Chapter 6
Abrielle kept throwing up until her stomach was completely empty. Only then did she stand up, wash her face, and leave the bathroom.
As soon as she stepped out, she saw Spencer standing right there, his face a mix of emotions as he watched her.
"Did you just puke?" Spencer asked.
"I thought you could handle your drinks way better than that," he added.
Abrielle stayed silent. She was about to leave when Spencer gently caught her wrist, his voice dropping to a careful whisper.
"Wait... are you... pregnant?" he asked.
Seeing the complicated look in Spencer's eyes, Abrielle found herself saying something different than she'd intended.
"What if I said yes?" she replied.
Spencer went still, his expression unreadable for a second as a rush of emotions hit him.
He couldn't even tell if it was joy, shock, or just a wave of nervousness.
"That's impossible. We were always careful. How could you be pregnant?" Spencer said, his voice tight with disbelief.
Abrielle felt a dull ache in her chest, her heart twisting painfully.
She thought she'd prepared herself for this, but Spencer's reaction still stung.
A pale smile tugged at her lips.
"Do you really think I'd joke about something like this?" Abrielle said.
"Didn't you promise me that if I ever got pregnant, you'd marry me? Didn't you say all you ever wanted was to build a home with me?" she continued.
"So, what, are you regretting it now?" she asked.
Spencer's voice dropped even lower, as if something had just clicked in his mind.
"So, is this you getting jealous and pulling some stunt just to make me marry you right now?" he shot back.
"I've already explained. Once this fake marriage is over, I'll marry you. Why would you resort to such dirty tricks? Abrielle, you never used to be like this. When did you become so vain, so devious, so unreasonable? Honestly, I'm really disappointed in you," he said.
"This baby can't stay. We're still young. After the abortion, we'll have plenty of time to try again," he added.
Abrielle finally got it. Spencer didn't want a future with her, not now, not ever.
Luckily, her heart was already numb; she couldn't feel the pain anymore, not now, not ever.
A bitter smile tugged at her lips. It took her a long moment before she finally found her voice.
"Spencer, I lied to you. I'm not pregnant," she said quietly.
Spencer's face fell, a flash of panic in his eyes. He was about to say something when Rosie called out from behind.
"What are you two doing?" Rosie asked.
While Spencer was still stunned, Abrielle walked away without even glancing back.
A flicker of irritation flashed in Spencer's eyes, but his voice stayed calm.
"Nothing, just talking about work," he replied.
Rosie didn't suspect a thing. She flashed him a sweet smile and took his hand.
"Come on, let's head out before Annie gets anxious," she said.
When Spencer returned to the hall, the family gathering was still in full swing, but Abrielle was nowhere to be seen. She'd already left.
"Abrielle? I just heard from one of the waiters that some guy came to pick her up and take her home," one of the guests mentioned.
Spencer felt his chest tighten. He took a slow sip of his drink, saying nothing, but the veins standing out on his neck betrayed just how irritated he really was.
'A guy?' Spencer thought.
He knew every single one of Abrielle's friends, and he couldn't think of any guy who'd be close enough to show up and take her home this late at night.
'Whatever, maybe she's just trying to get under my skin,' Spencer thought.
'Once I talk to her and make it up, she'll cool off just like always,' he reassured himself.
But no matter how hard he tried to convince himself, a faint sense of unease just wouldn't leave him.
Abrielle walked out to the front door and noticed a Maybach parked by the curb.
A guy in a casual white shirt was leaning against the passenger door, waiting for her. His jawline was sharp, nose straight, and his eyes deep and smoldering. A faint, cocky smirk tugged at his lips, giving him an air of arrogance.
His bedroom eyes brimmed with youthful passion, the kind that made others feel like he was taking in everything about you.
"Get in," he said.
Abrielle nodded and slid into the passenger seat.
"How did you know I was here?" she asked.
Antonio Herring snickered.
"You told Elaine everything, didn't you? So why are you even asking me?" he teased.
"Seven years apart and you've gotten clueless," he added.
Abrielle leaned her head against the window and fell silent.
Antonio's sister, Elaine Herring, was her college buddy and closest friend. Abrielle had filled Elaine in on everything that had happened lately.
She never imagined Antonio would actually come pick her up from the Walker family after hearing about it. And honestly, it was wild to think that the little brat who used to chase after her, yelling about how much he liked her, had grown up so much in the blink of an eye.
The car soon pulled up in front of the villa in Star Bay.
Abrielle unbuckled her seatbelt and said softly, "You don't need to do this for me anymore. I've got it handled."
Just as her hand reached for the door handle, a hot, strong hand landed firmly over hers.