The anxiety gnawing at her wouldn't relent. That very afternoon, Aria found herself pacing in her bathroom, a pregnancy test clutched tightly in her clammy hand. She stared at her reflection in the mirror – at the worry in her own eyes.
Minutes felt like hours as she waited for the result. With each passing second, her heart thumped louder in her ears. Finally, unable to take it anymore, Aria forced herself to look down at the small white stick in her hand.
Two bright pink lines.
Aria's vision blurred. Her hand flew to her mouth as a ragged sob of shock and emotion tore from her throat. It felt as if the ground had dropped from under her.
Pregnant. She was pregnant.
Disbelief and joy and fear swirled inside her all at once. How would she manage a child on her own? And Damien… should she tell him? Even if she wanted to, she had no way to reach him. She only knew his first name. No, he'd made it clear what he thought of their night. He'd walked away without a backward glance, leaving money as his farewell. There was no place for a baby in that equation for him.
As tears streamed down her cheeks, Aria pressed a protective hand to her belly. Life had thrown her a curveball. Ready or not, she was going to have a child – Damien Knight's child.
In that moment, a steely resolve formed within her racing heart. She would face the future on her own terms. If Damien wanted nothing to do with this, fine. She and her child would be just fine without him.
Aria wiped her tears, her jaw set with determination even as her world spun wildly off its axis. One night of passion had changed everything.
And there was no undoing the fate set into motion.