NOVEL NEXT Chapter 9: Chapter 008
~~~Aria~~~
"Why are you still laying down there?" A hoarse voice got me up from bed as the morning sun ray shone into my eyes. He sounded harsh which was shocking, why was he shouting at me after what happened last night.
"Zayd…." I tried to call but he interrupted
"It's Zeus to you," he retorted
"Why are you being so…." I paused as I couldn't get the correct word for his recent behavior.
"Get dressed and get out of my room," he yelled, his voice showing anger, but I couldn't tell why.
I tried to protest "Don't call me," he interrupted "I want you out of my room now, and forget everything that happened last night and this morning." He warned
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, he had sex with me, multiple rounds at that and he expects me to just forget it ever happened, how was I supposed to do that?"
"But Zayden, last night we,"
I let out but he quickly interrupted "I know what happened last night, and I know what we did you don't have to remind me, what happened last night was a mistake, I got carried away and let my emotions overrule me. Now take your stuff and get out of my room," he ordered
I felt a sharp pain in my chest, did he just use and dump me like some piece of trash? This was definitely not what I expected. "What were you expecting? That a feared Mafia boss would make you his right hand woman after having sex with you? Aria, face the reality, he caught you trying to steal from him, doesn't that ring any bell to you?" A voice echoed in my head
"He just saw this as an opportunity and he took it dummy." The voice added
The voice in my head was right, I had been foolish to think that Zeus would treat me with anything other than disdain. He was a Mafia boss, after all, and I had tried to steal from him. I had been playing with fire, and now I was getting burned.
I thought back to the way Zeus had looked at me, the way he had spoken to me. It was all so clear now - he had never seen me as anything more than a tool to be used and discarded. The sex had been just that - sex. Not making love, not intimacy, just a physical act.
I felt a wave of shame and regret wash over me. What had I been thinking? I had given myself to him, body and soul, and this was how he repaid me. I was nothing to him.
"You can't possibly use and dump me like some piece of trash? I saved your life yesterday!!" I yelled, bringing out all the pain I've been masking inside me.
"And I have showed you how grateful I am right? he replied with a stern look on his face
"What?" I said my voice above a whisper.
"Besides, I'm not dumping you, we're still going to work together, but maintain things strictly professional as I'm still in need of your skills, and you're still mine." He said with a wicked grin on his face
"Go to hell!" I spat, but before I could finish my insult, Zeus cut me off.
"Watch your tone, woman," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "I'm still the one in charge here. Don't forget it."
"Now get your things and leave my hotel, I'll call you and let you know when I need your service."
I seethed with anger and hurt as Zeus' words cut through me. How dare he speak to me like that? I had saved his life, and this was how he repaid me?
I felt a surge of fury and humiliation. How could he treat me like this? I took a step forward, my fists clenched at my sides.
"You're going to regret treating me like this," I spat, my voice venomous. "I'm not some plaything for you to use and discard. I'm a person, and I deserve respect."
Zeus raised an eyebrow, his expression unyielding. "Or what?" he sneered. "You'll try to steal from me again? I don't think so. Now, get out." He yelled his words filled with venom.
I walked for what felt like hours, my feet carrying me on autopilot as my mind replayed the events of the past 24 hours. I couldn't believe how foolish I had been, how blinded by my own desires. I had thought that saving Zeus' life would give me some kind of leverage, some kind of power over him. But now I saw the truth - I was just a pawn in his game, a plaything to be used and discarded.
As I walked, the tears continued to flow, streaming down my face like rain. I felt like I was mourning the loss of something precious, something I had never really had in the first place.
I finally stopped walking when I reached the outskirts of the city, exhausted and emotionally drained. I looked around, taking in the desolate landscape, and let out a scream of frustration and anger.
"Ahhh!!!!!" I screamed, my voice echoing off the buildings. "Why was I so stupid? Why did I think I could ever win?"
As my scream faded away, I felt a sense of emptiness, a sense of defeat. I knew I had to pick myself up, to dust myself off and keep moving. But for now, I just stood there, feeling the weight of my own foolishness.
As I sat on the bathroom floor, catching my breath and trying to calm my racing heart, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. The nausea had come on so suddenly, and it was unlike anything I had experienced before.
I slowly got up and rinsed my mouth, trying to wash away the bitter taste. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I noticed how pale and clammy I looked. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized that I had been ignoring the signs for too long.
The strange feelings, the fatigue, the mood swings... it all added up to one thing. The one thing I desperately wished I was wrong about
As I sat in the waiting room, flipping through a magazine without really reading it, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. I had been feeling off for a while, and I was hoping the doctor could give me some answers. The wait seemed to drag on forever, but finally, a nurse called my name and led me to an examination room. After what felt like an eternity, the doctor came in, a friendly smile on his face. "Mrs. Aria, I have the results of your tests," he said, his eyes sparkling with a hint of excitement.
"Doctor? What does the result say?" I asked, my curiosity getting the best of me.
The doctor's smile seemed out of place, given my symptoms. I felt a sense of trepidation as I awaited his response, my mind racing with possibilities.
"Ah, Mrs. Aria," he began, his voice cheerful, "the results are quite... enlightening." He paused for a moment, studying me intently before delivering the news.
"Congratulations Mrs. Aria, you're two weeks pregnant," the weight of the information rested on me and I felt like I'd been punched in the gut
I felt like I had been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me. Pregnant? Two weeks pregnant? I couldn't process the information. I thought back to my encounter with Zeus, the night we had spent together. I had been so caught up in the moment, I hadn't even thought about protection.
"Sorry doc, what did you say?" I asked again, my voice shaking slightly. I needed to hear it again, to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
The doctor smiled again, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You're going to be a mother, Mrs. Aria. Congratulations!"
I felt like I was in a daze, like I was floating outside my body, watching myself react to the news. Pregnant. I was pregnant with Zeus' child. What was I going to do?
As I walked out of the hospital, the cool air hit me like a slap in the face, snapping me back to reality. I felt a mix of emotions swirling inside me - shock, fear, uncertainty, but also a glimmer of determination. I thought about Axel, and how I had lost the baby I had with him. I wasn't going to let history repeat itself. I was going to keep this baby, no matter what.
I took a deep breath and let my hand rest on my belly, feeling a sense of protectiveness wash over me. This little life inside me was innocent, and it deserved a chance at happiness. I was going to make sure it got that chance, even if it meant doing it on my own.
I glanced around, making sure no one was watching, before pulling out my phone and deleting Zeus' number. I didn't need him, and I didn't want him to know about the baby. He had made it clear how he felt about me, and I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he had a child on the way. This was my secret, and mine alone.