Page 66 of Wicked Arrangement

I don’t bother to reply or give him the chance to say anything else, I just hang up. Cutting him out of my life for good. I’m surprised to feel relieved by the decision. Noah isn’t the brother I loved anymore. He’s toxic, and with a child on the way, I need to put them first above anything else.

Marta gives me a small smile. “Feeling better?” she asks. It’s incredible how intuitive she is.

“Yes, actually. Thanks, Marta, I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

She waves away my thanks with a hand. “No thanks needed, though I have to admit, when you first mentioned a crisis, this wasn’t what I was imagining.”

“Oh, what were you imagining?” I ask curiously, sipping my drink.

She lets out a little chuckle at the absurdity of it. “I thought that maybe you were pregnant.”

My face immediately pales, and I know that the truth is plastered across it. She takes one look at me and gasps, “Oh my lord, you are pregnant. Aren’t you?”

Having shared so many intimacies and secrets with Marta already, I feel close to her even though we barely know each other. So I don’t hesitate to tell her the truth.

“Yes, it’s early days, but I took a test yesterday and it was positive,” I reply, unable to hold back a smile. “I haven’t had a chance to tell Yaroslav yet.”

She grins back at me. “Oh my goodness this is the best news ever! Yaroslav is going to be so happy. He always wanted children.”

Her happiness is infectious, and I can’t help but feel hopeful, “He did? I thought perhaps he wouldn’t be happy about it…” I say biting my lip anxiously.

She shakes her head before stating confidently, “No way. He’ll be over the moon about this. You should tell him rightaway. I just know that you two are going to make the best parents.”

“You think?”

“Of course, it’s clear that Yaroslav is madly in love with you, and you with him. What more does a baby need than two parents who love each other to love them?” she says with complete conviction.

“Thanks, Marta, you’re right. I shouldn’t put it off any longer. I should go tell him now. Can you drop me back at his?” I ask, gathering my things.

“Sure thing,” she agrees pulling out her purse.

“No way am I letting you pay for this,” I warn, “You’ve just spent a whole heap of money on my stupid brother.”

She graciously concedes and we head to the car once the check is settled.

“Oh shoot!” I declare as I notice the time on the dash. “I was supposed to meet a friend at Antonio’s at five. She’ll already be there, I can’t cancel. I should at least show up to apologize in person.”

“No worries, we’ll swing by there first,” Marta replies confidently before pulling off.

I rapidly fire off a text to Amelia.

Sorry I’m running late, I’m with Yaroslav’s sister and coming to you now. Heading from Dina’s Diner, so we’ll be around 15 mins. I’ll explain everything when I see you.

A thought occurs to me as we’re nearing the edge of town.

“I should give Yaroslav a quick call, so he knows we’re okay,” I voice my thought aloud, pulling up his number.

Marta glances at me from the corner of her eye, “Knowing my brother, he’s already well aware of where we are and what we’re doing. See that black SUV behind us?” she asks, and I turn and take a look. “It’s been following us for a little while now. I bet you that’s Yaroslav’s men.”

“Really? He’d do something like that?” I ask, surprised.

“The men in my family are both protective and control freaks, you bet he would!”

“I’ll still call him anyway, he doesn’t know I know that,” I say with a chuckle, dialing his number.

It goes to voicemail, so I leave a message, “Hey, Marta and I are just heading to Antonio’s to meet Amelia, but I’ll be back soon. Hopefully, we can have dinner together, there’s something important I need to tell you.”

I almost add ‘I love you’, to the end, stopping myself at the last minute. The first time I say those words to him they should be to his face.

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