Page 6 of Love or Tequila in Unexpected Places

“Leopold! Do not tell me to calm down, young man! You—” her father cut himself off when he saw her taking a seat on her white-as-clouds couch, ending the call without another word.

Allison took a deep breath, preparing herself for the onslaught of questions her father was about to unleash.

“Father, I don’t know what Fred told you, but—”

“Silence,” her father interrupted and she obeyed. The man had a magnificent way to make her feel small. “Frederick told me that my only daughter, my youngest child, is pregnant! Can you explain that?”

“Well, what else is there to explain? I had sex with a man, and now I’m carrying his child,” Allison said with a level of snark only a few people could bring out of her. “I know you understand how children are made, Father. You and Mom did it four times.”

“Do not talk back to your father, young lady! I will not accept such language from your mouth. Now, tell me when you found out and, more importantly, who the father is,” he demanded.

Lockwood Inc. had been her father’s true child ever since she could remember. He had started with nothing more than his sharp mind and keen eyes as weapons against the world, watching how men conducted business. He learned it all and built an empire from it.

He was now founder and owner of one of the largest and most reputable conglomerates in the world. And he made sureeveryoneknew it, including his family.

She huffed.

This is not going to be easy.

“Well, if you must know, I found out yesterday morning. And I don’t exactly know who the father is,” she admitted, wincing. She didn’t want to say those words out loud, especially in front of him. He had been distant when she was younger, but now he was very invested in her adult life, especially if it might reflect poorly on his character.

Her father didn’t speak. He didn’t move. He barely even breathed. His eyes were fixed on her, unblinking, as if he were a statue. The tension in the room was so thick it could have been cut with a knife. When he finally spoke again, his voice was chilling, like a cold wind slicing through the air.

“Are you telling me you had sexual intercourse with a complete stranger? And you were reckless enough to skip protection?” he whispered in her face, his breath hot and furious. The words dripped with disdain, and his eyes blazed with a mixture of anger and disappointment.

There it is.

Her father was notorious for dangerous, sharp digs. It usually didn’t take long for him to think Allison had done something wrong enough to provoke his wrath. However, he rarely used that tone with her. The only times she had heard her father use that voice were when she was inside his office, sitting in on his meetings.

“How could you be so stupid?” he shouted, his voice echoing through the room like a thunderclap.

His short fuse ignited, and his scorching anger seemed to burn her from the inside out. His face turned a deep shade of red, veins bulging at his temples, and his fists clenched tightly at his sides. The sheer intensity of his rage made her feel as if she were standing too close to a blazing fire, with nowhere to run.

“Oh, sure, let’s shout a little bit louder, because I think the old lady on the ground floor didn’tquiteget that,” Allison replied, sarcasm dripping sourly from her mouth like vinegar.

“Now is not the time for jokes, daughter. I taught you better than that!” Her father used another weapon from his endless supply of insults. She raised the glass to her lips, then paused.

I’ll probably barf it up later.

Oh my God, this baby will be the end of me.

She sighed, putting her juice down on the beige coffee table that matched perfectly with her decor. She took a deep breath before asking, “Are you done?”

Her father scoffed in response. “Do you have any idea what this could mean if word got out? Do you…” His mouth kept moving, but she had stopped listening. Disappointment sat heavy on her chest.

If this conversation had happened the previous day, she wouldn’t have fought the man. At that moment, she had been uncertain and afraid of everything, considering every possible scenario. Each option felt like a looming shadow, weighing her down and filling her with anxiety. She had envisioned her future and felt the fear of being alone in this.

But this morning, everything changed.

Allison had simply gone to the supermarket, on a mundane quest for lactose-free milk—an innocent grocery run that quickly turned into something much more profound.

As she strolled through the aisles, her eyes flitted over the familiar shelves until she passed the baby aisle. Baby food, diapers, wipes. She had seen all of this before, often disregarding it as if it didn’t apply to her life. But today, it felt different. Today, those products seemed to shine with an undeniable allure.

A hand had stroked her belly, as if some invisible force compelled her to acknowledge it. It was an instinctive gesture, both foreign and familiar, a fleeting moment that felt heavy with meaning. Suddenly, she knew.

Though abortion was an option, she simply didn’t want to go down that path. The thought of it echoed in her mind, but it clashed violently with a new sense of clarity that had washed over her. She yearned to embrace motherhood, to defy not only her father’s expectations but also the world’s general perception of what her life should look like. She felt a powerful urge to stepoutside of the neatly prescribed box that had been outlined for her.

For once, she was making a choice guided by her own desires, mind, and heart—a radical shift from the fear that had gripped her just a day prior.

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