Rude Discovery

Avery's POV;

Ruined plans... More chaos.

My eyelids flick nonstop until I'm eventually staring at the white ceiling of a room. My eyes trail down to meet a drip set connected to my hand, and the bloodshot eyes of the stranger, but his mask is still on.

Pretending like I collapsed for the second time, I close my eyes tight, the result forming a crow's feet at the edges.

"What do you think, I'm a toddler?"

His cold and ruthless voice slices through my soul, still, I give myself a second shot at it, keeping my eyes pressed firmly.

"So you know, I don't have all day and if there's anything, you should be paying me for wasting my time."

Immediately, my eyes fly open. He didn't need to say much, debt got me into this mess for a start.

"How could you?" His gaze is stern. "How dare you?"

"I'm... I'm sorry..."

His cold stare doesn't even give me a chance to make me think straight.

"I can explain... I..."

Oddly, he starts laughing, mocking me openly and crumbling my confidence to level zero.

"You can explain?" He continues in his mockery. "You freaking put the life of an innocent child on the line for your selfishness and you suddenly have a good reason to?"

I shake my head, sobbing silently. Crap! I told Piper from the get-go, if only I didn't succumb to her pressure...

And then Orion may be long dead and Don Donald will have my head for dinner... My life itself is messed up.

"So you know, the child you're carrying, is my only bloodline. The sperm used for the procedure, is the only one I've got in the bank..."

The more he tells me his creepy story, the more I feel like I've gotten myself into a deep shit.

"I can't father a child due to an incident, and that was the only sperm that was salvaged. Why am I telling you all this?"

The top of his lips hinges in a weird smirk. "It's to sound a clear warning, that if anything happens to the baby because of your negligence, you will not only pay me through your nose, but you'll be my slave for eternity." He groans.

I open my mouth to protest, but close it almost immediately, with my argument not having a firm ground.

"Nothing will happen to your child." I mumble, finally finding the words.

"Hmm," he scoffs. "It's your problem to worry about.”

He isn't entirely wrong. It's my cross to bear.

"That aside, you're coming with me."

Coming with him? I'm lost. Of course, we were heading for the lab when my body betrayed me.

"For the test or antenatal? " I throw spaghetti on the wall, seeing which sticks.

"Home." His blunt response hitting me hard like a throbbing ache.

What?! This has to be the biggest joke of the century. Who does he freaking think he is to pilot my life in such manner?! Maybe I heard wrong.

"From now henceforth, you will stay with me.”

"I can't... I have my own life..."

"Now you do?" He puffs. "Jeez, you keep lying like you were born for it, it's pathetic!" He closes his eyes, as if holding back his raw and bitter emotions.

"I did a background check on you.” He informs me. "For one who lied about her health condition, for something as severe as a hypertension, you think I'll throw caution to the wind?"

I swallow dryly, my eyes bulging out from my sockets. "I live and feed perfectly fine." I shrug.

"In a cottage?" He laughs wryly. "That’s where you actually live, not the crap you filled in the form that is also barely conducive.”

Oh, damn!

"You know, I'm wondering if this is even your body... You just keep lying and it's driving me crazy... Like I'm sick... Done."

"I planned on staying with Piper till I give birth." I say, if that will change anything.

"Dr. Cain will come discharge you soon, and I'm taking you straight to your house, scratch that, cottage," he emphasises with a demonstration of his fingers. "to get what you need, which I doubt you have any.”

I guess I deserve that.

"When we get to my house, I'll read the rules out loud, I doubt you can read to save your life."

I take a deep breath, and exhale through my mouth, suppressing the urge to lash out at him.

"I'll waiting."

He stands up and walks out.

Seconds later, Piper runs in like she's being waiting for the monster to leave the ward.

"I'm sorry," she whispers.

I blink back tears and sniffle, unable to bear the embarrassment.

She wraps me in a warm hug, and I somehow adjust in her bosom, his threat resounding in my head.

"He wants to take me with him." I say after she lets go off me.

"No." She says firmly. "He can't... I won't let him..."

"I lied, Piper." I say like she knows nothing about it, when in fact, she is the master planner. "I lied about literally everything and I guess this is karma haunting me."

"Still, you have your whole life ahead of you.”

“I guess I live for his baby now.”

"I'm sorry," she mumbles, feeling bad.

"It's fine, you were just tryna help." I sniffle.

When the door opens and Dr. Cain walks in, I knew it's time to go home... hell, my new home where I will be living with the monster! I roughly wipe off my face with the back of my palms.

Dr. Cain is cold unlike before. I bet my deed almost cost him dearly.

"I'm sorry," I spew, not sure if I sound plain dumb.

"Uh, he's waiting outside." He says, overriding my apology.

"You'll be fine." Piper says once we're alone again. "Can I at least follow you home and help you pack?"

"And your car?"

"I'll come get it later."

I shrug, not minding her support. She helps me out and we meet the stranger I'm yet to know his name, at the car pack.

He doesn't even ask for my address, I bet he actually did the check he spoke of earlier.

"I don't even know your name." I say, trying to strike up a conversation, and Piper pinches me slightly, thinking it's a bad idea.

"You should stick to the job that pays you,"

Ouch! Piper presses her lips together, suppressing a laughter.

I sigh softly, not daring to create a fuss out of it. We arrive about twenty minutes later, and Piper and I get out to pack up the rest of my items.

We start packing a small box of my toiletries and then begin folding clothes in a bigger box.

"You should stop by mine to get the rest of your belongings." She says as we close up a box. "You also need them."

"Maybe you can send them over, say, as an excuse to see me."

She laughs.

Remembering the cold blooded monster I will be spending the rest seven months with makes my skin crawl.

"He's so rude and cocky, jeez!" I sigh, unable to hold it in anymore. "I can't even stand him for a minute."

"He's your baby daddy."

I scoff. "Don't get started."

On remembering Orion, my countenance change, as I keep folding in silence.

"Are you okay?" Piper asks, genuinely worried about me.

"I don't know how I will face Orion after all of this..." I puff, everything weighing heavily on me. "I know that I may possibly sound dumb and stupid right now, but I wish he can stay till I get rid of... give birth to this child." I say instead.

"Avery, come on."

"How am I gonna face him? I'm pregnant for another man while he's bedridden with possibly a second surgery to undergo."

"Babe, it's not your fault." Piper tries to pacify me.

"And it's his?" I sigh.

We resume packing the rest of my things in silence.

"I'm done, we should leave." I close the box and set it down.

"Not so fast."

Fuck! My heart sinks at the voice of a third person, an oddly familiar voice... Fuck!!

I'm right after all, it's Orion.

He comes out of the bathroom, bare chested and only wearing a towel around his waist.

"Who's the baby's daddy?"