Trained For Sins (on hold)

Chapter 35

"I'm pregnant," Candice said loud and clear. My eyes went to her belly where she placed her hands in a soothing manner.

My heart dropped faster than it should and scattered all over again, then it felt like someone was walking on the piece of glasses. She will be having Cruz's child. of course, she would, they are even getting married. The little light of hope I had, switched off.

I faked my emotions to which I have become an expert at, smiling at her. "Congratulations, does Cruz know?" I asked looking down at her belly.

"Not yet," She said looking at me. I gave her a small fake smile.

"I know you have been sleeping with him," She looked straight at me in the eyes.

"Candice-I- I" I started panicking, I lost my cool, I looked everywhere except her eyes, how could I, I slept with an engaged man with a child on the way.

"Don't deny it, Veronica," she said slowly.

I sighed giving up lying, I mean what good would it do to me. "How did you find out?" I asked.

"He is in love with you, I saw the way he looked at you at the engagement party." She never took her eyes off me.

"You must be mistaken, Candice, he is marrying you and you are pregnant with his child for god's sake," I defended.

"Cruz is not the father of my baby," She said seriously. I quickly turned my head down to meet hers sitting on the bed, I was baffled when the words registered in my mind.

"What?" I freaked out, but I probably should not have. there were cheaters everywhere here, Cruz cheating on his fiancee and vice versa, heck even I was a cheater.

"Don't freak out, let me explain," Candice raised her hands up in surrender. I eyed her suspiciously. "You will need to sit down for this one," she pointed next to her on the bed. I slowly sat down and prepared myself to listen.

"Cruz and I's parents were business partners, family friends if you will. So when Cruz was born as the first child, his family's business would definitely be passed down to him. My parents, especially my mother liked Cruz ever since he was born, and when she got pregnant with me, she was ecstatic. She even named me C for Candice so that our initials match. We both grew together, were closed, our parents obviously wanted us to get married. we never really cared about this, we were just kids at that time. At that time, it was ok for us to be promised to betrothed but we grew older and grew apart. now thinking about it, we were more like siblings." Candice took a pause before continuing.

"Then he went to college, we were not together all the time then, we once kissed only to realize that no, we can never be more than that," she chuckled.

"At that time, I met someone else, my parents did not approve because they wanted me to be with Cruz. Harry was his name, He was the most perfect human I have ever met. we hid our relationships for years but mum found out. we were separated only to realize we could not live without each other. so we got back together again. I could not show him off to the world, he was my little secret, the most perfect one," Candice spoke with love in her eyes about Harry which made me smile.

Her face changed in horror when she got to the next part, "then a few months ago, our world collapsed, it was raining heavily, he took went to get me ice cream because I was feeling that and we did not have any at home. A truck ran over him, he died on the spot. After his funeral, I returned home to my parents. Two weeks after his death, I found out I was pregnant with our child." Tears filled up her eyes, she rubbed her stomach with a small painful smile on her face.

she looked at me taking a deep breath, "Greif is the price we pay for love," I was shocked to hear everything she has been through alone and still stand up with a smile on her face.

"When I came back, our parents started to plan our engagement. I talked to Cruz, we both did not want this, that's why he escaped. Trust me, I can tell he's in love with you. If you are too, which I can clearly see, go tell him," She encouraged.

'I-I how do you know?" I asked.

"The pendant you have on your neck belongs to Cruz's grandfather, Cruz loved him very much, I can only assume how much you mean to him if he gave you that." my hand unconsciously went to my neck, I smiled thinking about the day he gave me that.

"He looks at you like you are the only woman in the room even when it's filled, and the painting, he never drew anyone before, especially with this much attention and beautiful strokes." Candice finished.

"None of us wants this, Veronica, go get your man while you still have time. I don't time anymore," she said painfully, tears brimming in her eyes while she was still smiling. Today, I learned that Candice was just as beautiful on the inside just like the outside.

'What about everything else?" I asked getting up from the bed, my heart beating fast, adrenaline pumping through my veins making me want to rush to Cruz at this moment.

"You can deal with the consequences later, go get him first," she rushed me out.

-

"Ace said me you would be here," I said when I reached him close enough for him to hear me, he had his back turned around when he saw me. He quickly extinguish the cigar he had in his hand.

"Veronica," he breathed my name out like it was a fresh breath of air.

"Candice told me everything," I said in a small voice, my eyes prickled with tears.

"Shh, come to me," he cooed and I rushed into his arms, letting my emotions get the best out of me, I started crying. I felt that piece of me that had been missing over the last few days completely. I felt complete in his arms. at that moment, everything felt right, there was no place in the world id rather be right now than to stay in his arms, grow old and die.

To heck with the consequences, I did think of how everything was going to start falling apart after what we would be doing. I could only feel him, my heart exploded with warmth.

"what did not grab me and made me listen?" I hiccupped.

"You looked so hurt that I really thought I lost you," he grabbed my face, looking at my teary eyes.

"what do we do now?" I asked quietly

"I want you since the day I met you veronica, I fell in love with you the moment I laid my eyes on you," he confessed placing a kiss on my forehead, the moment his lips were placed on my forehead, I closed my eyes savoring the moment.

I decided to be bold for once a time in my life, to be selfish enough to get what I want, "I want to be with you too, I don't care about the consequences,"

"Hold my hand and we will go from there," He said, he placed a small slow kiss on my lips, "I love you so damn much," words came out of his mouth as soon as he pulled away from my lips. My heart found its place with him.

I squealed in surprise laughing when Cruz picked me up bridal style. I locked my arms around his neck, looking into his eyes. Despite everything that was going to go down from now on, I was ready to face them, come what may, I want to be with this man, and ill do anything in my power to keep him.