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gust of early winter wind resisting her departure. Instinctively, she wra
e. A hint of envy flashed in the nurse's eyes, the same envy Thea had
rembled as she t
't calm the frantic throbbing in her ribs. The envelope's seal was torn open after a
ettling on two words: positive. Below tha
painful, intense squeezing robbed her lungs of air. A wave of
cket. A message from Paige. How a
and typed a word: Pregnant. A genuine, n
oorman hurriedly approached with an umbrella, but she waved it off, refusing the b
on her ring finger, a cold, heavy weight that should have symbolized un
penthouse apartment on Fifth Avenue. She took
e, sterile world. The fingerprint scanner glowed green, and the elevator began to
It was a cave filled with shadows and silence, the only light coming
alked towards the open kitchen, a sudden idea taking root in her
knife slicing across the cutting board made a crisp, clean sound
choed from the foyer. The fingerprint lock's electroni
art pounding in her chest. She dried her hand
cold air. His tall figure cast a long,
bric onto a seemingly sterile sofa. His brow was fur
ith a glass of water. She was trying to break
hing against hers. His skin was cold. The
d walked to the wet bar to pour himself a whiskey. This acti
her pocket, her fingers gripping the folded
u," she said. In the vast, empty space
e crystal glass. He turned his head, his gaze fixed on h
r pocket, a shrill ring broke the silence. It was
hed, replaced by a sharp and sudden tension. He abruptly
glance at the screen. He answer
entire demeanor shifted from indifference to a raw and urg
his voice low and reassuring. He hung up and tur
hed, words stuck in her throat. She watched
nic in her voice. She took a step behind him, desperat
nd placed his hand on the do
gency," he said, his
she cou
the sound echoing in the
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