I didn’t sleep much after that night.

Not because of guilt.

Because I couldn’t stop thinking about him, Jason.

Still, I hadn’t stuck around. Because there was no use. I left before I could get attached, before it became something I had to explain. I was sure he was gone by now. He didn’t fit in here in this boring old town.

The only thing I kept was the black card he left on the nightstand. The one I’d stolen from the morning after. I slid it into my wallet and never mentioned it to Marisol, or anyone.

---

About five days later, I met Noah in a quiet café. It was his idea. He’d begged to the point it was embarrassing. Said he needed to talk. I figured it was better to say it in public where he couldn’t throw a tantrum or twist things the way he used to.

“You look tired,” he said as I sat across from him.

“You look like the piece of shit you are,” I replied stiffly, and dropped the key to his apartment on the table.

His smile faltered as his brows rose at my crass language. “Bells, come on. We made mistakes. People do. I was drunk. It didn’t mean anything.”

I stared at him. “You had sex with my stepsister. In our bed.”

“She came onto me.”

I laughed. “And you just... tripped and fell inside her?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “You know what? Fine. I messed up. But we can fix this. I still love you.”

“No, Noah,” I said calmly. “You don’t get to say that anymore. You don’t get to cheat and then decide when I should be over it.”

He leaned forward. “Bella, don’t throw away what we had because of one stupid…”

“I’m not throwing it away. You already did.”

I got up. He didn’t follow. Not right away, at least.

---

The messages started soon after.

‘We can work this out.’ No buddy, we can’t.

‘It was a mistake.’ Sure.

‘Don’t let them win, Bella. We’re better than this.’ Them? Pfft. And who’s we?

‘You’re not thinking straight.’ Excuse me? The prick.

As if I didn’t know what I was doing. My family was worse.

My father called me dramatic. Said I should learn to forgive. That I was being childish for walking away from someone who “understood our family so well.”

Trina said it was normal for men to stray sometimes and that I should be smart and “secure the ring.” Chloe didn’t say much. Just gave me her usual smug little smirks whenever we crossed paths, like she already knew she’d won.

I stopped answering calls. I stopped pretending to be okay.

Marisol was the only one who didn’t ask me to justify anything.

---

Three weeks later, I started throwing up.

At first I thought it was food poisoning. Then it happened again. And again. Then I thought I had come down with the flu or something. I called Marisol. And when I’d shown up at her place, she’d held up pregnancy tests. I’d scoffed.

But now, I stared at the pregnancy test in my bathroom like it was mocking me.

Two lines. Clear as day.

“No,” I whispered, even as my hand covered my stomach.

“Oh shit.” Mari whispered.

I didn’t cry. I just sat down on the edge of the tub, numb. Mari immediately crouched beside me and gathered me into her arms.

It couldn’t be Noah’s. That last night with him had been months before the Chloe incident, and I’d been careful. But that night, that night….

We’d even used a condom for Christ’s sake. Damn you, Jason for your over performing sperm.

My heart thundered as the weight of reality finally settled.

I was pregnant. With a stranger’s baby. I looked up and saw a shadow briefly pass by the window but didn’t think about it, too in my head to care.

Cause I didn’t know what the hell I was going to do.

---

I walked into the living room later that evening and felt the shift in the air.

My father was seated stiffly on the couch. Trina stood near the fireplace, arms crossed, mouth pressed tight. Chloe was curled into the armchair like a damn queen.

“Sit,” my father said.

I hesitated. “Why?”

Trina narrowed her eyes. “Just do it.”

I sat, already tired.

No one said anything for a moment. Then Chloe pulled something from behind her back and dropped it on the coffee table.

A pregnancy test.

I blinked. “You went through Marisol’s trash?” Was she crazy?

“No need to act surprised,” she said, picking imaginary lint from her sweater. “It’s not like you were going to tell us.”

I looked at my dad. “I was going to. When I was ready.”

His jaw clenched. “When were you planning to be ready, Bella? After the town found out?”

“It’s none of their business.”

“It’s our business,” Trina cut in sharply. “You live under this roof. Your decisions reflect on this family.”

“I didn’t exactly decide to get pregnant!” I snapped.

“Oh, please,” Chloe muttered.

My father stood up. “Who is the father? I’m assuming it’s Noah?”

I looked at the floor. Silence reigned in the room.

“Bella.” Dad gritted out. “It’s Noah right?”

I took a breath and raised my chin. “No.”

“That’s what I thought,” Chloe said coldly. “Damn, that’s so low of you.”

I had to physically hold myself back from launching across the room at her. “It doesn’t matter who the father is.”

“It matters if he’s some lowlife you picked up from a bar.”

My head jerked up. “You don’t get to talk to me like that, Dad.”

“I do,” he said. “You’re still my daughter, and I won’t have a scandal ruin this family’s name. Either you get rid of it…”

“I…,” I started.

“Or you leave town,” Trina said, cutting in, her voice colder than ice. “Immediately.”

My breath caught.

“Are you serious?” I looked between them. “You’d rather I vanish than let anyone know I’m pregnant?”

“We’re giving you a choice,” Trina said.

Chloe smiled faintly behind her.

I stood slowly. My hands were shaking as I stared at Dad.

“This is how you treat me? Your own daughter?”

“This is how you repay everything we’ve given you?” my father snapped.

I stared at them. These people. My family. Or what was left of it.

Then I nodded once.

“Dad,” I whispered, betrayal sinking in my gut.

His jaw clenched as he looked away briefly. Trina met his eyes and he turned back, determined. “I’m giving you a choice, Bells. It’s for your own good.”

Rage rose and simmered in me. I was going to make damn sure they regretted every second of this. I exhaled. “Fine then. I’ll leave town.”

Dad jerked back in surprise. “What?”

“I said I’m leaving town. I will not abort this baby.”

“Well, suit yourself then.” Trina snapped, turning to Dad. “Greg darling, she’s made her choice.”

Dad stared at me for a few moments before he nodded stiffly. “You’ll be given an allowance as you leave. You…this is the wrong decision, Bells.”

I glared at him. “You don’t get to call me that. I don’t know who you are anymore.” I hissed and pushed past him, marching up the stairs.