Chương 1: Chapter 1: An Unexpected Pregnancy
I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen in front of me.
The doctor's words echoed in my head, over and over, like a song you can't shake off.
Pregnant.
I took a deep breath, trying to collect my thoughts. It was impossible.
Completely absurd.
I didn't have a partner.
Well, not since Marco.
I… No, it was impossible.
"Sorry, what did you say?" I asked, my voice trembling, almost unrecognizable.
The doctor, a man in his fifties with a serious demeanor, adjusted his glasses and leaned forward slightly. He spoke calmly, as though he'd said these words countless times before, but that didn't make the situation any less terrifying for me.
"You're pregnant, Miss Costa. Approximately eight weeks along, according to our tests. We've double-checked the results to be sure."
My heart stopped for a fraction of a second. I gripped the armrests of my chair, feeling a strange warmth flood my cheeks.
"But… that's impossible," I whispered. "I… I can't be pregnant. I haven't…" I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
He sighed, looking almost apologetic.
"I understand this is a shock. But it appears there was an error during your last visit to the clinic. An accidental insemination. We take full responsibility."
An error. They were talking about my body, my life, and they had the audacity to call it an error? I shook my head, trying to convince myself this was some kind of misunderstanding.
"No, no, wait. I didn't even go there for… that! I didn't ask for this, I didn't sign anything!"
"We're investigating the exact circumstances of what happened, but in the meantime…" He paused, as if to give me a moment to absorb the information. As if that were possible. "There's something else you should know. The identity of the donor is… particular. We are legally obligated to inform him."
My heart raced so fast it felt like it might explode. I couldn't even begin to process what he meant.
An error? A particular donor? What were they trying to tell me?
"Particular how?" I asked, my voice barely audible.
He didn't answer immediately. And his silence was more terrifying than anything he could have said.
When I left the doctor's office, the world around me felt surreal. People rushed past, cars honked their horns, but I couldn't hear or see any of it. My legs barely carried me forward.
The folder I clutched tightly against my chest contained all the medical details, but I didn't dare open it. I was pregnant. How was I supposed to deal with this alone?
My phone vibrated in my pocket, pulling me out of my chaotic thoughts. I pulled it out and saw Nina's name on the screen.
I hesitated for a second before answering.
"Hello?"
"Ari? Are you okay? You had your appointment today, right? What did the doctor say?" Her voice was light, almost carefree, as if nothing had happened.
I took a deep breath.
"Nina, we need to meet. It's important."
An hour later, I was sitting in a downtown café, facing Nina. She had ordered a cappuccino and was sipping it in small, relaxed sips. I, on the other hand, couldn't even touch mine.
"You're scaring me," she said, setting her cup down. "What's with that look? Did the doctor tell you something serious?"
I inhaled deeply, but the words wouldn't come out. Finally, I forced them.
"I'm pregnant."
Her eyes widened, her mouth forming a perfect "O."
"What? But… how is that possible? I mean, you're not… you're not seeing anyone, are you? Unless you've been hiding something from me?"
I shook my head. "There was a mistake. At the clinic. They inseminated me by accident."
I expected her to comfort me, to tell me everything would be okay, but instead, her expression changed. Her eyes glinted with an emotion I couldn't quite place.
"A mistake? And… do they know who the father is?" she asked.
"Not yet. They said it's someone important."
She tilted her head, her smile slightly stiff.
"Someone important? Like, rich? Powerful?"
"I don't know," I replied, frustrated.
She stared at me for a moment, as if analyzing every detail of my face. Then she smiled. A smile meant to be reassuring, but for some reason, it made me uneasy.
"Listen, Ari. I'm here for you, okay? No matter what happens, I'll help you through this. You can count on me."
I nodded, too exhausted to think about what her tone might have implied.
That night, lying in bed, I tried to organize my thoughts, but the chaos in my head refused to settle. I had no one to turn to. Not really. Nina was doing her best to listen, but she couldn't truly understand what I was feeling. No one could.
Since my parents had died, I'd grown used to weathering storms alone. I was twelve when they passed, and I still remembered the deafening silence that followed the accident. No one to hold me, no one to tell me everything would be okay. Just a judge, paperwork to sign, and adults bustling in and out of rooms without ever truly hearing me.
I'd learned to survive. Not to expect too much from anyone.
But this time… this time was different. This child, this tiny being I'd never wanted but now carried within me, changed everything. I couldn't run, couldn't pretend. I had to be there for him or her, because no one else would be. Mistake or not, this was my child.
My phone buzzed beside me.
A message from Nina.
Nina: Are you okay, Ari? Do you want to talk more? I'm here if you need me.
I sighed as I read the message. She seemed so concerned, so… present. And yet, a small voice deep inside couldn't help but find her behavior a little too insistent. Maybe it was just the stress or the exhaustion making me paranoid. I replied quickly.
Me: Thanks, Nina. I'll try to sleep. Let's talk tomorrow.
I set the phone down on the table, but the idea of sleep felt impossible.
Every time I closed my eyes, the doctor's words echoed in my head: You're pregnant. And the identity of the father is… particular.
An error. That's what this was. A colossal mistake, an absurdity that had fallen into my lap without warning. But the consequences… those were all too real.
I turned my gaze toward the ceiling, my throat tight.
What kind of person could this donor be? Someone "important," they'd said. A celebrity? A wealthy man? And why did that information give me an eerie feeling, as though I'd stepped onto a minefield?
I didn't know how long I lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling.
All I knew was that my life, from this moment on, would never be the same.
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