AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jess slaps my leg with a frown and mouths at me to ask him for money, but I brush her off. The truth is that neither Edoardo or myself wanted this to happen. I cannot expect anything from him. He was supposed to be nothing more than a one-night stand. More than that, when he kicked me out like he did the next morning, he made it clear to me that he wants nothing more to do with the situation, regardless of any consequences that could arise.
“I see,” he eventually sighs. “Thank you for letting me know.”
I don’t know what else to say to him. I need to speak to my father first. He thinks I am at the cinema and will be expecting me home any minute. I’m not sure what to make of Edoardo’s response. But I’ve done what I set out to do, which was simply to let him know.
So with that, I end the call. I simply hang up, without another word, just as he’d closed the door in my face a month earlier.
“Take me home,” I say to Jess.
“Are you sure you’re ready?” she asks, hesitantly.
“Whether I do this now or later makes no difference. The outcome will be the same. Might as well get it over with.”
We experience another quiet, nerve wracking drive back to the house and when we get there I instruct Jess to leave, but not to go too far away in case I need her. She agrees, and I can see the concern in her eyes. I do my best to dry my tears and make my way inside to my father’s office.
“Hey dad,” I greet timidly.
“I’m busy Aria, what is it?” he barks.
I won’t wait for him, and this definitely can’t wait, so I walk into the room and sit down.
“Can we have a word in private?” I ask.
At any given moment, there are a few guards in my father’s office. He is a paranoid man and his paranoia revolves largely around safety, both his own and that of his family. He seems constantly worried that someone is out to get him. He motions for his men to leave us and peers at me over the top of his computer screen.
“What is it?” he snaps.
“I need to tell you something and I don’t want you to get upset,” I say.
When he looks at me again, I can see the anger already set to burst behind his eyes. He’s always been a man with a short temper, and asking him not to be upset has never worked before. But I keep trying it in hope.
“I don’t like where this is going,” he says sternly. “Have you been crying?”
I realize that my cheeks are still sticky from the tears as I nod. And it takes all my willpower not to cry again as I prepare to tell him the truth.
“I snuck out of the house last month,” I explain. “I went clubbing with a friend.”
My father stops what he is doing and walks out from behind his desk.
“I knew you’d been sneaking out,” he growls. “How many times have I told you that it isn’t safe?!”
“Please, just listen,” I beg. “There’s more.”
My father sits down on the large leather couch at the other end of the room and crosses his hands on his lap.
“Continue,” he demands, the anger quivering in his voice.
“I met someone that night and …” I don’t want to say it, but the sooner I speak the words, the sooner it will all be over.
“I’m pregnant.”
My father looks as if a bullet has pierced his chest. The color drains from his face completely, only to come roaring back with a vengeance as the shock fades to anger. He starts to shake with fury. I can’t bear to look at him when he’s this angry, so I keep my eyes fixated on the floor in front of me.
I can’t keep back the tears any longer, I watch as one rolls down my cheek and lands softly on the Persian rug beneath my feet.
“Who’s the father?” he demands. “Did you do this on purpose?”
“No father, please,” I cry. “It was simply an accident.”
