Thelani (short)
After stepping out of McDonald's, I felt this sharp pain ripple through my belly. I'd heard of Braxton Hicks before, those practice contractions that people talk about, but damn, this felt so much worse than I imagined.
The intensity caught me off guard, nearly buckling my knees. My first instinct was to grab my phone and call an Uber, but as soon as I unlocked the screen, another wave of pain hit me so hard I dropped the phone, letting it fall to the pavement.
Of course, as if on cue, there he was-Lucas's guard, materializing out of nowhere like a shadow that follows me everywhere. I don't know how they always manage to do that. He bent down, picked up my phone for me, his expression unreadable, the same blank stare they always have.
"Come with me, ma'am. Let me take you home," he said in that deep, formal tone of his.
I couldn't argue with him, not with the way I was feeling. I mean, I was in too much pain to even care. My plan had been to go shopping after grabbing something to eat, but all that went out the window. Shopping was the last thing on my mind now.
I nodded, letting him guide me to the car. Once inside, I leaned back into the seat, clutching my belly as the cramps seemed to intensify. Every bump on the road felt like it stretched the drive out longer than it really was. I couldn't focus on anything else except the constant throbbing in my abdomen.
I barely noticed the city passing by, the familiar streets blurring together into one continuous loop of pain. I kept thinking it would pass, that maybe this was just a bad wave, but no-the pain persisted, twisting in my gut like it had a vendetta against me. I closed my eyes, breathing through it, wishing I could just block it all out.
When we finally pulled up to my apartment building, I felt a slight sense of relief, though I was still in agony. I dragged myself out of the car, bracing myself on the door before heading inside. But the moment I opened the door to my place, I stopped dead in my tracks.
There he was.
Lucas. Sitting on my couch like he owned the place, all calm and collected, as if he had every right to just be there waiting for me. I had no energy left to even question why he was here. Honestly, I didn't care. Not now. Not while my body was still screaming in protest.
I just stared at him, feeling exhaustion wash over me in waves. What was he doing here? What did he want now? I didn't have the strength to deal with him, not after the day I'd had. I could barely keep myself upright. All I wanted to do was collapse onto my bed and forget the world existed for a while.
But of course, Lucas had his own plans, as always.
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A WEB OF DECEIT ✔️
Romance**"A Web of Deceit"** is a gripping tale of love, betrayal, and the search for truth. At its heart are Thelani and Nkosikhona, two young adults whose lives are upended by secrets and lies. Thelani, a vibrant university student balancing part-time w...
