Stan woke first, his gaze fixed on Vera's sleeping form. Even in slumber, she was breathtaking. Her delicate features, the gentle rise and fall of her chest, the peaceful expression on her face, it all tugged at something deep within him.
His lips curled into a soft smile. He hadn't lied when he said he loved her. He did, deeply. But a child… a child wasn't part of his plan. The reason for that remained locked away, a secret he couldn't share.
Slowly, he wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer. He pressed a kiss to her cheek, the warmth of her skin sending a familiar spark through him.
She stirred, her lashes fluttering open as she felt his embrace. A sleepy smile spread across her lips.
"Baby," she murmured softly.
Before she could say anything more, he turned her in his arms, capturing her lips in a deep, hungry kiss. His touch was possessive, overwhelming, leaving her breathless. By the time their passion had subsided, he had claimed her again and again, as if trying to erase the tension from the night before.
As they lay tangled together, his fingers traced slow, lazy circles on her bare skin. Then, his voice, softer now, broke the silence.
"Do you really want to keep the child?"
The anger that had clouded his voice the day before was gone. The warmth she knew, the tenderness she craved, had returned.
Vera met his gaze, her heart steady. "Yes."
She had made up her mind. No matter his opinion, she would keep the baby. If he refused, she was prepared to leave everything behind, her job, the city, just to bring her child into the world.
He looked into her eyes, as if weighing her decision. "Are you sure?"
"I am."
After a moment, he nodded slowly. "Then we'll see my doctor next weekend."
She drew a slight frown. "I've already seen a doctor. He recommended an ultrasound."
"I trust my doctor more," he said, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "Next weekend, we'll go to Gojota to see him."
Vera tensed slightly. Gojota? That was an eight-hour drive. Why would they need to go so far for a simple check-up?
Suspicion flickered in her mind, but she quickly pushed it aside. There must be a reason.
"…Okay," she said at last, though a small, uneasy feeling crept into her chest.
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of warmth and passion. They stayed in bed, wrapped up in each other, sharing kisses, soft moans, and quiet words of affection. Stan moved her in every way, making her gasp with pleasure until her voice was too weak to speak.
By mid-morning, exhaustion covered Vera like a heavy blanket. She let out a breathless laugh, her body limp against the sheets.
"I'm tired," she whispered, trying to sound strong.
Stan pulled away a little, kissing her gently one last time. "I'll freshen up. I've got a meeting this afternoon," he said before getting out of bed and going to the bathroom.
Vera stayed there, still, her body drained. She didn't move until she heard the water turn off and saw him come out, dressed and ready to leave. Without saying anything more, he walked out of the house.
Dragging her tired body from the bed, she made her way to the bathroom. The cold water revived her energy, washing away the remnants of the morning's passion. Once dressed, she reached for her phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Jason, what's up?" she said the moment the call connected.
"Vee!" His voice came through, bright and cheerful.
"How have you been? Feeling any better now?" he asked gently.
"Yes," she replied. Then, after a slight pause, she added, "Can we meet?"
"Of course!" he answered without hesitation. "I'm home today."
"Then expect me soon." With that, she ended the call.
She grabbed her bag, ready to leave, but hesitated at the last moment. Slowly, she unzipped it and pulled out the test kits. For a few seconds, she simply stared at them.
Then, with a firm resolve, she broke them into pieces and tossed them into the trash.
She pulled out the envelope with her test results, opened it, and took the paper out. Without a second thought, she ripped it into pieces and tossed it in the trash.
She hung her bag, and left the house. Outside, she flagged down a cab, and after what felt like an eternity, nearly an hour later, she finally arrived at Jason's house.
"Thanks," she said, handing the driver the fare and getting out. She walked inside, where Jason was waiting in the living room, grinning as he greeted her.
"Good to see you, Vee," he said, pulling her into a hug, then taking a moment to look her over.
"Always looking amazing. Stan really deserves some credit, he's doing great work," he added, his excitement clear.
Jason was her closest friend, someone she'd known since high school. He'd always been her protector, keeping her safe from the boys with bad intentions. It had taken him a while to accept Stan, but in the end, he did.
"You look good too," she replied, settling into a chair.
"How's your mom? Have you heard from her recently?" he asked, his tone softening.
"Yeah, I'll be visiting soon. I need to send her some documents for her paperwork," she answered, leaning back into the sofa.
"Did you get them?" he asked, his eyes searching her face.
"Yeah, they were sent over yesterday. I'll send them to her soon," she replied, her voice quieter now.
"She must be so proud of you. Protecting your family's inheritance isn't easy," Jason said, his gaze fixed on her.
"Yeah," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly as memories of her father crept back into her mind. "And thanks to Dad. He made sure it was protected. If not... who knows what would've happened."
"He must be so proud of you, taking care of your mom and brother so well," Jason said, noticing the shift in her mood.
"That's what I should be doing, until my brother turns eighteen. Then I'll be able to support him," she replied, pushing her emotions aside.
Straightening up, she changed the subject. "Enough about me—how have you been?"
"As you can see, I'm fine," he said, pouting dramatically. "Except for the fact that my friend abandoned me for three weeks." He gave her a teasing look, which made her burst into laughter.
"But now the friend is here," she said, still laughing.
"Because something must be bothering her," he shot back, his eyes narrowing as her smile slowly faded.
Jason knew her so well; he could see through her smile, recognizing when something was off.
"Even with the laughter, the worry lines are still clear on your face," he said, his gaze intense as it locked onto hers.
She sighed softly, her voice quiet. "Jason, I almost lost my job."
"How?" He asked, his confusion evident.
She took a deep breath before telling him everything that had happened with Drake and Ava.
"What? That man is something else!" Jason muttered, his brows furrowing in disbelief.
"He is," Vera replied with a heavy sigh.
"Just because I turned down his advances," she spat, her anger still simmering.
Jason, with a shrug, said, "Well, good riddance. He's been fired. No one will bother you now, so just relax."
Vera took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, he's gone."
But as Jason looked at her, he couldn't ignore the sadness in her eyes. With Drake out of the picture, shouldn't she be relieved?
"Vee, what's with the mood?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
"Drake... he threatened to deal with me," she whispered.
Jason scoffed, "He won't dare!" But Vera's mood didn't shift. She remained as distant as before.
"Vee," he called again, his worry deepening as he stared at her expression.
"I'm pregnant," she said, the words hanging in the air and freezing Jason in place.
His mind went blank, and he stared at her, confusion swirling in his eyes as he processed what she just said. "Pregnant?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes. I am," she replied, another sigh escaping her.
Jason looked at her for a moment, then quickly turned his gaze away, as though trying to collect his thoughts. His eyes flickered back to her, and a sudden realization hit him. His brows raised in understanding.
"He doesn't want a child? I forgot!" he exclaimed softly.
Vera had mentioned before how Stan wasn't ready for a child, and Jason had dismissed it as something that would change if the situation ever arose. But now...
"He was furious last time. Is it the same now?" he asked curiously.
The last time Vera thought she might be pregnant, everything fell apart. Chaos followed her every step until she finally found out she wasn't.
Her friends had expected her to end the relationship after that terrifying scare, but instead, she went back to him, and they moved on as if nothing had ever happened.
"It wasn't as bad as it seemed," she admitted, her voice quiet but firm.
"And the next morning, he changed his mind," she continued, her words soft but filled with uncertainty.
"He wants the child?" Jason asked, disbelief clear in his voice.
Vera nodded. "Yes, he said I should keep the pregnancy. He wants to go to Gojota this weekend to see his personal doctor."
Jason's face showed confusion. "Gojota? To see a doctor? That's a long trip."
"He said he trusts his doctor more," she replied, but Jason shook his head, looking worried. Something didn't feel right.
"I'm glad he's accepted it," she said, her voice full of worry. "I just hope he doesn't change his mind later."
Vera couldn't forget how angry Stan had been when he saw the test kits. His voice had been loud, and the fear in his eyes was clear.
For a man who had always said he didn't want a child, whose reaction had been fierce when he found out she was pregnant, agreed to keep the baby, hours after his outburst. Something didn't feel right. She couldn't shake the feeling that he didn't really mean to keep the child. Maybe he just said it to make her feel better.
What if, later on, he changed his mind again? It would hurt so much.
"And why Gojota? There are plenty of good doctors here," Jason said, finally sharing his concern.
But Vera refused to consider his opinion. "It has to be his family doctor... or personal doctor," she insisted.
Jason scoffed. "Family doctor? Didn't you say he never talks about his family?"
Vera rubbed her forehead, trying to clear the growing worry in her mind. The more she tried to believe that Stan was being truthful, the more those troubling thoughts kept coming.
"He has no family, no friends, no relatives you've met, talked to, or even seen pictures of. And now, after three years, a personal doctor from Gojota suddenly shows up?" Jason's said. A feeling of unease filled the space between them.
"I just hope he doesn't hurt you. We don't know anything about that guy, except for the money he keeps giving you," Jason said, his worry growing.
"He's not evil," Vera said, her voice steady, though there was a flicker of doubt in her eyes. "He can't hurt me, and he doesn't cheat on me."
Jason couldn't help but laugh at the certainty in her voice.
"Have you ever considered the possibility that he might have children somewhere else, and that's why he doesn't want to have a child with you?" Jason asked, his gaze locked on hers, hoping she would take a step back and really think things through.
"Vee, what do you really know about this guy?"
Vera's response was instant. "He's a good man."
She thought Stan might have secrets he wasn't ready to share, but that didn't mean he was evil. Everyone had their secrets, and it wasn't uncommon for her boyfriend to keep certain things to himself.
She believed he might have trust issues, and with time, he'd open up, maybe he already was. Talking about his doctor in Gojota and suggesting she meet him felt like a sign that Stan was starting to share pieces of himself with her.
"Vee, be careful," Jason pressed, concern lacing his voice. No matter how Vera tried to paint a pretty picture, something about Stan felt off to him.
"He isn't evil," Vera replied, trying to sound more confident. "In fact, when we come back from Gojota, I'll move in with him."
Jason's eyes widened in shock. "Are you serious?" His disbelief was evident.
"Have you forgotten? He never lets you come to his house except on weekends," Jason reminded her, his voice thick with concern. "Have you forgotten that so soon?"
Vera bristled slightly but held her ground. "He suggested it, Jason. So, don't worry. And as for why he doesn't let me visit during the week, it's because he's always busy with work."
She understood that Jason was just looking out for her, but she wasn't going to let him label Stan as evil. She believed in him, and she wasn't ready to doubt him just yet.
"Moreover, we have lunch together most days during the week. Please, he isn't as bad as you think," Vera added, trying to calm Jason's concerns.
"Vee, you—"
"I'll call Olivia over. Let's go have a few drinks at Lozy Bar," she interrupted him sharply, pulling out her phone to make the call.
Knowing she wasn't willing to continue the conversation, Jason reluctantly let it go. "Alright, let's hit Lozy Bar," he agreed, his tone slightly resigned.
At the bar, Vera hid her growing anxiety behind a mask of smiles. But Jason's words haunted her, echoing in her mind constantly.
"What if Stan has children somewhere else? Is that why he wasn't willing to have a child with me?"
In that moment, a deep, pressing need to know more about Stan surged within her.
Who was he really? What about his family? His friends? His colleagues? Was he married with children?
Was she just a mistress to him? These questions began to crowd her mind.