The weeks had passed by without much incident, and I met men after–most being money hungry as is. "Mother?" I say, caution edging my voice.
"Maybe I should leave him or her after, you know... So that they can live, and I don't have to kill them."
"Your father is reasonable. And if we don't, whose blood–" She says, but I turn around and leave. She seems to side with him.
I can take over the company after leaving the baby. Yeah, that's what I can do.
**
My belly only seems to be getting bigger, and the stylists are giving me stuff to wear to hide it, but it's no better. I am pretty sure the news got out. The restaurant was Harold's choice–my father's first pick.
The espresso I ordered was getting cold as I stirred it around, the spoon clinking against the cup. The area was fancy, just like everything in my life except for one variable. And that variable may not remember me.
"Harold, about the engagement party, shouldn't do it within the week, or cancel that and go straight to tying the knot?" I ask, gently–gazing up at him.
He was a little older, with money that could make us the power couple. "But the Bamford Property Group? That should be mine," I add just as Harold smirks.
"How about.... You leave the leading up to me till you are... let's say free of that thing in your womb?" He says, sipping his espresso, like the gentleman he is.
I sigh, having no choice in this anyway. "You have a deal. The wedding should be soon, don't want anyone suspecting a thing, right?"
And just as suddenly, everything went dark; the music stopped. I sat there wondering what the hell happened. But a familiar voice came out of the blue–shocking everyone and me. "The deal's off, Harold."
He is going to ruin everything. I turned to look at him, through the dark.
"Who the hell are you?" Harold barked, his chair screeching as he tried to stand.
He stepped into the only visible light there could be, and looking at me, he said, "I'm the variable, and I remember everything."
The paparazzi must have already gotten a photo of him and me. "Ethan?"
"We're leaving, Lily," he said, reaching out his hand. "The company, the wedding, the 'strategy'—it ends tonight. You're not going anywhere with him."
He wants me to take his hand and be on our way.