“How about…one favor.”
54
ABELLA
After Angelo leaves, I close my eyes for a while, but fail to sleep. So instead, I wander through the house and into Mariella’s wing. I need to see her and Valentina and let them both know I’m alright, and then I need to call Gabi and the rest of my friends.
When I knock on Val’s door and she opens it, I’m greeted with a yelp before she pulls me in for a hug.
“You’re here,” she cries out. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you too,” I rasp.
After a minute, she pulls back to look at me. “Are you okay?”
“I am.” I smile softly.
“What’s going on?” she asks. “Did Angelo find you?”
“Yes, but it’s okay. I’ll fill you in on everything later.”
“Does this mean you’re staying?” Her features crease with reluctant hope.
Before I can answer, Mariella appears in the hallway. “Oh, thank God. I’ve been trying to track you down.”
“You have?” I swallow past the lump in my throat as I recall the tests she ran before I left.
“Yes, I need to talk to you alone,” she says. “Do you mind, Val?”
“It’s okay,” I tell her. “I don’t want the results.”
Mariella stares at me, her face unreadable. “I think you’ll change your mind when you hear what I have to say.”
I search her eyes, reluctantly curious, but then I remember I’m determined to protect myself from further pain.
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“It does,” Mariella insists.
I glance at Val, and she offers me an encouraging smile. “Go. I’ll be right here when you’re done.”
After a moment, I concede and follow Mariella down the hall and into her suite. She shuts the door behind us, then unlocks a drawer in her desk and pulls out a folder.
“You might want to have a seat for this,” she says.
“Mariella—” I shake my head, feeling like I want to vomit. “I don’t think I can do this.”
“Abella, you’re pregnant.”
My legs nearly buckle, and now I understand why she told me to sit. She helps me into a chair, and this time, I listen to what she has to say.
“It was confirmed with the blood test and ultrasound.” She removes the results from the folder and shows them to me. “Have a look.”
I try, but my eyes are too blurry. “But it won’t be viable, right? That’s what they told me. They said even if I did get pregnant, I wouldn’t be able to carry to term.”
Mariella crouches in front of me, sadness etched in her features. “Abella, I don’t know how to tell you this, but those doctors lied to you.”
“I don’t understand.” I stare through her, feeling like I’m in a dream.
