The Groom's One True Bride

Chapter 4

It has not been a great day. She woke up on the wrong side of the bed, wishing she did not wake up at all. She slowly pushed herself up, got on with the normal routine.

Life is hell. Eversince the encounter with Kiefer over the weekend, things seem to be a whole lot confusing, a whole lot toxic... Her emotions, her mind, they all seem to rattle on her nerves. She went on with her work the next day, moving mechanically, even if she feels like falling down on her knees and crawling back home.

She has moved on from him. The sex just killed every illusion she had about love, about them.

There was only sex.

Ella was silent, sensing that there is trouble in the air. Alyssa tried to compensate it by laughing just as hard as everybody, enjoying what was left of their teambuilding. But she actually just wanted to scream and howl.

And when night came, she found solitude in her loneliness. Like she needed this for herself, to find herself.

And then, she realized she has lost herself.

She sighed. There's still volleyball practice in the evening. For the first time in her life, her heart isn't on it. Maybe she lost her heart when she lost him. She sighed heavily, dragging her feet, trying to steady her stomach. She must be coming with a flu or something. The cold gym greeted her, and she doesn't like the smell of the musty gym...

"Alyssa!"

She slowly turned around. She feels like fainting.

"Besh, ano ba?"

And it was black.

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She hurriedly ran to the bathroom, and puked. Yesterday, she fainted when she arrived at the gym. Everyone panicked. She has been feeling lethargic lately, and now...

This could not be fucking happening...

She is scared. Oh, she is scared alright. She can't be... But...

She was listless at work. She couldn't think straight. Good thing they do not have practice that afternoon. So right after her work, she bought a box of pregnancy kit. She realized she hasn't had her period, lost track of it. She just has this funny feeling...

As soon as she got home, she went inside the bathroom... After 5 minutes...

POSITIVE.

She looked at herself in the mirror. Forced herself to breathe. How could this get any more complicated?

There's Zitti... And ...

She dropped her head on her hands. It is inevitable. She can't have his child.

Yet Fate is slowly closing on her, sealing her life.

She has to get away from here. But how?

She has to be careful. No one has to know. She has to slowly fade away. Any wrong move would bring attention to her.

She has to slowly get away from here...

But somehow, she smiled.

She slowly, lightly touched her tummy, let her fingers skim the skin, and closed her eyes.

And she felt peace.

For this is a gift for her. A reminder that she has once loved, and has been loved. And it was not just the sex, and has been the sex, and all that was bitter can also be sweet.

She is choosing to find beauty in the darkness.

She now has a reason to live.

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