Kayla’s POV
Sleep refused to come to me that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the same pair of cold gray eyes staring at me from across that luxurious penthouse bedroom.
Lucien Throne.
The man who had unknowingly turned my life upside down twice now.
First, the night I desperately traded everything I had left to save my mother’s life.
Then yesterday, when fate threw me beneath the headlights of his car only for him to save me without realizing I was carrying his child.
I lay awake on Sarah’s couch, staring at the ceiling while the heater hummed softly in the corner of the apartment.
Outside, snow continued to fall against the windows, but my mind refused to quiet down.
I replayed every word he had spoken, every glance he had given me, especially the moment he’d looked into my eyes and said I seemed familiar.
For one terrifying second, I had almost told him everything.
The truth had been sitting right on the tip of my tongue.
Instead, I lied.
I looked the father of my unborn child straight in the eyes and told him we’d never met before.
Slowly, my hand drifted over my stomach beneath the blanket.
There wasn’t anything to see yet.
My body looked exactly the same, but knowing there was a tiny life growing inside me changed everything.
The doctor’s words echoed relentlessly inside my head.
You’re pregnant.
Even now, I could hardly believe it.
A baby.
My baby.
Our baby.
“No…” I immediately corrected myself, squeezing my eyes shut.
Mine.
This child belonged to me.
I wasn’t going to allow anyone, no matter how rich or powerful they were, to take that away from me.
The thought alone made my chest tighten.
I had heard enough stories about wealthy men using their influence to win every battle they fought.
Calm.
Powerful.
Untouchable.
A man who wasn’t used to hearing the word no.
If he ever discovered the truth, would he even ask what I wanted?
Or would he simply decide my future for me the same way he’d decide a business deal?
The questions terrified me more than the pregnancy itself.
A gentle knock interrupted my thoughts before Sarah pushed open the bedroom door carrying two steaming mugs.
Her messy hair was tied into a loose bun, and despite the dark circles beneath her own eyes, she still managed to look energetic.
She handed one mug toward me before sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Drink,” she ordered.
I frowned after taking one cautious sniff.
“Sarah… this smells awful.”
”It’s ginger tea.”
”I know what ginger smells like.”
”Good.
Then stop complaining and drink it.”
I Made a face that made her laugh despite herself.
“You know I hate ginger.”
”I also know you’ve been throwing up every five minutes…The internet says ginger helps.” She said”The internet also says people can survive on lemon water for a month.” I argued
She shrugged.
“We’re not testing that theory.”
I sighed dramatically before forcing myself to take a sip.
The bitter taste spread across my tongue immediately, making me cringe.
Sarah burst into laughter, clutching her stomach as she watched my expression.
“You look like someone poisoned you.” She said.
“I think you did.” I rolled my eyes.
“Tch. You’ll survive.” She said.
For the first time in what felt like forever, the apartment wasn’t filled with shouting, accusations, or tears.
The silence between us felt different now.
Comfortable.
Safe.
We had fought.
We had hurt each other.
Yet somehow, after everything, Sarah was still here.
Looking after me.
I knew she wasn’t perfect.
She had made terrible decisions, and she’d said things that nearly destroyed my relationship with my mother forever.
But she’d also been the only person who searched for me all night when I disappeared during the snowstorm.
Maybe friendship wasn’t about perfection.
Maybe it was about who stayed when everything else fell apart.
By eight o’clock, I had changed into my work clothes and stood in front of the small bathroom mirror trying to make myself look less exhausted.
Concealer barely hid the dark circles beneath my eyes, and no amount of powder could disguise how pale I’d become over the past few weeks.
I stared at my reflection for a long moment before letting out a quiet breath.
“You don’t look terrible,” Sarah said from behind me.
I looked at her through the mirror.
“That’s your way of saying I look terrible.”
”You look tired.” She said”I am tired.”
”You don’t have to go to work today.”
I shook my head while grabbing my handbag.
“I do. If I lose this job, I honestly don’t know what I’ll do next.”
Sarah’s expression softened.
“Just… take care of yourself today, okay?
Don’t skip meals.
Don’t overwork yourself.”
”I’ll try.”
”And if you feel sick, call me.”
”I will.”
She hesitated before adding quietly, “And if you change your mind about telling Lucien…”
”I’m not ready.” I said.
She nodded slowly, deciding not to argue this time.
“Okay.”
The cold air outside was cold against my breath the second I stepped onto the sidewalk.
Snow crunched under my shoes as I hurried toward the bus stop, pulling my coat tighter around my body.
Around me, the city carried on as though nothing had happened.
Office workers hurried through the streets clutching takeaway coffee cups.
School children laughed while throwing handfuls of snow at one another.
Delivery trucks moved slowly through traffic while impatient drivers blew on their horns.
It amazed me how life never stopped simply because one person felt like their world had ended.
Somewhere among thousands of strangers, I walked with the biggest secret of my life growing quietly inside me.
30 minutes later
Glow & Grace Makeup studio was already bustling when I arrived.
The reception phone hadn’t stopped ringing for more than five minutes before I even finished logging into the appointment system.
Stylists rushed from station to station carrying makeup boxes and curling irons while wealthy clients chatted loudly about holiday parties, fashion shows, and luxury vacations.
I forced myself into work mode, greeting every customer with the same practiced smile I had worn since my first day.
“Morning, Kayla.”