Arabella finds out she is pregnant with a child for her husband, Richard Giodano. She wants to inform him about it when she hears him speaking on the phone with Eve Rogers, his ex-lover. Because of Eve's arrival back into the states, Richard wants a divorce. That has always been the plan until he finds Eve cheating on him with his best friend. Five years later, they bump into each other at a party and Richard finds out his ex-wife is not only back with a child but is also a hot sexy CEO of Eagle Homes and Interiors. Even when she pretends not to know him, he vows to stop at nothing to chase after and win her back.
Arabella's POV
Effortlessly, the liquid leaves my bladder. With closed eyes, my heart hammers wildly within my ribcage anxiously.
For no reason, I don't want to do this anymore. For a moment, I begin to think of the very step to take as soon as this is confirmed.
Should I still go ahead with it?
Ignorance, they say, is bliss. What if he doesn't want a child now?
Realizing I have been staring at my urine for more than a minute, I summon up enough courage as I grab the container and dip the absorbent tip of the PT test strip before counting from 1 to 10 and then recapping it.
With trembling hands, I place the strip on the flat counter while fidgeting with my hands and watching the timer on my phone.
In five minutes, I would know my fate.
In five minutes, I would have to choose.
In five minutes, I would have to know whether to see him tonight or not.
In five minutes, my world would either change or remain the same.
I shut my eyes, clamp my hands together and stamp my feet impatiently on the floor. When I flicker my eyes back open, traces of the doubtful expression of a woman I can barely recognise in just a few minutes stares back at me from the mirror.
I can barely recognize myself.
What then will happen if I am indeed pregnant?
I try to smile but it falters.
I try to stay calm but the trembling won't stop.
I try to look upset too, perhaps it might help with how I feel but I don't look angry.
My expression is filled with nothing but anxiety, hope, doubts and optimism.
Something dings and it occurs to me that it is the timer. Five minutes is up.
It is time to see the results of what we did a month ago.
Even though my curiosity led me to this, I can't brace myself up to look down at the strip right in front of me. My eyes are looking directly into the mirror.
Suddenly, my eyes water.
A lump is stuck in my throat. My chest is heavy too.
Balling my hand into a fist and letting out a long sigh, I drop my head down to stare at the two red lines staring right back at me.
My heart stops for a minute.
My breathing hitched too.
When it finally dawns on me that this is what I want, I clasp my hand over my mouth, stepping back with laughter erupting from my throat.
Finally!
I'm pregnant.
I'm having a baby.
When my back hits the wall, it sinks in, making my laughter stop halfway.
My initial fear was to know if he would want this too. This is not just about me. It is about us. Our child.
I should tell him. Then I would know if he wants a baby as much as I do.
Hurriedly, I grab the strip and dump it in the bin before rushing outside, unable to hide my excitement.
Richard and I have been married for three years. Our relationship didn't kick off right. We started on the wrong foot.
Our marriage was arranged.
From my side, it wasn't arranged. It was what I wanted. I loved Richard right from the very first day I set my eyes on him.
As I race up the stairs, my heart keeps pounding harder. When I get to the last stairs, I grab onto the stairwell to take in a long breath before moving towards his home office door.
But a sound stops me from opening the door as my hand goes numb on the door handle.
"I love you, Eve", Richard's voice booms loudly, shocking the living hell out of me.
When his deep rich laughter follows, I know I am not imagining things and this is real. I imagine how his Adam's apple will go back and forth as he chuckles. I imagine how his eyes will beam with delight as he spills the love word without a hassle.
Eve.
Who the hell is that?
Intense anger mixed with jealousy sets in.
Who the hell is Eve? Who is she to have had him laughing that way when it took me three good years to finally see his genuine laughter?
Unconsciously, I open the door just in time to see him standing up from behind the huge mahogany brown desk.
Our eyes interlock for a second.
I don't know if he can see the anger in my eyes or whether he chooses to ignore them because he looks away as though he wasn't being unfaithful a while ago.
Just before I can ask him who he was on the phone with just now and why he was telling another woman he loves her, he beats me to it.
"I was just about to come see you", he states, reminding me of the reason why I am also here.
Whenever he is in here, I don't disturb him. I rarely come here to see him because he hates interruptions and distractions. Yet he was on a call with a woman telling her he loved her when he was supposed to be working.
Rage bubbles inside of me.
"Did you get the papers?" He demands almost immediately, not staring at me. Instead, he is picking up some files from the desk and dumping them inside his briefcase. He looks like he is going out.
If I hadn't overheard his conversation with the so-called Eve, I would have assumed he was heading to work. This is usual.
But no.
Deep down, I know work isn't coming. This is Eve calling.
"What papers?" My curiosity gets the better of me. I am supposed to ignore him and go straight to the point about the baby. Perhaps, that will make him change his mind about being unfaithful.
"The divorce papers", he blurts out indifferently.
My jaws drop and I take a step backwards.
I didn't see that coming.
Divorce? What happened to the changes between us these past few weeks? Is this because of this Eve? How can he do this?
"Di...Divorce?" I find myself stuttering as I clench my stomach as though it will vanish into thin air.
He nods and darts his eyes towards me.
"My girlfriend, Eve Rogers is back", he announces without any atom of shame. "Remember the agreement we had? Now that Eve is back, we should get a divorce so I can marry her."
Eve Rogers?
How could I have forgotten?
I take another step backwards, tears welling up in my eyes and lumps upon lumps getting stuck in my throat.
I shake my head, desperately wanting to say something. To fight for us. Keep my marriage intact. To tell him we are expecting a baby.
But I know nothing can change his mind. The tall strong handsome man before me is staring at me with hope and strong determination.
Richard
's mind can not be changed.
Eve Rogers is his obsession. If my arranged marriage to him didn't stop him from loving her all these years, then there is nothing that can stop him from marrying her at this point.
Realizing that the loser here is me, I turn back on my heels and take the exit before tears roll down my eyes.
Annette Vasquez is broken and desperate to talk to Ryan, her ex-boyfriend who broke up with her a month ago. When an intimidating man appears on her door dressed in all blacks, she runs for cover and sends Ryan a text for help. Vicente Di Alberto is the Don of the Italian Mafia, cold, ruthless and untouchable. A strange message pops up on his phone which has him acting on impulse. He hates men who hurts women and he is ready to save and protect the woman calling for his help. Rescued by a sinfully handsome man, Ann feels safe around him until she finds out his real identity and also finds herself married accidentally to the most feared man in Italy. She wants out but Vicente is ready to use the accidental marriage to his advantage.
Claire thought she had everything figured out. After discovering that another woman was pregnant with her husband's child, she made up her mind-she was done with Xandros. Armed with divorce papers, she walked out of his life, ready to take control of her own future. But what she didn't expect was for Xandros to let her go so easily. Then everything went dark. When Claire woke up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there, she's stunned to learn from her friend, Quinn, that she's married to Xandros-and that she's just ended their marriage the night before. But there's more-her father won't say a word about who Xandros really was. What happened to her? Why was she divorcing him? And what exactly did Xandros do to ruin her so completely? With nothing but a blurry past and a dangerous need for revenge, Claire is determined to reclaim her memory and get back at the man who betrayed her-even if she's carrying his babies.
Andrea Silva was forced to marry her twin sister’s supposed boyfriend after her twin sister, Camila Silva ran away. Andrea was deeply heartbroken when she found out the man she had just wedded was in love with her sister and she was just a substitute till Camila was back. Andrea thought she could make Damine Fel fall for her but what would happens when her sister comes back and want her boyfriend back? What would happen when her husband forced her to agree to a divorce? What would happen when she found out she was pregnant for him but he didn’t want anything to do with her?
When Valerie Adams gets to know that she is betrothed to the youngest billionaire in New York, just to save her father's dying company, it is two nights after she caught her boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend. She is upset with the news of the betrothal and becomes more pissed when she finally meets him. Ryan Lorenzo is the most arrogant, pompous, and cold-hearted guy she will ever cross paths with. He is less interested in keeping a woman but what he needs is a wife to satisfy his parent's desires for him to be married and considered responsible. Valerie decides to take advantage of the situation, to save her father's company and to make her cheating boyfriend jealous. She suggests a CONTRACT for their marriage and Ryan is making the RULES.
When Jasmine Cooper runs into a drunk rapist, a man saves her. It is Xavier Ravarivelo, the billionaire Mafia whose bride left him at the altar. Jasmine Cooper looks just like his run-away bride, Andre, who was being forced to walk down the aisles with Xavier. Jasmine has the same look and tattoo as Andre but different hair color and personality. Taking her against her will; he forces her to marry him. He wants revenge for the humiliation he got after his supposed bride left him at the altar but Jasmine is hell-ass sure she never abandoned anyone at the altar. How will Xavier find out that Jasmine is different from his runaway bride? How long will it take for Xavier to note the difference between Jasmine and Andre?
"He is not yours!" She affirms with a confident and unwavering look. "Whose child is he, then?" I question, my eyes wandering to the boy with piercing blue eyes like mine. Celine narrows her eyes with her hands clenched. "He is mine!" "What about his father? Who is he?" I drop my hands lazily and watch her intensely. "That is none of your business." She says defensively. "It means he is mine and I am taking him", I conclude with a smile and walk past her to pick up the child who is already dozing off. "No, no, no!" Celine chants, blocking my way. "Please, don't take him. I beg you!" **** After realizing she was pregnant which was not part of the deal she made with Billionaire Bryan Martinez, Celine left his mansion before the end of the contract. When they meet again and he discovered the secret she was hiding from him, he decided to punish her by taking custody of the child. What will happen when the baby wants his mother close to him? Will this reunion blossom the love between them before her departure? How sweet will Bryan's revenge be for Celine?
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
Two years ago, Ricky found himself coerced into marrying Emma to protect the woman he cherished. From Ricky's perspective, Emma was despicable, resorting to underhanded schemes to ensure their marriage. He maintained a distant and cold attitude toward her, reserving his warmth for another. Yet, Emma remained wholeheartedly dedicated to Ricky for more than ten years. As she grew weary and considered relinquishing her efforts, Ricky was seized by a sudden fear. Only when Emma's life teetered on the edge, pregnant with Ricky's child, did he recognize-the love of his life had always been Emma.
Elena, once a pampered heiress, suddenly lost everything when the real daughter framed her, her fiancé ridiculed her, and her adoptive parents threw her out. They all wanted to see her fall. But Elena unveiled her true identity: the heiress of a massive fortune, famed hacker, top jewelry designer, secret author, and gifted doctor. Horrified by her glorious comeback, her adoptive parents demanded half her newfound wealth. Elena exposed their cruelty and refused. Her ex pleaded for a second chance, but she scoffed, “Do you think you deserve it?” Then a powerful magnate gently proposed, “Marry me?”
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”