Pregnant with the Senator's Son

Pregnant with th

the soft clinking of champagne flutes, she stepped into a universe she had only ever studied in her law textbooks and w

ve come. But Nat

, brushing off her concerns. "Just a ha

air hastily pinned, and wearing the only black dress she ow

gged his broad shoulders and bearing the effortless charm of someone raised on applause and priv

his occasional comments had been sharp, insightful, laced with a quiet defiance toward institutional hypocrisy. They'd started talking af

't equals. He was the senato

s voice snapped her

her glass of water with trembl

from her cheek. "You're doing great

k. "I'm not sure t

d around before leaning in. "

iticians-most of them white, all of them stern. Nathan led her to a private balcony overlooking the city

ailing. "But I wanted you to see it. The illusion. This is the

asked. "Are you

, serious now. "

ruggle. Anna reached for his hand, instinctively. "You don't have to pro

ked up slightly, tugging at her dress. For a moment, the noise of the wo

tation and longing-a kiss that had waited for the right mom

the sound of a cough e

ms crossed, his expression unreadable.

" he sai

replied, his

clear that this was a

. "She's a law student. Interested in ju

And I suppose kissing on the b

She had grown up with pride, eve

ur business," Na

nator snapped. "Especially when it

ly squeezed her hand behind him-his silent way

" Nathan contin

-a calculated sweep of contempt and sus

eeply. "Well.

hrough his hair. "I

son is kissing a scholarship student from Sout

fingers against her cheek. "He doe

u?" she as

ay," he

ked her outside, calling for his car. The ride was quie

ll student apartment, he kissed her f

wil

osed to happen like that. I just wanted

tly. "It's oka

go inside befor

pas

nged after that night. Their conversations became more personal, the silences

ff. Nauseous. Lightheaded. She dismissed

didn'

m, her hands shaking as she held the pregnancy t

down,

Still a student. Her scholarship didn't even cover me

yet. The shock hadn'

ough the park, past playgrounds and strollers, until she lande

do. She hadn't told anyon

evening, Na

? I didn't see

"I've been feeli

. "Want me to bring you

ickly. "No, I jus

e. "Anna, is eve

ow do you break a life-alteri

u soon," she sai

t, heart pounding. She hadn't planned what to say.

r, surprised, the

ant," she

e air like smoke. Ta

an f

shock crossing his face.

omethi

uring for her to come

nown?" he asked, clo

ew d

n he sat down, his

"And I'm not asking for anything

up at her. "Ar

mitted. "I'm scared. A

r, wrapping his arms aroun

ruin your life,

eplied. "This does

w the truth-this

with a sena

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