OLIVIA’S POV
“I know this might sound hard to believe,” the doctor began, his tone gentle yet firm. Like I said, it’s a rare case. You were supposed to lose both of the twins, but luckily, one survived. That’s still a good thing.”
As I sat there, my mind felt like it was splitting in two. Should I be happy that I was having a child? Or should I grieve the one I had lost? The mere thought of this child growing inside me being a constant reminder of the other one I would never get to hold was almost unbearable.
Tears welled up in my eyes, and before I could stop myself, they spilled over. Yet, at the same time, a small laugh bubbled from my throat. A bitter, broken sound.
No matter how painful, this was still good news.
The doctor gave me a reassuring smile before standing up said before stepping out of the office.
“Give me a moment,” he
I exhaled shakily and reached for my phone. My fingers hovered over Julian’s contact before I finally typed a message.
Me: Hey, I have good news. Let’s meet at the café so we can talk more.
Almost immediately after sending it, the doctor returned and took his seat across from me. To my surprise, he held out a small tube of ointment.
I frowned. “What’s this for?”
“While I was taking a sample of your blood, I noticed some bruises on your arm.” His gaze was steady but unreadable. “Now, I’m not going to ask about it, but this ointment should help.”
I swallowed hard, my heart skipping a beat. He had seen them. I wiped my tears with the back of my hand before reaching out to take it.
“Thank you, Dr. Jay,” I murmured.
Before I could shove the ointment into my bag, my phone buzzed.
Julian: On my way there.
Since he was already headed to the café, I should start going too.
I stood up slowly, still a little lightheaded. “Thank you for everything, doctor. I’ll keep in touch.”
“Of course. And please remember you need plenty of rest. Avoid stress and anything that could be harmful to your chi Successfully unlocked!
“I will,” I said, forcing a small smile. “I’ll come back next week for my check–in.”
“Good. Take care, Olivia.”
I nodded before walking out of his office. The moment I stepped outside, the cool air hit my skin, grounding me back into reality. I pulled out my phone to order an Uber.
Yesterday, I drank a lot of alcohol. I got beaten. And I was still pregnant.
The realization hit me like a train. What if I had lost the child when Adrian was hurting me? He would have unknowingly killed his own baby.
I shuddered at the thought, my arms wrapping around myself as if to shield me from my own memories.
The Uber ride to the café was a blur. My emotions were tangled in a mess of joy, fear, and anger. The second I arrived, I spotted Julian sitting in the farthest seat, his expression unreadable. I made my way to him, wrapping my arms around him in a quick hug before settling in across from him.
“Why didn’t you just come over?” he asked, tilting his head slightly. “My place is way more comfortable.”
“Yes, but Adrian has eyes all over your place. If he finds out I met you again, he might…”
I stopped myself there at the last moment.
That was close, I almost revealed to Julian what he did to me.”
“I know,” I whispered, crossing my arms.
That was a mistake.
As I folded my arms, my jacket sleeve slid up slightly, revealing the faint bruises on my wrist.
Julian’s expression darkened. “What happened to your wrist?”
I quickly yanked my sleeve down. “Oh, I umm… slipped and fell. It’s nothing serious.”
“Olivia.” His voice was sharp. “You fell and got those bruises?”
I avoided his gaze.
“Don’t lie to me,” he pressed. “Tell me what really happened.”
Panic clawed at my chest. If Julian found out Adrian had hurt me–especially now that he knew I was pregnant–it would cause a disaster.
A sudden movement at the entrance of the café caught my attention. The bell chimed, followed by the sound of approaching footsteps.
Then a voice, dark and unmistakably familiar, cut through the air like a blade.
“Is this your appointment?”
I stiffened. My breath hitched in my throat. Slowly, I turned my head to see Adrian standing there, his gaze cold and unreadable.
How the hell did he find me?

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