Dedicated to my very old readers
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upreeto

It's been fifteen minutes since I sent a message to Carol to inform her about my arrival. Taking my hair drier and robe, I went to my bathroom.

"Is it good?" I asked Fiona who was sitting in my bathtub while I hanged the robe and placed my hair drier there.

"Thank you," She mumbled and I passed a smile to her. Her blue eyes and natural blonde hair were amazing but her face looked dull and eyes baggy.

"I will be waiting outside," I said and left to make some hot chocolate milk when the door to my apartment was knocked.

Checking from the peephole I saw Carol and opened the door. She walked passed me to the couch when I offered,
"Hot chocolate?"
"Please," She replied,

I went to prepare three glasses and was working on it when my phone chimed.
The ID showed it to be a message from Alex.
And I clicked to read, Why the hell on the earth you went to your apartment? I want you at my place and you have until I am home.

I read the message and ignored it. Preparing three glass I get to where Carol was sitting and noticed Fiona getting out.

"Come here," I invited her to take a seat beside me while Carol who seems a little lost seeing a pregnant teenager girl didn't take more than a few seconds to get a hold on her facial expression and passed a little smile to Fiona while I know she is impatiently waiting for me to tell her everything.

"Carol, this is Fiona and Fiona, Carol is my friend and the only person I know in L.A, and Carol, Antonio has to be given money by us. But don't worry we still have a week." I said in a breath and Carol's face dropped.

"I had two before," She replied monotonously and my jaw dropped because I accepted Antonio's challenge without knowing we had two weeks previously.

"I am sorry," I mumbled,

"What does Alex offered?" She asked,
"Alex,...." I tried to lie but couldn't make myself to hide my wrongdoings.
"Actually, Antonio offered to let you off without having a penny but,...." I trailed off again.

"But what Jane,..." She asked and I responded,

"I saw him bullying this little girl here and I couldn't stay out of it. And I,...." I recalled the event.

"I told him very mean things and, and he offered that this girl's punishment can be relaxed but he won't offer Carol any concession but, but the way he told me this was so demeaning. Like he was telling me that I am nothing and then I told him off that his money will be sent to him. And this made Antonio angry and he told Alex to tame me but Alex sitting there said that as his fiance I can do whatever I want so I took the girl and his car and told his driver to drive me here at my apartment."

I said in a breath and could feel my hands getting cold.

"You are what?" Both women shouted.
"I am what, what..." I asked,
"You said you are Alex's fiance," Carol reminded me,
"About that,..." I wanted to make it clear but Carol chirped, "It means he will help you out, half a million is nothing for him," She seems excited,

"But I will never accept his money," I said in a hurry.
"But why?" Carol asked,
"Because I am not related to him." I cleared my stance.
"But you are his fiance," She asked in confusion this time.

"This is what he thinks," I said and both looked at me with shock.
"Why do I feel that you are in a bigger hole?" Carol said and took the glass from the table.
I picked the other and offered it to Fiona.

"What do you mean?" I asked,
"I have thought it through, I can call my father and told him that I will marry any man he wants and he will offer me help." She said but her face seemed hopeless.

"I don't know much because we never discuss your family but are you sure?" I asked,
"Don't ask me," She said and a tear escaped her eye. I know she can be stupid and rush into things but she had a good heart in all of this facade. So, I got up from my place and went to Carol's side to give her a side hug.

"Let's just give ourselves some time," I said rubbing her back and she nodded.

"But what about you?" She asked looking at me but then added,
"How are you supposed to tell Alex that you are not his fiance and why does he think that you are his fiance?" She asked,

"I got this," I said but inner me knew that I haven't. I looked at my cell to notice a missed call from Alex. I get back to sit beside Fiona and texted him,

I will talk to you in the morning when you are sober because I have something to talk about us.

"So, what was your punishment and why?" I heard Carol asking Fiona.
"You don't need to talk about it." I offered,

"I was told to see Edward where ever he would be and ask for the forgiveness to ever try to taint his good name," Fiona uttered the words but she seemed scared while her eyes looked stoned without any emotion.

"And you did what?" Carol asked carefully.
"I used him to get status and money."
She mumbled,
"You actually did it or was just blamed," I asked,

"I did it, Jane. And I know I am wrong and you are just helping someone who doesn't deserve it. Antonio was right I am nothing but a gold digger." She told me with a hard expression but I can see that there was something more to it.

"I don't care even if you were wrong. You are just a kid who needs an adult to tell her that it is never too late and look at your state you need a caretaker." I reminded her,
"Jane is right, I mean what are you? 17?" Carol asked,

"I will be 16 in two months," Fiona said sipping on her glass and Carol's expression wasn't different than me. We both shared a glare while Fiona said, "I have a job tomorrow I should get some sleep."

"What job? Don't they know to offer you maternity leaves?" I asked,

"I am the waitress in a very good restaurant here but they only offer me Job to never ask for many maternity leaves. Plus, I live in the restaurant's back storage room with a bag with me. So, it is good. Believe me, the lady there is great if I don't need to go and see Edward and face Antonio's men to remind me about my punishment. I will be very thankful to you." She looked at me with hope in her eyes.

"Don't you have anyone? Any parents or relatives?" I asked,
"My dad never wanted me and my mother is the reason that I am in this state," She said pointing to her belly.

"What do you mean?" Carol and I asked,

"My boyfriend and I broke up on my fifteenth birthday because I never wanted to end up as my mother did. She had me out of wedlock. And Mic wanted to have sex. My mom was happy that I was being a good daughter but the truth was she never liked Mic. I wanted to focus on my studies and want to have more than my mother's trailer can offer." She stopped like recalling something she wished never happened.

"Edward was there when I secured the third position in a debate. I took the prize from him but couldn't stop looking at him. Two days later, I saw his car near my trailer. He was handsome and have cars but he was twenty-eight and double my age. Accepting a chocolate box and compliments was fine but I knew it wasn't good. I never wanted to be seen with a guy this old. So, when I saw him the second time I told him that I can never be his girlfriend. But the next thing I knew was my mother telling me to go out with him. He approached my mother. I was furious at him and my mother but decided to went on the date because my mother threatened me to throw me out of the trailer." She gulped hard but then continue.

"He was always nice. Take me to nice dates in expansive cars. I won't lie I was happy when I got branded shoes and bags. And his age didn't matter to me anymore. I started thinking that my school and writings will never take me there where his hand can. Soon, I noticed that it was always on Wednesday or Thursday. I asked him but he said it's nothing. He wanted to be physical like Mic wanted and I wasn't sure but my mother said no to failure. And I agreed. He took me to his hotel but after this, there were no dates and long drives." Her voice seems to break.

"I was always told to reach that very same room to see him. He guided me to take the pills and I never missed any. My mother was happy with all the money and expansive gifts but I couldn't feel good anymore. And, he too became less interested. This is when I told my mother that I want to break up because he doesn't love me anymore but she told me that everything will be good. She told me to stop taking pills and bind him to me with his baby. I, too, didn't want to lose him because, because he was my first and though he never took me to dates anymore he wasn't abusive like Mic used to be. I thought it was a great idea and I was pregnant next week. I shared this news with him and he asked me to abort the baby. I was devastated knowing he already had a fiance and never wanted to leave her. I was infuriated knowing I was sleeping with another woman's man. When I tried to confront him he told me how I was always ready and started dating him because of expansive things. He said he can offer me money to raise the child but I always have to be his secret lover." She became silent and Carol got agitated,"This is ridiculous. I am gonna kill that pedophile jerk?"

But Fiona continued, "I rejected his offer and my mother threw me out of the trailer. With nowhere to go, I went to Edward's house and disrespected him in front of his whole family and friends. It was his engagement day. No one believed me. Edward's position was so strong. He was always this good man who never cheated. This is when I noticed Antonio for the first time but it wasn't the first time I heard about him. Living my whole life in a trailer I had heard about his ways. He took me out and told me to ask for forgiveness from the family if I wanted to live. And I did exactly what he told me to do. From then on, he punished me to ask for Edward's forgiveness on a daily basis. I tried to talk to Antonio many times that it is difficult for me but he never agreed. I wanted to have a paternity test and show it to Antonio that it is really Edward's baby but having a paternity test wasn't good for my baby so I avoided and now I am waiting until she comes out." She went silent and I saw Carol crying while Fiona seems lost too,

"Come here," I said coming to Fiona and give her a side hug.
"You did great. Not many people will be this strong in the face of such cruel people. You are so strong, my darling."

"I am so sorry," Carol sobbed,
"It's fine," Fiona whispered getting up, "I am thankful that I don't have to see him now, Jane. But I have a job tomorrow so I got to leave in the morning." She said looking at me,
"You aren't going anywhere, not in this state," I said brushing my tears off.

"But," She tried to say something when I cut her off.
"Fiona, you have been through a lot. You need to rest. We two will see the things,....." but Carol cut me off gritting, "and that bastard Edward."

"I don't want to disrespect you two because you really seem nice but how on the earth you ever will be able to,...." She trailed off and we look at her so she could continue,

"You two are nice. But they are powerful." She mumbled,
"It shouldn't concern you, Fiona. You just relax and keep yourself warm." I replied,

"Jane is right. We will go shopping for baby clothes and a stroller tomorrow." Carol offered and I look at her grateful.

We talk about her baby's arrival and it was due for ten weeks. Listening to her story I felt sad and proud at the same time. Sad that she had to go through all of this and proud that she pulled it off bravely. She was convinced that she acted greedily but I knew it wasn't the case. She was a very responsible girl that can put many adults to shame. 

Carol and I were busy talking about what to do for half a million when I noticed Fiona's breath on my shoulder. She was sleeping and I gestured Carol to come in the morning. She went out and I carefully held Fiona's head and placed it over the cushion and took out a blanket to cover her.

Get into the room when you wake up. I wrote a note for her and get into my room. This is when I heard a light knock on the door and thinking Fiona doesn't wake up I quickly get to the door to open it.

"What are you doing here?" I asked Alex all the while getting out and closing the door behind.

"I am here to take you," He caught my hand and tried to push my door open when I hissed,
"You are drunk," and tried to get my hand free but next I found him hovering me. "What do you want, Jane?" He asked while his hot breath brushed over my forehead. I fear that Fiona will wake up.

"I want you to leave and talk to you once you are sober," I said lowering my eyes and closing the door again. It was so cold in the corridor that it made me shiver but I couldn't risk to take him in and disturbing Fiona.

"Let's talk now," He huskily offered and his mouth came to suck my lips. I tasted the alcohol on his mouth and tried to pull away but arching my neck he let his tongue slide into my mouth. My hands over his chest were caught by his other hand to take them over my head.

I opened my eyes the moment I heard someone cursing. "I am sorry," I heard Carol's voice.

We pulled away to look at our left where Carol was standing. Alex passed a smile while securing his hand around my waist and I hit to him not getting my balance in time. "It's fine, you are Carol, I guess. Jane talks about you a lot." He lied and I shot him my hard glare.

"Yea," Carol managed to say all the while checking him out. Well, this is the only thing about him. He was tall, sexy and gorgeous that anyone will have a hard time to stop looking at him.

"I felt bad for all the inconvenience you have to suffer. The matter with Antonio just forgets about it already. After all, we all are friends here," He said while offering his lady killer grin screaming he is above all and everything.

She managed a breathy thank you and added, "I am sorry," before getting into her apartment again.

"I think she is into me," He said and I punched his arm. "Stop acting like you are the last man on this earth, and Antonio didn't look like he will let this matter go," I asked,

"Yes, he won't agree. But who cares? I will give you money and you will transfer it to his account. Problem solved!" He said coming onto me again but I stopped asking, "Why did you lie to Carol then?"

"She was your friend and I was seeing her for the first time so I gotta impress her for you, dumbass!" He said and started kissing me again but this time his hand groped my ass and I felt his fingers digging as he pulled me to him. I felt him opening my door behind me and Fiona sleeping in the living room all I could worry about. So I knew I had to stop this.

"I can't accept this money, Alex." I managed to tell him and get between him and the door.

"It's already been said so it has to happen this way. Think about your friend only," He said setting the strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Like you only think about your friend, Edward and made a small child suffer way more than she could handle." I spat this time. Even the mere thought of what that little angel went through all this time was enough to make my blood boil.

"Let's not talk about that gold digger, Jane. Edward is nothing like,...."

"I dare you to call her names ever." I gritted words so hard that I felt breathless in seconds.

"She is,...." He wanted to say something when I hissed, "Alex!"

"I will talk to you in the morning," I said and wanted to get inside but he blocked my way,

"Why do you have to be so hard?" He said with his lips a little curled up.

"You look beautiful when you are angry. But don't you dare to relate yourself to any of such women. You are so innocent and naive to ever stand with them." He added but I knew he was too drunk to listen to himself right now,

"Alex, you are too drunk to notice that I am just like any other woman. So, leave."

"No, I know you. You are so sweet that I already know you are meant to keep." He said while his lips dangerously came so close that I knew he was about to kiss me again,

"I will see you tomorrow," I wanted to bid farewell.
"Why not, today?" He asked while I got behind my door. He surely knew how to ride my nerves.

"Good night, Alex," I tried to close the door but he stopped me with his right foot. "Is there someone inside?" He asked all the while trying to come inside.

**********
The next two chapters are ready but it's a rough draft.
I will try my best to update tomorrow.

I am hardly getting time nowadays.
I know we are all adults and busy. In fact, I just recently realized that many of my readers are doing great and belong to the great professions. Yea, I do check who is following me on Insta. And, couldn't help but be amazed by how well you are doing in your life. 

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