Million Miles

Chapter 13

Vanessa
8am.. Lagos, Nigeria

The sound of a knock disturbs me from my dreamless sleep. I turn and toss and with great difficulty waddle out to the door, I'm very much pregnant which restricts my movements.

"Just hold on, I'll be right there." I yell, irritated.

The knocking stops suddenly, which is suspicious. I open the door without checking who it is through the peep hole and who I see leaves me speechless.

"You..... " What.... Who.. Why are you here?" I never expected to see Miles here, not at this time, not now!
I attempt to close the door but Miles is faster than I am. He stops me, with a leg on the door.

"Baby, who's that at the door?" I hear my grandma calling from her room.

I manage to answer, gingerly. " it's no one, ma. The person was just leaving ".
I fix my stare at Miles sure to pass the message across.

Miles doesn't budge instead he squeezes his way into the house. Making himself comfortable on the couch, and I can do nothing but glare at his back. This pompous idiot!

I walk slowly into the house, glad the gown I'm wearing covers my baby bump.

I sit across him, glaring hard at him. Letting all my anger and disgust show.

" I'm sorry, I'm so sorry". Miles whispers, his head hanging low I can't see his face.

I scoff, is that all he's got. He thinks a simple sorry could change anything? He must be dreaming.

"Cut to the chase, Mr Williams. What are you doing here?"

His head whips up as his laden eyes settle on my face, surprise written on his face.
Two can play this game Miles.

He continues staring at me, like I'm a work of art he can't take his eyes off of.

" Why haven't you signed the divorce papers? " He flinches. Yes! Good I hit a nerve. Like he even cares if we're married or not.

" I nullified the contracts I don't want them anymore, I just want you to come home. I miss you, the house is cold, empty without you. I can't even sleep or eat without you ". He says, in a tumble of words, Miles nervous? Well, that's a new one!

I close my eyes and breathe deeply as I feel his words cracking my walls. I groan inwardly how can I still love him after what he did?

"Yes, you should feel that way and much more worse after leaving her alone devastated and pregnant with your child!" I hear my grandmother's voice behind me, when did she come in.

Miles grows pale as a sheet, probably shaken to the core by the news that I'm pregnant. His eyes seek mine and I divert my gaze, I won't give him the satisfaction. I never wanted him to find out

" Do you know how much you hurt my baby? She could have lost that baby! She was here, and I had to watch her cry her eyes out day upon day when she thought about how the most important people in her life broke her into pieces.
She had to suck it all up and endure being pregnant with the baby of a man whom she knew hated her, never loved her!"

I've never heard my grandmother talk this much and I can't stop the tears from rolling down my eyes. I hate the fact that I'm crying over Miles and what's more? In front of him! I choke back my sob as I run blindly to the bathroom locking it behind me, as I cry my eyes out yet again.

Few minutes later, I hear a gentle rap on the door.
"Baby, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We're gonna get through this together. And although I know it won't change anything, I love you! So fucking much. I now realize I loved you the first day I saw a picture of a three year old you in your dad's office.
I loved you even more when I saw a picture of you several years later as a grown woman. I worshiped you when I saw you in that lift. And as much as I wanted to deny it, I knew I married you because I loved you and wanted you all for my self, not because of that silly deal." Miles says, and I break down again when I hear the tears in his voice.

"Please don't cry, I realize how selfish I am now with you. I know I'm hurting you but I can't let you go because I can't live without you. I love you and our unborn child and although the baby wasn't conceived in the best way, I'll love them till my dying breath. I promise to make it up to you both". He doesn't hold back his tears now and I can hear how hard he's crying though the other side of the door.

As much as I want to go fall in his arms right now. I know he needs this, I need this to let go of some pain. Knowing he's suffering like I am suffering.

I just hope it gets better from here, I hope we move on from here.
Because as much as he hurt me, I still know I love him, and I can't live without him.

He's a vital part of me, and our baby needs him too. I don't want my child to grow up without a father. I'll hate myself if I do that to our baby.

Authors note: Thank you very much team Vanessa and Team Miles we're drawing to the end of this amazing novel, Million Miles. Thank you all for your support. I love you all, and Vanessa and Miles too💖