"Oh my goodness, this is wonderful! Why did you keep it a secret from me?" Sarah exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement as she gently touched my baby bump. I felt a mix of confusion and surprise at her reaction, unsure why she was so thrilled when we hadn't even discussed my pregnancy yet.
"Um..." I murmured, looking at Sultan for some sort of explanation, but he just shrugged, clearly just as perplexed as I was.
"What took you so long to tell me, Sultan?" Sarah asked, her grip on my hand warm and gentle as she led us to the dining table. She began serving me a plate of rice, her movements swift and efficient. I was still trying to wrap my head around her question, feeling lost and unsure how to respond.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, exchanging a bewildered glance with Sultan, who seemed equally perplexed. Though, he did appear slightly more excited than confused. "Are you experiencing any difficulties with your pregnancy?" Sarah asked, sipping her wine with an air of concern.
"Yeah, a lot," I replied, and she nodded sympathetically, her smile reassuring.
"I understand, but don't worry dear, it's all part of the journey," she said, her words calming. I nodded, taking a sip of my juice to compose myself. Then, she turned to Sultan, her tone taking on a slightly different note. "And again, why didn't you tell me Milani is pregnant with your child, Sultan?" Her words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I felt my eyes widen in shock. I coughed, choking on the rice in my mouth, and quickly reached for my glass to wash it down.
"Easy, Milani," Sarah said, as I gulped down a glass of water, feeling relief wash over me seconds later. "Are you okay now, my dear?" she asked, concern etched on her face. I nodded, managing a small smile as I glanced at Sultan, who was watching me with worry – his concern seemed to be more about my choking than his mom's words.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice soft.
"Yes, I'm fine," I replied, offering him a weak smile, still feeling uncertain about how to react. The atmosphere had grown tense and uncomfortable for me.
"In your condition, you need to be careful about everything, for your own sake and the baby's," Sarah said, her voice firm but gentle. I shook my head, trying to clarify things.
"Um, I'm sorry, Sultan and I aren't—" But before I could finish, Sultan cut me off.
"Of course, yeah, exactly, I do tell her that all the time," Sultan said, his eyes locked on mine, pleading with me to go along with the charade. I felt a surge of frustration and annoyance, my mind racing with the thought of skinning him alive for putting me in this awkward situation. It was wrong on every level to lie to his mom, and I couldn't shake off the feeling of discomfort. Yet, his pleading gaze held me back, leaving me speechless and unsure of how to react. The rest of the meal was a blur, with Sarah barely stopping to take a breath as she gushed about spoiling her grandchild. I sat there, feeling increasingly uncomfortable, trapped in a web of deceit that I hadn't signed up for. I longed for a moment alone with Sultan, so I could demand an explanation for why he'd led his mom to believe I was carrying his child. The thought of her potential heartbreak and disappointment kept me silent, but I knew I couldn't keep up this facade for much longer.
"Um, I guess I should be heading home now, Sarah," I said, trying to gauge her reaction.
"It's quite late, Milani dear, why don't you spend the night here?" she suggested, her voice warm and inviting. I glanced at Sultan, who seemed to be nodding in agreement, and I hesitated for a moment before responding.
"Alright," I said, forcing a smile. As I settled in, I remembered Bella mentioning that Veronica was living with Sultan, but I hadn't seen her all evening. "Uh, just asking, where's Veronica?" I inquired, and Sultan's expression changed, clearly caught off guard by the question.
"She decided to visit her father today; she'll be back tomorrow morning," Sarah replied, her tone casual. I nodded, trying to process this new information. "You know Veronica?" Sarah asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Yeah, we bumped into each other a couple of times," I explained, and Sarah nodded before standing up.
"Alright, I'll be heading to my room now. Goodnight," she said, her voice gentle.
As soon as she left, Sultan turned to me, his expression apologetic. "Milani, I'm sorry," he said, his voice low.
"This is wrong, Sultan. Why would you lie to your mom about something this serious? She's your mom, for crying out loud. This is wrong on every level. You need to tell her the truth, my baby isn't yours," I said, frustration and concern etched on my face but Sultan's response caught me off guard.
"If I'm not the father, then who is?" he asked, his eyes locked on mine, and I let out a deep sigh, shaking my head in exasperation.
"Why do you care so much?" I asked, but Sultan's expression turned serious.
"Lani, I think it's time you told me the truth," he said, his eyes piercing as he gazed deep into mine.
"What truth?" I asked, confusion clouding my mind.
"That you don't have a boyfriend, and you don't know who the father of your child is," he stated, his words hitting me like a ton of bricks. I was stunned, my mind racing as I tried to process how he'd figured it out.
I fell silent, my eyes locked on his as I attempted to gauge how he knew. After what felt like an eternity, I broke the silence. "How did you know? I don't remember telling you this," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
"I know," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"How?" He fell silent. "Sultan, I'd appreciate it if you told me how you knew," I pressed, growing impatient.
"Your new friend, Jack," he replied. And a part of me died instantly as I looked at him blankly. "Jack told me everything."
"Tell me you're joking?" I refused to believe it.
"Jack is one of my employees. I wanted to gather some information about you, and the truth is, I didn't understand how you were pregnant and still a virgin until I took your virginity. He told me everything Bella wasn't able to tell me." I stood there, lost and shocked, my mind racing back to Jack and how I'd been unable to reach him after I told him the truth about my pregnancy.
"This is wild," I said, staring at him, still in disbelief about how far he'd gone to learn more about me. It was crazy.
"Lani, what if we mistakenly had sex that night in Ghana?" He cupped my cheek, and I shook my head.
"No, we didn't," I whispered.
"Then why do I feel connected to the baby?" He touched my stomach, and I gulped.
"Because she's just as sweet as her mommy," I said, and we both laughed. He rested his forehead against mine, and before I knew it, his mouth covered mine hungrily, his tongue exploring the recesses of my mouth. I parted my lips, responding to the ravishment of his mouth as he carried me in his arms all the way into his room, still kissing me.
YOU ARE READING
Wrong Injection
Romansa"Dive into the life of a determined NYU law student juggling the challenges of school and unexpected pregnancy. Follow her journey as she navigates the demands of law school while preparing for motherhood, and discover the strength and resilience th...
