying to pass some other bastards kid off as my own. You really thought this plan of yours would work and then you'd be set for life. Please stop with the crocodile tears, they're pathetic."
What the hell is he talking about? What plan? We're supposed to be getting married soon. Has he lost his mind?
"Christian I swear the baby is yours."
Why is he being so cruel?
"IT CAN'T BE." He screams at me.
"WHY NOT?" I yell back hurting. Why doesn't he believe me?
"I had a vasectomy years ago so there is no way in hell that kid you're carrying is mine. I never wanted children."
I'm left speechless. Why did he never tell me this before? This is one major detail that I had every right to know.
In my heart I know I haven't been unfaithful, I have not done anything wrong and this baby I'm carrying is a part of us both and a miracle if what he is saying is true because somehow I did manage to fall pregnant. My doctor called me to advise me that they had a faulty batch of the depo shot and wanted me to come in to have a further shot just in case but it was already too late.
He takes my stunned silence as guilt and starts to walk away.
"This baby is yours. You can deny it, you can call me any names you want and accuse me until you're blue in the face but I know the truth and I have not cheated on you. You should have told me about this, I'm your fiancée, I had every right to know, Christian because it doesn't only concern you." I yell at his retreating back.
Now I'm shaking from anger.
How dare he walk away? Does he really think this conversation is over? He's acting like a child.
He stops and turns around.
"Get out," he whispers.
He's kicking me out?
"Christian, please, calm down and think logically about this. Sometimes these things still happen. Nothing is 100% full proof."
He may have not wanted to be a father but it's happened and we need to deal with it like adults.
"No. Get the fuck out. I never want to see you again or your spawn."
He walks past me and calls the elevator up then comes back over to me.
"Christian, you're overreacting. Please just think about what you're saying right now, listen to me. Listen to yourself."
I reach for his face but he grabs my wrists before I can touch him.
"Keep your whore hands off me. Who knows where they've been." He spits at me.
Did he really call me a whore? You fucking bastard.
I take a step back and let my eyes roam over his face as they fill with unshed tears. I don't know the person standing before me. Who is this man that can say such hurtful things to me after telling him I'm carrying his child.
I raise my hand and slap him across the cheek before he has a chance to react, his face forced to turn from the force. My hand is left stinging from the impact and his cheek now has a fine red handprint on it.
He stands there motionless. His eyes burning with rage.
"Congratulations, you have just managed to destroy everything we have in a matter of a few thoughtless seconds. I hate you." I stammer through the lump in my throat.
"You did this, I thought I could trust you, thank you for showing your true colours before it's too late." There is absolutely no emotion in is voice.
He can't be serious? I did this?
He drags me by the arm over to the foyer, his grip tight and painful.
"Christian, stop you're hurting me."
He's not listening, it's like he's entered another zone and closed himself off.
I hear the ping of the elevator as it arrives.
He lifts my left hand up and rips my engagement ring off my finger before he practically pushes me into the car with nothing but the clothes I'm wearing then walks away as the doors close on me.
"Christian." I sob.
The elevator reaches the ground floor after what seems like only one second, the tears are blurring my vision as I walk through the lobby and out onto the street.
Where am I going to go?
What am I going to do now?
The life and future we were planning together gone.
I can't believe what just happened. I'm alone and pregnant. My heart is broken, shattered and will never be the same again.
How could he do this? So much for his love meaning anything. He was so quick to kick me out. I didn't make this baby on my own.
I can't stay in Seattle I need to leave. I need to be as far away from him as possible.
I place my hand on my stomach.
"Everything will be okay little one. We have each other."
Even if he comes crawling back on his hands and knees apologising I will never forgive him for the way he just treated me.
With a final look up at Escala I wrap my arms around myself start to walk down the street to wherever the road leads me.
A/N: Next chapter will be much longer and up next week. There will be a time jump in the next chapter.
This will be a short story. Not exactly sure how many chapters yet.
Taken With You will be updated soon.