Chapter 9
Anna’s POV
I couldn’t believe it. My own parents had slammed the door in my face, leaving me with nowhere to turn. I glanced down at my phone, the bright numbers on the screen showing me it was nearly 10:15 pm.
Left with no other choice. I had to find a hotel for the night. Hailing a cab, I gave the driver the address of the closest one, my mind racing with a million thoughts. How could my parents abandon me like this? Didn’t they understand how serious my situation was? I was their daughter!
As I stepped through the doors of the hotel, I approached the front desk, ready to get a room for the night. But when the receptionist swiped my card, a frown crossed her face. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but your card has been declined.”
I stared at her in disbelief. “That’s
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impossible,” I responded, quickly pulling out another card. “Try this one.”
But the same thing happened, and then the next card, and the next. My stomach twisted with dread as I realized what was happening. Caden had frozen my accounts.
Frantically, I dialed his number, my fingers shaking. When he finally picked up on the third ring, his voice sounded annoyed, like I was somehow disturbing him.
“What the hell is going on, Caden?” I demanded, unable to keep the desperation from my voice. “Why have you frozen my
bank accounts?”
“Isn’t it obvious, or are you dumb?” he replied, his arrogant tone clear. “Maybe next time you’ll think twice about divorcing
me.”
“Caden, please, you can’t do this!” I begged in a trembling voice. “I need access to my money. I have nowhere else to go!”
But Caden simply scoffed. “Well, that
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sounds like a you problem.” And with that, he hung up, leaving me staring at the phone in my hand, my heart racing in my chest.
I frantically dialed his number again, but it had been switched off. I was completely at his mercy, and he clearly had no intention of showing me any.
Turning back to the receptionist, I pleaded with her, “Please, there must be something you can do. I’ll figure out a way to pay, I promise.”
But the woman simply shook her head, looking at me apologetically. I’m sorry, ma’am, but if you can’t pay, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Biting my lip to hold back the tears, I grabbed my bag and headed outside, my mind racing. How could I have been so foolish as to give Caden access to my accounts? I had trusted him, and he had used that trust to trap me, to leave me completely helpless.
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As I stood on the sidewalk, desperately
trying to stop another cab, two guys wearing masks rushed out from the shadows of a nearby alley.
Before I could react, they were closing in on me, one of them snatching my purse while the other roughly grabbed the necklace from around my neck. I
struggled, trying to fight them off, but they were too strong, and one of them punched. me hard in the stomach, causing me to yelp in pain.
They shoved me to the ground, and I cried out as I felt something warm and wet trickling down my legs. Oh, no, not the baby, not now. I couldn’t bear to lose this child, I thought as I clutched my stomach.
100%
As the thieves disappeared out of sight, I fumbled for my phone, my vision getting hazy from the pain. I was lucky they didn’t find it in my pocket.
Nate’s number was the first thing that came to mind, and I pressed the call button,
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praying he would answer.
“Nate, you’ve got to help me,” I gasped. “I… I’m hurt, and I need you.”
I heard the concern in his voice as he
immediately responded, “Anna? Where are you? I’m on my way.”
I glanced around, trying to get my bearings. “I’m… I’m outside the hotel, just a few blocks from my parents‘ house,” I managed to say, the pain radiating through. my body.
“Hang on, I’m coming,” he said, his voice. urgent. “Just stay where you are and keep talking to me, okay?”
I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me, and clutched the phone tightly, the world starting to spin.
“Nate,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Hurry, please…”
As I slowly got my consciousness back, the first thing I felt was a little relief–the
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overwhelming pain in my abdomen had reduced and was replaced by a slight headache. Blinking my eyes open, I was met with the face of Nate, sitting by my bed with a concerned look.
“Nate?” I called out, my throat suddenly feeling parched. Immediately, my hand went to my stomach. “The baby… how is the baby?”
His expression grew serious, and he reached out to gently squeeze my hand. “The baby’s fine. You’ve been out for about thirty minutes, but the doctors said the baby is doing well.”
“Oh thank God,”
“So you were pregnant?” He arched a brow.
I sighed deeply rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly. “Yes. I’m pregnant, broke, about to be divorced, pregnant, and homeless.”
His brow furrowed, and he leaned in closer. “Your parents kicked you out?”
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I nodded, feeling the urge to cry. “They told me to go back to Caden and beg for hist forgiveness. They wouldn’t let me stay with them.”
A flash of anger crossed his face. “That’s bullshit, Anna. You shouldn’t have to beg for anything, especially not from that asshole.”
I swiped at the tears that were threatening to fall any second. “I know, but what am I supposed to do?”
He paused, his gaze shifting momentarily before he met my eyes again. “I want you to come stay with me. At least until you get back on your feet.”
I stared at him for a while before thanking him profusely. When we pulled up later to Nate’s grand, two–story mansion, with his burly security guards at the gate, I had to do a double take. The place was like a whole castle from a fairytale novel.
We got down from the car, and then I
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noticed a woman standing on the doorstep, her arms crossed over her chest. Nate immediately stepped in front of me, his hand reaching for mine.
“Play along,” he muttered, before leaning in and pressing his lips to mine.
