Chapter 10: The Confrontation
Aria stirred her coffee absentmindedly, staring out the small window of her temporary apartment. It was the cheapest place she could find in this unfamiliar town—far from the bustling city, far from the name Kade Val, and hopefully far from the chaos she was running from.
She hadn't expected the morning sickness to hit her so hard. Every hour felt heavier than the last. She was twenty, alone, and pregnant with the child of a man who had once shattered her.
The doorbell rang.
She blinked.
Who could that be?
Cautiously, she stood, smoothing down her apron and walking slowly to the door. She didn't open it immediately. Instead, she peeked through the peephole.
Her entire body stilled.
No.
No way.
She backed away as if the mere sight of him might burn her. But she could see the truth in his eyes—even through that small circle of glass.
Kade Val had found her.
Aria clutched her stomach protectively and paced backward until her knees hit the couch. Her heart pounded, the world tilting beneath her feet. She had run so far, kept to herself, even used a fake name at her job.
And still… he had found her.
Another knock—this time firmer.
"Aria," his voice called from behind the door. "Open the door."
How did he even know she was here?
"Please."
He sounded tired. And not like the confident billionaire he was. Aria bit her lip, her fingers trembling as she approached the door once more.
This was a mistake.
She shouldn't open it.
She shouldn't—
But she did.
The door creaked as it swung open, revealing Kade dressed in a dark jacket and jeans, looking like he hadn't slept in days. His usually styled hair was slightly messy, and the moment their eyes met, a storm passed between them.
"You shouldn't be here," she whispered.
"I had no choice."
"You always have a choice, Kade," she spat, "You just choose what suits you."
He didn't fight her words. Didn't deny them. He just stared at her stomach.
Her blood ran cold.
"So it's true," he said softly. "You're pregnant."
Aria's hands instinctively wrapped around her middle. "You shouldn't have come."
"I had to." He stepped forward, but she stepped back.
"I don't want your pity. I don't want your money. And I definitely don't want you playing hero in my life after what you did to me."
Kade's jaw clenched. "It wasn't pity, Aria. And I never stopped thinking about that night."
"Oh, please don't make this worse," she muttered, turning away.
"I hired someone to find you because I was worried. Not because I wanted to trap you."
"You still cheated on me, remember?" she snapped. "You still humiliated me. You still said I was just a kid. And now you want to act like you care?"
"I made a mistake," he said.
"Yeah. Well, that mistake is growing inside me now," she snapped, voice cracking. "So congratulations."
Silence hung between them. Kade ran a hand through his hair, struggling to find the right words. But Aria didn't wait.
"Leave, Kade."
"Aria, I just want to talk—"
"No!" she shouted, her voice trembling. "You don't get to do this. You don't get to chase me down after abandoning me two years ago. You broke me."
He took a breath. "I know I did."
That was the worst part.
He knew.
"I was angry when we broke up, Aria. Scared. You were eighteen, and I… I didn't trust myself not to mess you up even more. I pushed you away in the worst possible way."
"You succeeded."
"I was wrong," he said firmly. "About everything. And I've regretted it ever since."
Aria felt her emotions wobble. Her knees wanted to give out, but she stayed strong.
"I don't need your regrets. I need peace."
"You're carrying my baby."
"And that gives you the right to invade my life again?"
Kade's face hardened. "It gives me the responsibility to be in it."
Aria shook her head and laughed bitterly. "Responsibility? You wouldn't know what that means if it slapped you across the face."
He looked like he wanted to argue, but stopped.
"I didn't come here to fight," he said instead. "I just… I needed to know. I needed to see for myself."
"Well, now you know. I'm pregnant. Now go."
He hesitated at the door.
"Aria… please let me be part of this. I want to take care of you—of the baby."
She met his gaze with steel in hers. "This child will not be raised with a father who thinks it's okay to destroy a woman and return when it's convenient for him."
"I'll prove to you I've changed."
"No, Kade. You'll prove that by walking away."
For a long moment, he didn't move.
Then, finally, he gave her a tight nod and stepped back. But just as he reached the door, he turned around.
"I'm not giving up," he said. "This baby is mine. And I still see the girl I once—" He stopped himself. "I'm not giving up."
And with that, he left.
Aria stood frozen, her body trembling as the door clicked shut behind him.
She dropped to the couch, hugging her belly. Her thoughts were loud and messy. She had expected tears. She had expected pain. But what she hadn't expected… was the feeling of being seen.
And that scared her more than anything.