uched low, grabbing Dominique's hand and p

eels, pulling her to a stop and staring into her f

t the cool wall before sliding down to sit on the steps. "I know my father will kill me when he finds out I skipped the int

ed beside her, her voice softening at the sight of her friend's despa

mment. She knew that deep down, Dominique was only trying to h

n done it o

but she refused to humiliate herself

r nerves. It was time to leave. She hurried down the stairs. She had

fered, her words stopping Antonela dead in her tracks. "He's

oubt she was capa

shoulders, her voice pleading. "Let's just get ou

n't accept any excuses, Antonela. You'll just

that green-eyed devil. Besides, I'm

most handsome green-eye

pushed through the exit. Silently, she climbed into th

re. She urgently needed a job-to appease her father's fury,

ire city," she grumbled. "I can find something better,

iving toward Antonela's house. "But that j

feeling you're try

st for you," she said, her eyes fixed on the road. "An

sked Dominique to change course, and t

akfast, she scrolled thr

time that day, she had to admit Dominique was right. She wasn

her phone rang. Her blood ran cold

e paled as she answered, and Henrico's fu

just called me. He said you ne

p in her throat. She hadn't imagined the

nto her voice. She heard him snarl on the other end of the lin

d she thought her eardrum would burst. "What are you going to do for work, Antonela?

the sting of his cruelty. "I'm looking," she said, and he grumbl

eyes tightly as Dominique placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Although Dominique

from home. By the time she returned

early and came back late, doing anything

ll hadn't found a job,

la began to consider the unthinkable: going back and h

o the company. She had already arranged a second interview with her un

out of the car, doubled over, and retched, the

ek, she'd been fighting constant waves of n

es widened. She closed them for a second, as if processing a

of her hand and looked up, startled b

to say?" she asked,

n, Antonela," Dominique

know what you're thinking, and the

h Benjamin? Because if I remember correctly, you don

as a cold, creeping d

her arm and dragged her toward a nearby pharmacy. They bought a pregn

e white test strip soaking in the small plastic cup. "I'm going to mi

pregnant." Dominique pulled the test from the cu

tilted on

She couldn't be pregnant w