Cody sat in his office chair, his anger simmering just below the surface. He tried to push aside the memories of Alva, but they lingered, haunting him.
As he stared at the window, his mind wandered back to a moment he had buried deep inside. A memory from years ago—of a girl barely seventeen, with her hair tied in two ponytails and a pale, delicate face.
She had walked into a cozy American-style café, scanning the room nervously until her eyes found a young man sitting near the window. He was about her age, sharply dressed, with piercing eyes that cut through her like glass.
She approached him, tension written all over her face, but quickly covered it with a polite smile. "Hi," she said softly.
The boy stared at her coldly and nodded once, without a word. Alva—that had been her name—seemed caught off guard by his icy demeanor but tried again.
"I'm Alva, the girl from the blind date," she said, her smile faltering.
Still, the boy said nothing.
"I think we're the same age," she continued, trying to ease the awkward tension.
But the boy leaned forward, his voice laced with venom. "So your parents sent you here because your dad hit my sister with his car?"
Alva's face turned pale. "That's not true. She was drunk… and she tripped—"
He cut her off. "Is that the lie your parents told you? Or should I say—your murderer father?"
Her eyes welled up. He didn't stop.
"If he wasn't guilty, why'd he send you here like some peace offering?"
Cody blinked hard, snapping back to the present. He realized the boy in the memory… was him. Back then, so consumed by anger and grief, he had lashed out at her. At Alva.
His aunt's voice echoed in his mind: "You don't think she's guilty. You felt sorry for her. So why did you push her away?"
He dropped his gaze, regret seeping in like a slow poison. He had pitied Alva, but his guilt and rage had made him cruel.
And now… it was too late. The damage was done.
---
Alva burst into Sophie's room, looking like she'd just sprinted a mile. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, panic written all over her face.
Sophie looked up from her laptop. "Hey, calm down. Unless you're here to tell me you're pregnant…" she teased with a grin.
Alva's face froze, and the color drained from her cheeks.
Sophie's smile dropped. "Wait—are you serious?"
Alva nodded slowly.
"Hold on," Sophie said, sitting up straight. "I was joking."
"What if I told you it was true?" Alva's voice trembled.
Sophie's eyes went wide. "You're pregnant? Oh my god—when? How?"
Alva sat down on the edge of the bed, her whole body tense. "I don't know. We slept together so many times… and I guess it happened."
Sophie reached over and wrapped her arms around her. "Does he know?"
Alva didn't answer.
Sophie pulled back. "He doesn't know? Or did he reject you? Because if he rejected you, I swear to God, I'll break his face."
Alva's voice cracked. "I wish he had denied it."
Sophie frowned. "Why would you wish that? Cody's rich, handsome, and actually loves you. Doesn't he?"
Alva twisted the hem of her shirt with shaky fingers. "My mom's going to kill me."
Sophie blinked. "But she's the one who wanted you to get married."
"Yes," Alva snapped. "She said get married—not get pregnant by my boss."
She looked down, eyes filling with tears. "He told me to keep the baby… carry it for him… and then I should die. He said if anything happened to the baby, he'd kill me."
Sophie stared at her, stunned.
Alva whispered, "What would you do if Kyle got you pregnant?"
Sophie looked thoughtful. "If he did, I'd want the baby. But Alva, I think you make Cody crazy. So… are you going to keep it?"
Alva's face twisted with conflict. "I don't know. Maybe I'll have it… and give it to him."
"Why?" Sophie snapped. "Why would you do that?"
"Or maybe…" Alva's voice broke. "Maybe I won't have it at all."
Silence filled the room.
Sophie took her hand, squeezing it tightly. "Don't make that decision alone. Not like this."