Chapter 3 · Positive Test, Negative Timing

Chapter 3

After painting all day, before I knew it, evening had already fallen.

As I walked out of the studio, I almost ran into Jonathan, who was waiting right at the door.

If yesterday was a bit unexpected, today was plain shocking.

I almost blurted out, "Why are you here again?"

He didn't spend time with Sophie last night, but tonight too?

Jonathan casually slipped off his coat, raising an eyebrow when he heard me.

"What, did you take my name off the deed? Am I not allowed in here anymore?" he teased.

I fell silent for a moment. "That's not what I meant."

Having nothing else to say, I grabbed my pajamas and slipped into the bathroom.

When I came out, Jonathan was sprawled lazily across the couch.

Not bothering to look up, he asked casually, "I saw your closet's looking pretty empty. Where did all those bags you like go?"

Damn, I forgot to close the closet door.

Without looking at him, I sat down at the vanity and started my skincare routine, pretending nothing was out of the ordinary. "I got bored with those bags."

Jonathan didn't say anything.

He shot a thoughtful look at my closet.

In the mirror's reflection, I saw Jonathan making his way over to me.

He bent down and pulled me into his arms, his breath tickling my ear. "You get tired of bags, so what about me? Will you get tired of me, too?"

I hadn't expected him to ask that, so I was at a loss for words.

Jonathan started kissing my cheek, then moved to my lips, deepening the kiss and claiming my mouth.

I knew exactly what he was after. I pulled back gently. "I'm tired."

He nibbled on my earlobe. "You don't have to do a thing."

I said, "Still no."

*****

The next morning, a whole crew streamed in and restocked my half-empty closet.

When I got up and saw it, I stood there, dumbfounded.

All my bags, clothes, and jewelry had gotten a complete makeover.

When Jonathan saw I was awake, he handed me a glass of water and nodded toward the new stuff. "Take your pick. Keep what you like, and if you don't want something, ask Sarah to toss it."

I stayed quiet.

So this was what it was like when the rich threw money around.

Forget it.

Actually, it was pretty nice.

Looked like I could cash in again.

Seeing Jonathan watching me so intently, I knew exactly what he wanted. I rose up on my toes like always.

I pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

"Thanks, honey," I said.

He arched his brow, bent down, and kissed me on the lips. "You're welcome."

*****

By the time I got back from my prenatal checkup, it was already pitch dark outside.

The doctor said everything was normal. The baby's heartbeat was strong, and it was developing fine.

The blurry black-and-white image on the ultrasound looked bigger than last time, kind of like a peanut.

I slipped the ultrasound report into the inner pocket of my bag, started the engine, and slowly drove out of the hospital gates.

As I approached the ramp, I signaled and eased into the next lane.

Suddenly, in my rearview mirror, a black SUV came barreling in from the far right lane.

I instinctively hit the brakes, thinking the other driver wasn't paying attention.

But the SUV didn't go around me.

Instead, it kept pressing in, getting closer and closer.

Something felt off, the guy behind the wheel had a baseball cap pulled low, and a mask on, all I could see were his eyes.

He slammed on the gas.

The black SUV was completely out of control, coming right at me like a wild beast.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

I saw the headlights, so bright they hurt my eyes, like two blazing white eyes staring me down.

Sparks flew as the tires scraped the pavement.

I saw the guardrail whipping past at the edge of my vision.

My pupils shrank, and my mind went totally blank.

But the very next second, as I squeezed my eyes shut, a deafening crash erupted right in front of me. The sound was like a bomb going off beside my ear.

I snapped my eyes open, my heart pounding like crazy.

An AMG was blocking my way, right in front of my car.

Shards of the bumper scattered across the road.

And when I saw who was in the driver's seat, my whole world stopped.

"Jonathan!" I yelled, panic flooding my voice.

Blood was streaming from his head where it had smashed against the glass, running down his temple in a crimson line.

He was sprawled there, face smeared with blood, motionless in a growing pool of it.

Chapter 3

After painting all day, before I knew it, evening had already fallen.

As I walked out of the studio, I almost ran into Jonathan, who was waiting right at the door.

If yesterday was a bit unexpected, today was plain shocking.

I almost blurted out, "Why are you here again?"

He didn't spend time with Sophie last night, but tonight too?

Jonathan casually slipped off his coat, raising an eyebrow when he heard me.

"What, did you take my name off the deed? Am I not allowed in here anymore?" he teased.

I fell silent for a moment. "That's not what I meant."

Having nothing else to say, I grabbed my pajamas and slipped into the bathroom.

When I came out, Jonathan was sprawled lazily across the couch.

Not bothering to look up, he asked casually, "I saw your closet's looking pretty empty. Where did all those bags you like go?"

Damn, I forgot to close the closet door.

Without looking at him, I sat down at the vanity and started my skincare routine, pretending nothing was out of the ordinary. "I got bored with those bags."

Jonathan didn't say anything.

He shot a thoughtful look at my closet.

In the mirror's reflection, I saw Jonathan making his way over to me.

He bent down and pulled me into his arms, his breath tickling my ear. "You get tired of bags, so what about me? Will you get tired of me, too?"

I hadn't expected him to ask that, so I was at a loss for words.

Jonathan started kissing my cheek, then moved to my lips, deepening the kiss and claiming my mouth.

I knew exactly what he was after. I pulled back gently. "I'm tired."

He nibbled on my earlobe. "You don't have to do a thing."

I said, "Still no."

*****

The next morning, a whole crew streamed in and restocked my half-empty closet.

When I got up and saw it, I stood there, dumbfounded.

All my bags, clothes, and jewelry had gotten a complete makeover.

When Jonathan saw I was awake, he handed me a glass of water and nodded toward the new stuff. "Take your pick. Keep what you like, and if you don't want something, ask Sarah to toss it."

I stayed quiet.

So this was what it was like when the rich threw money around.

Forget it.

Actually, it was pretty nice.

Looked like I could cash in again.

Seeing Jonathan watching me so intently, I knew exactly what he wanted. I rose up on my toes like always.

I pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

"Thanks, honey," I said.

He arched his brow, bent down, and kissed me on the lips. "You're welcome."

*****

By the time I got back from my prenatal checkup, it was already pitch dark outside.

The doctor said everything was normal. The baby's heartbeat was strong, and it was developing fine.

The blurry black-and-white image on the ultrasound looked bigger than last time, kind of like a peanut.

I slipped the ultrasound report into the inner pocket of my bag, started the engine, and slowly drove out of the hospital gates.

As I approached the ramp, I signaled and eased into the next lane.

Suddenly, in my rearview mirror, a black SUV came barreling in from the far right lane.

I instinctively hit the brakes, thinking the other driver wasn't paying attention.

But the SUV didn't go around me.

Instead, it kept pressing in, getting closer and closer.

Something felt off, the guy behind the wheel had a baseball cap pulled low, and a mask on, all I could see were his eyes.

He slammed on the gas.

The black SUV was completely out of control, coming right at me like a wild beast.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye.

I saw the headlights, so bright they hurt my eyes, like two blazing white eyes staring me down.

Sparks flew as the tires scraped the pavement.

I saw the guardrail whipping past at the edge of my vision.

My pupils shrank, and my mind went totally blank.

But the very next second, as I squeezed my eyes shut, a deafening crash erupted right in front of me. The sound was like a bomb going off beside my ear.

I snapped my eyes open, my heart pounding like crazy.

An AMG was blocking my way, right in front of my car.

Shards of the bumper scattered across the road.

And when I saw who was in the driver's seat, my whole world stopped.

"Jonathan!" I yelled, panic flooding my voice.

Blood was streaming from his head where it had smashed against the glass, running down his temple in a crimson line.

He was sprawled there, face smeared with blood, motionless in a growing pool of it.