ANASTASIA


    "A baby in eight months?!" I blurted as I gaped at the caption. "Why the hell did Aiden not mention it?"Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I threw my phone on the other end of the chair I was seated in and ran my fingers through my hair. How could he make her pregnant while I''m currently carrying his baby?


    Well, she is his wife and you''re not. Besides, it wasn''t like you''d let him have the child after Amie is fine. A voice said in my head.


    "I know, I know," I muttered. But there will beplications. This pregnancy at the time would, somehow, onlyplicate things for everyone of us. God, why does my life always have to be filled withplications? Why does everything have to always go wrong? Why do things have to always veer from the right path each time I manage to get them there?


    I closed my eyes and inhaled a deep breath.


    "Calm down, Anastasia, everything will be fine. Nothing has to go haywire because Aiden''s legitimate wife is pregnant for him. I need to rx and think of all the best things in my life and think of all the positive things that this pregnancy will bring about.


    I have Amie who is still breathing. She still smiles and paints andughs. That''s enough to be grateful for. I have Dennis, my loving husband and friend who will always stand by me no matter what.


    Besides, Sharon''s pregnancy will be a distraction for Aiden. He would be too busy caring for his wife abd going on hospital trips with her as a couple to constantly check up on me. He would also have more than enough to pay for do he wouldn''t even think of paying Amie''s bills. And there''d be no cause for Dennis to get mad again. Another bonus was that there wouldn''t be the apprehension that Aiden might demand equal rights over the baby since he''d also have his own baby.


    I stretched my lips into a big smile. "It''s okay, Anastasia. It will be fine." Everyone and everything will be fine. Amie will be fine, I and Dennis will be fine, Sharon and Aiden and their child will be fine. I palmed my stomach then I circled my palm over it. You''ll be fine too. After convincing myself that all will be well, I reached for my phone and continued scrolling through.


    My stomach started to rumble. I finally gave up waiting for Dennis.


    "We''ll be fine," I repeated as I dished out part of the meal I made for him into a te, grabbed a bottle of water and my phone and proceeded up the stairs.


    I dipped spoonfuls of the meal in my mouth as I ascended the stairs. I shook my head, pleased with myself. This will definitely loosen whatever knot of anger is in Dennis'' heart.


    In our room, I sat in the chair before the vanity, turned on myptop and put on a movie.


    After a while, I abandoned the small portion left on the te and focused on the movie.


    I released a breathless gasp as I felt an abrupt sting below my abdomen.


    I clutched the area where I felt the pain and rubbed, scrunching up my face.


    "Oh no, did I eat too much?" I wondered when I felt another pain. A sharper one this time. It hurt so much that I had to pause the movie.


    "Ahh," I groaned out as the sharp sting became incessant. It felt like a cramp but I sure as hell wasn''t on my period.


    I just need to lie down for a while, I told myself when the pain subsided a little.


    With one of my palms on my stomach, I carried theptop with my other hand and trudged to the bed.


    I ced theptop on the bed side table then Iid down on my side and curled around myself, hoping the pain would subside.


    For a few minutes, I felt nothing. I evenughed at a funny scene. Then suddenly, just like the first time, unannounced, the sharp sting gripped my stomach so hard that I let out a low cry, momentarily rendered dizzy. And for the next minute, my movie abandoned, I pressed myself into the bed in an attempt to stop the pain. But it only got worse.


    My eyes watered and my throat constricted in my chest as the sting worsened, sending a thousand volts through my system.


    I had no idea how to stop this insane pain. Was my baby the one kicking? Definitely not. Baby kicks didn''t feel like I was being stabbed. There was only one other thing to do. Call Dennis. And pray he picks up.


    My eyes were squeezed tight, my teeth biting down on my lower lips as I felt around the bed for my phone.


    Then I remembered that I had left it on the vanity.


    Shit.


    With all my might, I began to drag myself to the dressing table. I couldn''t even get to my feet. Iid on the floor and dragged my body to the table. So while still lying on the floor, I reached up and felt for my phone.


    In the process, some of the skincare and make-up containers on the table fell on me but it was nothingpared to the pain I felt in my stomach. Finally, my hand found my phone. I grabbed it and immediately dialed Dennis'' number. It went straight to voicemail.


    I tried again and again and each time it went into voicemail, I almost let out a cry.


    So I left a message for him.


    "Dennis, please, pick up. I need you, Dennis please."


    I hoped that when he hears my cry and the pain in my voice, he will pick up and rush home.


    For several minutes afterward, I remained curled on the cold floor, shivering, my phone in my grip.


    With each minute that passed, I felt a little part of me die from the growing pain. I knew I couldn''t keep waiting. I have to find help. 911, I told myself. Dial 911.


    But as the call went through and I waited to hear a response, I found myself staring back at the caller''s ID, Aiden.


    ***


    SHARON


    I looked up from myptop, irritated


    by the vibration that had suddenly taken over the bed. I nced around and my gaze located the culprit almost immediately.


    Aiden''s phone''s screen died and lit up again almost immediately. I was about to call out to him toe get his phone but I knew he would never rush out of the bathroom to pick a call. He''d either ask me to pick it or leave it to keep ringing.


    I snatched it from where itid to throw it on the couch so it would stop disturbing me but my eyes caught the caller''s ID, Ana.


    My lips twisted unpleasantly. I was sure it was the same Ana that was carrying his baby.


    Without a second thought, without waiting for the guilt to consume me, I swiped left. Then I ced the phone by my side so I could reject all of her other calls that I was sure would stille in. FindNovel