**pregnant**

**Author's POV**

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Thirty seconds felt like an eternity as Araya stared at the test in her trembling hands. Her heart raced with every passing second.

"Come on… come on," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Taking a quick glance at the test, she dropped it immediately, her mind refusing to process the result.

She gasped. *"I'm pregnant...?"*

The words echoed in her mind as tears streamed down her face. She covered her mouth with her hands, her body shaking as she sank to the bathroom floor.

"How could this happen to me? Why me? Haven't I suffered enough already?" she muttered, her voice breaking.

Leaning against the cold bathroom door for support, Araya felt despair wash over her. "What am I supposed to do now? How will I face them?!" she cried out, her voice filled with anguish.

Her mind spiraled with thoughts of hopelessness and guilt. *"Should I… end it all? Abort the baby? Tell Ash and Alex the truth?"* The questions haunted her, each one heavier than the last. Her tears fell uncontrollably as she whispered, "I'm so messed up… so stupid… such a fool."

Memories of a simpler time began to flood her mind, piercing through her anguish like shards of light in the darkness.

---

**A Memory from the Past**

"Mummy, she's so beautiful! Can I touch her, please?" a young Araya had asked, her eyes wide with wonder.

"Of course, baby. You can touch her—she's your baby sister," her mother said with a warm smile.

Araya carefully reached out and caressed Ash's tiny, smooth face. The baby's innocence and beauty filled her heart with joy.

"Oh, sweet baby Ash, you're so beautiful. Sister loves you so much," she whispered, kissing the baby's cheek softly.

Her mother pulled her into a gentle embrace. "Araya, this is the joy of seeing your baby. Tell me, how will you feel when you hold your own child someday?"

"I'll be super excited to have my own baby, Mummy!" young Araya exclaimed, her face lighting up with a bright smile.

Her mother chuckled. "I know you'll be the best mother in the world. I trust you."

"Really, Mummy? Do you think so?" Araya asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

"I don't think so, baby—I know so," her father interjected as he joined them, lifting her into his arms.

"I love you as much as I love your baby sister, Ash," he said, kissing her cheek gently.

"Promise me, Araya, that you'll have your own children someday—but only after marriage," her father said with a playful yet serious tone.

"I promise, Daddy!" Araya replied, giggling as she crossed her heart.

---

The memory faded as Araya sobbed into her hands.

"Not only have I broken my promise to Daddy," she whispered, her voice trembling, "I'm pregnant… with a stranger's child. Someone I don't even know."

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**Later That Evening**

"Ara!"

Araya flinched at the sound of her sister's voice calling from downstairs.

"Ara! Where are you? I brought Emma—she's asking us out for dinner! Are you sleeping?" Ash's voice grew louder as her footsteps approached the room.

Panic surged through Araya. If Ash saw her like this, there would be too many questions she wasn't ready to answer. Quickly wiping her tears with the back of her hand, she threw herself onto the bed and pulled the quilt over her body.

The door creaked open, revealing Ash, her face lined with worry.

"Ara, there you are! I've been looking all over for you," Ash said, walking closer.

"Sorry, Ash. I didn't hear you calling—I was in a deep sleep," Araya lied, lowering her gaze to avoid her sister's eyes.

Ash took her hand gently. "I just wanted to invite you out with Emma and her brother, but if you're too tired…"

"I won't make it, Ash. You go have fun with your friend. As for me…" Araya yawned, exaggerating her exhaustion. "I'm so sleepy."

Ash smiled softly. "Alright, Ara. Just rest. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me, okay?"

"I will, Ash. Now run along and have fun. Don't come home too late," Araya said with a faint smile, her voice heavy with unspoken pain.

"I won't, sister—I promise," Ash said cheerfully, crossing her heart before leaving the room.

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**Later That Night – Y2K Restaurant**

"How is she?" Luciano asked, his gaze fixed on Emma, though the question was directed at Ash.

"She's fine," Ash replied, her voice light and cheerful. "Though she's been acting a little off lately. Other than that, she's okay."

"Oh…" Luciano's mouth formed a small circle before he let out a bark of laughter.

Ash didn't notice the sharpness in his tone. "Yes, Ara's doing fine. She's just been spending more time indoors, but that's okay as long as she's happy."

Throughout their conversation, Luciano's eyes never left Emma.

"Are you happy, Emma?" he asked suddenly, his voice calm yet probing.

Emma smiled, taking a sip of her smoothie. "I couldn't be happier. I have Ash, my best friend, and her sister is safe. What more could I ask for?"

Luciano nodded, offering her a faint, calculated smile before glancing at his watch.

"Time's up, Emma. Say goodbye to your friend," he said just as two men—a burly man covered in scorpion tattoos and a wiry one with a sinister grin—approached them.

"Where to, beautiful ladies?" the tattooed man sneered, his voice slurred.

Before anyone could react, Luciano stepped forward, placing himself between the men and the girls.

"They're with me," he said firmly.

The men burst into drunken laughter.

"You?" the larger man jeered, charging toward Luciano with a broken bottle in hand.

Luciano's movements were swift and precise, his fists landing with crushing force. Within moments, the two men lay unconscious on the floor.

"That's what you get for crossing a dragon," he muttered, his lips curving into a smug smile.

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**The Next Morning**

Araya woke to the sound of her phone buzzing. She rubbed her eyes, her body weighed down by exhaustion and despair.

The first message was from Ash:

"Sorry, Ara. I had to leave quickly—something urgent came up. I didn't want to disturb your sleep. Just so you know, I made breakfast. Love, Ash."

The second message was from Alex:

"Sorry, Ara. I can't come around today. An emergency came up at work. Love, Alex."

The loneliness was suffocating. Araya sighed, her heart heavy as she placed the phone on the couch. With tears threatening to spill, she turned on her heels and returned to her room, collapsing onto her bed.

She let the tears fall freely, her sobs echoing in the silence.

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