Chapter 15

JAYDA

Lilian could not pick Jayda up from work, so she took a taxi home. Jayda showered, changed into her comfy nightwear, and treated herself to a pizza delivery. Nothing else appealed to her.

She was going to watch what she ate and drank now. She thought as she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge instead of a soda. But pizza couldn’t be too bad for her, could it? She flipped through the book Dr. Davis had given her while she waited for the pizza to get there.

It arrived only a few minutes before Lilian showed up.

“Hey, best friend,” Lilian greeted as she placed her handbag on the table, then settled on the couch beside Jayda.

“Hi. I ordered pizza, so I hope you’re hungry.”

“Thanks.” Her smile grew wider when she saw the book Jayda was reading. An introduction to motherhood kind of book.

“So how was your visit to the doctor?”

Jayda finished chewing her bite of pizza before she answered. “It was fine. We talked, and she gave me some prescriptions and this book to read. My next appointment is in a month.”

“I promise to come with you,” Lilian said excitedly.

“I appreciate it. I need all the support I can get now that I’m a single mother,” she said to Lily, who gave her a confused look.

Jayda sighed. “I went to see Sebastian after I left the hospital. Even though I’m hurt, I’m not surprised by how he reacted. He called me a gold digger and said I framed the test results to get a fortune from him.

“He also said that I’m ~not~ pregnant, and even if I was, he’s definitely not the father. He said the baby must be Liam’s. I don’t even know anyone called Liam.”

LILIAN

“I think I caused a misunderstanding between you two.” Lilian panicked.

“What do you mean?” Jayda asked.

“I told you about the little story I told him at his father’s birthday party. To make him jealous, I told him you were with one of my colleagues, Liam. I told Sebastian that Liam liked you and was planning on asking you to be his girlfriend and probably the mother of his future children. I’m sorry, Jayda, I didn’t mean to come between you two.”

“You shouldn’t be sorry about anything. Sebastian is just an asshole. He knew he was the first man to make love to me, and the results clearly showed our baby was conceived that night. He chose to ignore that and rely on some bullshit you told him.

“My baby and I don’t need him in our lives. We will be just fine.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to talk some sense into him?” Lilian offered.

“You don’t have to, Lily. He made himself clear in his office. I will just have to do this without him.”

“His parents will be so disappointed,” Lilian mumbled.

“Please don’t say anything to them. I don’t want to have anything to do with the Millers,” Jayda pleaded.

“Are you sure? Sebastian’s parents are not like him. They will talk some sense into him,” Lilian explained.

“I’ve had enough drama in my life, Lily. It’s best they don’t know about me or the baby.”

Lilian nodded reluctantly.

“What will you do if they find out?” Lilian asked.

Jayda gave a grim smile. “We’ll just make sure they never do.”

***

SEBASTIAN

Sebastian felt like a zombie all day. He couldn’t focus on anything no matter how hard he tried. He kept on replaying the conversation with Jayda in his head and looking at the test results she’d left behind.

Sebastian retired to his apartment earlier than usual. He called Caleb to come by when he was done at the office. He needed someone to talk to because he was going crazy.

An hour later, Caleb showed up.

“This better be important, man. I had to cancel my date with Michaela to come to see you.” Caleb settled on the sofa.

Sebastian took a seat across from Caleb.

“She came to see me today.”

“Who?” Caleb asked.

“Jayda.”

“Okay,” Caleb replied, unsure as to where the conversation was going.

“I was surprised when Maria told me she wanted to see me. I thought she had come to plead for us to get together, but I was totally wrong.”

Sebastian sighed. “Jayda is pregnant, and she claims I’m the father.”

Caleb sat still. He opened his mouth to say something, but words failed him.

Sebastian ran his fingers through his hair furiously before reaching for his glass of red wine that was on a nearby table. He took a sip.

“But you’re always so careful. Didn’t you guys use protection?”

“That’s it. I’ve always been careful but whenever it comes to Jayda, I lose control of everything, including my mind.”

“What are you going to do now? What did you say to her?” Caleb asked.

“I don’t believe she’s telling the truth. She’s just like Susan and the others. She’s looking for a way to tie me to a child to get a fortune out of me.”

“Didn’t you say you were the first man to make love to her?” Caleb asked.

“That still doesn’t make me the father of the child she’s carrying. Well, that’s if she’s truly pregnant. She showed me the test results but I’m sure she paid someone to do it just like Susan did.”

“When will you move on from Susan’s trauma? Not everyone is a manipulative gold digger like her,” Caleb said.

“What if Jayda is lying?” Sebastian sighed.

“And what if she’s telling the truth? Maybe she’s damn right about you. You’ve done nothing but hurt this woman. You’ve made her life a living hell. I’m sure she must curse the day she met you.”

“Aren’t you meant to be supporting me?” Sebastian asked in disbelief. “I’m your best friend, dude, or are you fucking her too, just like Liam?”

Those words came out of Sebastian’s mouth before he realized he had said too much.

“You’re insane, Seb! I’ve never even met her, and even if I had, do you think I could really do that to you? You’ve turned into a cold beast, and I hardly recognize you anymore. I’m done with you. Jayda obviously deserves someone far better than you.”

Caleb made his way out of Sebastian’s apartment, slamming the door behind him.

***

SEBASTIAN

^LATER THAT NIGHT^

Sebastian poured himself another glass of scotch. Red wine wasn’t going to do it for him. He chose to get drunk because he couldn’t bring himself to accept the fact that Jayda was truly pregnant and he was the father of her baby.

His mind turned to memories of the first time he’d been told he was going to be a father. He’d been overjoyed when Susan told him she was pregnant with his child. He was ready to give her the world and propose to her, but it turned out she was a liar and a gold digger who used him to her advantage.

Susan had destroyed his faith in love. She’d taken his heart and left him determined to never let another woman hurt him that way. It was a promise to himself he hadn’t broken until meeting Jayda.

Why were his feelings for her so strong? They’d spent one night together, nothing more. Yeah, the sex had been fantastic. The lovemaking, Sebastian forced himself to admit, because it was more than just a random fuck.

Jayda had made him feel like no other woman ever had. Not even Susan, the woman he’d been ready to marry. No woman had made him feel such passion or such fury, he thought with a chuckle.

Fear, his ego, pride, and anger were stopping him from thinking straight. Hearing the news from Susan had sent him soaring; the same news from Jayda only left him terrified that he was being set up for another betrayal. Was history repeating itself?

Sebastian dialed Caleb for the ninth time, but he didn’t pick up. Sebastian ran his fingers through his hair and buried his face in his hands.

Caleb was his only and best friend, the brother he never had, the one who had been there for him through thick and thin. But due to his stupidity, Sebastian had said what he should not have said, and now he had lost him.

He’d lost everything.