Chapter 2

I had several nightmares. When I woke up, my head was throbbing, and it took me quite a while to finally feel normal again.

Rayan didn't come home at all. He texted me in the middle of the night, telling me to get some rest and not to wait up for him.

I set my phone aside, got up, washed up, and made myself some breakfast.

When I was about to grab my suitcase and start packing, my mother called.

"Sweetie, have you given any thought to what I talked to you about last time?" she asked.

My family lived in a small town, and we own a thirty-acre farm. My mother had always hoped I'd come back and take over someday.

She had brought it up more than once, but I always dodged the topic. Back then, all I wanted was to stay with Rayan.

Her voice rose a notch. "If you don't want to come back, at least get married this year. Either get married or come home and take over the farm. It's up to you."

My mother already knew about me and Rayan.

If this were before, I would've been pulling my usual act, trying to win her over with a sweet voice.

But this time, after a few seconds of hesitation, I made my choice. "I'll come home and take over the farm."

"Really?" My mother sounded surprised, then got a little suspicious. "Hey, you're not messing with me, right? Think it through. If you come back, you'll have to do long-distance with your boyfriend."

"I'm planning to break up with him," I said.

My mother fell silent.

After more than a minute, she finally said, "Fine, break up if you want. When you come home, Mom will hook you up with someone better than him."

"Mom, I..." I couldn't bring myself to tell her about the pregnancy. I figured I'd wait until I got home to tell her.

I packed up my stuff in no time, then tried calling Rayan, but his phone was off.

I called his secretary, but she said Rayan didn't come into the office today.

Breaking up was a big deal, so I wanted to tell him face to face. I sent him a message, saying I needed to talk to him about something important and asking him to call me when he saw it.

I waited all day, and by the time night rolled around, I still hadn't heard from him.

Instead of Rayan's call, it was my best friend, Kensley Webster, who called.

"Leona, what's going on with you and Rayan? Isn't he your boyfriend? How did he suddenly become Naura's mystery man?" Kensley asked.

I was stunned. "What are you talking about?"

"You haven't checked the news? They're trending everywhere right now. The paparazzi caught them at the airport in the middle of the night, followed them all the way, and they ended up at a hotel together," Kensley said.

My grip on the phone tightened before I even realized it.

No wonder Rayan's phone was off all day. Guess he was with Naura the whole time.

He turned off his phone because he didn't want to be disturbed.

Kensley said, "Honestly, you've spoiled Rayan way too much. That's why he feels bold enough to pull this kind of stunt right in front of everyone."

We talked for a bit longer, then hung up.

I opened social media and clicked on the trending topic with Naura and Rayan's names.

There were photos and videos. Naura and Rayan didn't do anything intimate, but they did go into a hotel together around 2 a.m.

The paparazzi were really something. They even managed to snap a pic of them entering the same room.

It wasn't until the next evening that Rayan finally came home.

He'd clearly been drinking, and there was a faint whiff of alcohol on him. But, it didn't smell bad.

But as soon as Rayan got close, I couldn't tell if it was nerves or the pregnancy, but I suddenly pushed him away and bent over, gagging.

I rushed into the bathroom and threw up until I was completely drained.

When I finally came out, Rayan handed me a glass of warm water and asked gently, "Leona, are you feeling sick?"

"No," I said.

I had no intention of telling him I was pregnant.

After a moment's thought, I said, "I'm planning to move back home, so... let's break up."

Rayan frowned, like he couldn't believe what he'd heard. "Leona, what did you say?"

I wanted to let it all out, tell him I'd heard every word he said to Nixon that night, and that I knew about him picking up Naura at the airport last night.

But I swallowed the words before they could come out.

What was the use in telling him all this now?

Right now, I wanted to end things once and for all.

Rayan looked like he wanted to say something else, but his phone rang. His face turned grim, he went upstairs for a bit, and then he left.

Before he left, he hugged me, gently stroked my hair, and said softly, "Let's figure this out when I get back, okay? Stay home and rest. Don't go running around."

I didn't listen to Rayan. Not long after he left, I headed out too, grabbing a few of the luxury bags he'd given me.

Those bags were all expensive, but I didn't really like the colors, so they'd been sitting in my closet untouched.

Since we were breaking up anyway, I figured it'd be a waste to toss them out. Might as well sell them and pocket some cash.

After selling the bags, I ran into Naura right at the front gate of the villa.