Chapter 73
A R I A N A
It had been two days since we moved to London Sarah has been nothing but kind she helped me find a small apartment in the same building where she lived.
It wasn’t big or fancy, but it was clean and comfortable.
I was trying to unpack a box when my phone rang.
It was Sarah.
“Ariana,” she said, her voice sounded strange “Are you sitting down? Have you seen the news p>
My heart dropped. “No. What news p>
“Turn on the television. Now. It’s about Dante Russo, there are huge scandals about his company Illegal deals, fraud It’s everywhere p>
I fumbled for the remote with shaking hands. I turned on the small TV in the living room.
There it was. Dante’s face was on every news channel. The words scrolling underneath were terrible. “Russo Corp in Crisis.” “CEO Dante Russo Accused of Financial Crimes.” The news reporters were talking about the files I had stolen.
I sank to the floor a loud sob broke from my chest I was responsible for this.
I did this to him.
I had cheated him and betrayed him.
“Ariana? Ariana, are you okay?” Sarah’s voice was tiny from the phone on the floor.
I couldn’t answer I just cried, I had ruined the man I loved.
“I’m coming down,” Sarah said. “Just stay there calm down p>
But I couldn’t calm down, the guilt was crushing me. I hated myself so much for doing this to him, he didn’t deserve this, any of this.
Asher heard me crying, he ran into the room from where he was playing his little face was worried.
“Mummy?” he said, hugging me tight. “What’s wrong? Why are you sad p>
I held him close, crying into his hair I couldn’t tell him I couldn’t tell anyone that his mother was the reason for the man she loved…destruction.
I felt so bad, the guilt was a heavy rock in my stomach as more tears stream down my eyes.
I had destroyed Dante’s hard work.
A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door Sarah let herself in with the key I gave her she saw me on the floor, holding Asher and crying.
“Oh, Ariana,” she said softly.
She came over and knelt beside us. “Hey, Asher,” she said to my son, her voice kind. “Why don’t you go to your room and play while I talk to your mummy p>
Asher looked at me, unsureI nodded, trying to smile through my tears. “It’s okay, baby go play, I’m okay, I want to talk to Aunty for a little while p>
He nods before running off.
I broke down completely I cried into her chest. “I’m a monster, Sarah,” I sobbed. “I’m a horrible person I backstabbed him, I used him, I loved him and thought him how to love me. He trusted me and I ruined everything p>
Sarah didn’t say anything she just held me and patted my back gently letting me cry.
But the more I talked, the worse I felt, the rock in my stomach grew heavier.
The images of Dante’s face on the news mixed with the memory of his smile.
Suddenly, I felt sick.
Really sick.
I pushed away from Sarah. “I’m going to be sick,” I gasped.
I stumbled to the bathroom and fell to my knees in front of the toilet I threw up everything that was in my stomach.
The physical sickness felt like a punishment for what I had done It was my guilt, my betrayal, coming out.
I stayed there on the cold floor, crying and sick, wishing I could go back and change everything.
I wish I never got into the marriage in the first place, then maybe I wouldn’t have caused the damage I had.
I know Dante would never forgive me, and if he finds my whereabouts, he’d make sure I suffer the consequences.
Sarah held my hair back as I threw my guts out.
“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice full of worry.
I leaned against the cold bathtub, wiping my mouth.
My whole body was shaking. “I… I don’t know. I’ve been feeling under the weather since I got here I’ve been getting sick in the mornings p>
Sarah looked at me closely. “You do look very pale,” she said. She was quiet for a moment, thinking.
Then her eyes got wide. “Ariana… could you be pregnant p>
The word hit me like a physical blow.
Pregnant.
My mind started racing as I tried to remember my period I was so stressed with everything… I hadn’t even noticed it was late.
It should have come over a week ago.
Panic, sharp and cold, shot through me It was a different kind of fear than I had ever felt.
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “It can’t be. It’s just stress.” I say trying to deny it.
But even as I said it, I knew it was possible dante and I have had sex countless of times with no protection.
My lips quivered as I thought about the tiredness, the sickness and the missed period.
I looked at Sarah, my eyes wide with terror. “Oh my god,” I breathed. “What if I am p>
“I’ll order a pregnancy test” Sarah says as she exits the bathroom.
I placed my hand on my bump wondering if it’s actually true, was I really carrying Dante Russo’s child?