𝖎𝖓𝖖𝖚𝖎𝖘𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖛𝖊.

035.

[THREE MONTHS LATER]

☽

SHE FELT LIKE SHIT. She felt so bad that she had to lure herself away from the kitchen to sit in her office in front of the fan to cool her nausea. ​I must've caught a bug, she thought. Eventually, an employee of hers had taken notice in her manager's disappearance and dropped everything from washing dishes to maintaining the cooking area to check on her. Politely knocking on her door and when she didn't get an answer, she slowly pushed it open to see Estella removing her chef coat, both hands flat on the mahogany desk as she balanced her breath.

"Ms. Perez?" Phoebe's soft voice called her own with concern, Estella turning her head to see her. "Are you okay? You don't look so good."

"I think I've caught a bug," Estella exhales. "Can you fetch me a bottle of water, please?"

"Sure," she chirps, walking over to the mini-fridge to grab a plastic bottle of Fiji and handing it over with a weak smile. Estella instantly gulps down the entire bottle.

"I'm going to take off for the rest of the day," Estella says, grabbing her tan purse and tossing things she needed into it before slipping into her trench coat. "I'll get Rain to train you a little more so you won't feel lost. She's super friendly so you definitely won't feel left out."

"The girl with the shaved head and fifty million tattoos?" Phoebe exclaimed. "But she seems so-restrictive?"

Estella laughs at her nervousness. "She looks mean but I assure you the moment you speak up and show politeness she'll smile as bright as the moon. You will be okay, alright?"

"Alright." She chews on her lower lip. Phoebe was only 19. She was an intern Estella interviewed a month back who dreamed of becoming a world renowned chef and owning her own restaurant someday. She wanted to gain as much experience this summer before heading to The Culinary Institute of America, one of the biggest culinary colleges in the world, for her masters. Phoebe was a sweet girl with a bright personality, shy on certain occasions. Although that didn't stop her from learning what she needed and keeping her head up.

"Well, I hope you feel better."

"You and me both."

Her first stop was to Rite Aid to grab a few pharmaceuticals and just to be sure-a pregnancy test. As she sat in her car starting the engine, her entire body grew tiresome, holding back the vomit itching to lurch out from her throat. She hurriedly dumped the boxes of medicine out of the bag and used that to release it out of her system, entire body shutting down. She drove home as quickly as she could, pulling her car into the garage and taking the elevator up to their part of the floor before rushing to the nearest bathroom. While taking a shower, she wasn't aware that Harry had been home.

He came out from their bedroom to grab some lunch and heard the shower run from the bathroom near the kitchen, knowing she was home but not being aware of what was wrong. That was until he found her purse and labeled boxes thrown across the floor. Out of generosity, he picked them up to set them on top of the kitchen island, instantly catching a glance at one box reading pregnancy test. He couldn't lie, his heart jumped at the thought of Estella being pregnant again. But his stomach churned at the reminder of what had previously occurred only three months ago.

He waited for her to come out to say anything, searching through the fridge and making himself a sandwich while he waited-practically impatient. A few minutes later she came out wrapped in a towel with steam radiating off her skin, jumping and clutching her towel tightly when she spotted Harry.