CHAPTER NINETY-THREE

**OLIVER**
The weight of my secret was beginning to feel unbearable.
Each passing day only added to the pressure. Every glance from Gabriel, every soft touch, every time he looked at me like I was his entire world, the guilt threatened to consume me. I’d told him about my father’s illness, and for a moment, it had felt like a release—a sliver of honesty to balance the mountain of lies I was holding back.
But it wasn’t enough.
The truth about Carrie and the pregnancy lingered in the back of my mind, festering like an open wound. It wasn’t just the pregnancy itself—it was what it meant. The goddess, Carrie, Gabriel… they were all threads in a tangled web I couldn’t untangle.
I didn’t know how much longer I could keep it together.
Gabriel had gone into town to run errands, leaving me alone on the farm. I tried to busy myself with work—checking on the crops, repairing a broken gate—but my thoughts kept drifting back to the phone call.
Her voice still echoed in my mind.
“Can you really just make me pregnant and disappear?”
I couldn’t forget the coldness in her tone, the way she’d mocked me, pushed me. And the worst part? She was right. I had disappeared, burying my head in the sand and hoping it would all just… go away.
But Carrie wasn’t going to let me off that easily.
As if summoned by my thoughts, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I froze, my pulse quickening as I pulled it out and saw her name on the screen.
I hesitated for a moment before answering. “Carrie.”
“Oliver,” she said, her tone clipped. “I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.”
“I’ve been busy,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
She let out a sharp laugh. “Busy? That’s a good one. What’s keeping you so busy, Oliver? Playing house with Gabriel?”
Her words hit a nerve, but I forced myself to stay calm. “What do you want, Carrie?”
There was a pause, and I could almost hear the smirk in her voice when she finally replied. “Oh, don’t sound so annoyed. I’m calling because we need to talk.”
“We are talking,” I said, struggling to keep the edge out of my voice.
“You know what I mean,” she said. “About the baby.”
My grip tightened on the phone, the word sending a wave of dread through me. “What about it?”
“Well, for starters, are you planning to be involved at all? Or are you going to keep pretending this isn’t happening?”
Her tone was accusatory, but there was a strange undercurrent of something else—desperation, maybe.
“I…” I hesitated, my mind racing. “I don’t know yet.”
She let out a frustrated sigh. “Of course you don’t. You’ve always been good at running away from your problems, haven’t you?”
“That’s not fair,” I said, my voice rising despite myself.
“Isn’t it?” she shot back. “You left me to deal with this on my own, Oliver. And now you’re just going to stand there and act like you’re the victim?”
“I didn’t leave you,” I said through gritted teeth. “You left. You packed your things and walked out the door.”
“Because I couldn’t stay there and watch you and Gabriel play happy family!” she snapped. “Do you have any idea how that felt? To see you with him, knowing what we’d done?”
Her words cut deep, reopening wounds I thought had started to heal.
“Carrie,” I said, my voice softer now, “this isn’t helping.”
“No,” she said bitterly. “It’s not. But you know what would? You stepping up and figuring out what the hell you’re going to do about this.”
Her words hung in the air, heavy and unforgiving.
“I just need time,” I said finally. “This… this isn’t something I can figure out overnight.”
“Well, you’d better figure it out soon,” she said. “Because time isn’t on your side, Oliver.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I said nothing.
“Are you even going to tell him?” she asked after a long pause. “Gabriel, I mean. Or are you planning to keep this from him forever?”
I swallowed hard, the question slicing through me like a knife. “I don’t know.”
Her laugh was cold and humorless. “Of course you don’t. Typical.”
The words stung, but I couldn’t argue with her.
“Look,” she said, her tone softening slightly, “I’m not trying to make this harder than it already is. But I deserve answers, Oliver. And so does this baby.”
“I know,” I said quietly. “I’ll figure it out. I promise.”
“Yeah,” she said, her voice flat. “We’ll see.”
She hung up before I could say anything else.
I stood there for a long time, staring at the phone in my hand, the weight of her words pressing down on me.
When Gabriel returned home later that afternoon, I tried to act normal. I helped him unload the groceries, laughing at his complaints about the prices at the market. I even managed to sit through dinner without giving anything away.
But I could feel his eyes on me, watching me closely, as though he could sense the turmoil boiling just beneath the surface.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked as we cleaned up the dishes.
“Nothing,” I said quickly, too quickly.
He didn’t push, but I could see the doubt in his eyes.
That night, as I lay in bed next to Gabriel, my thoughts were consumed by the conversation with Carrie. Her words played over and over in my mind, mixing with the goddess’s cryptic warning and the weight of the necklace hidden in my drawer.
I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, the ground crumbling beneath my feet.
I had no idea how to stop myself from falling.
The next morning, I found myself driving to Shanice’s house again.
I hadn’t planned on going back so soon, but I needed someone to talk to—someone who understood the goddess and her twisted plans better than I ever could. Shanice had been surprisingly supportive during our last conversation, and I was desperate for that support again.
When I arrived, she greeted me with a small smile, her unseeing eyes gazing past me as she stepped aside to let me in.
“Back so soon?” she teased lightly.
“I didn’t know where else to go,” I admitted, running a hand through my hair.
We sat in her living room, the scent of freshly brewed tea filling the air as she handed me a cup.
“What’s on your mind this time?” she asked, her tone gentle but curious.
I hesitated, staring into the steaming liquid in my hands. “She called again.”

Shanice’s brows lifted slightly. “Carrie?”
I nodded, even though she couldn’t see it. “She’s… pushing me. She wants answers. She wants to know what I’m going to do about the baby.”
Shanice was silent for a moment, her fingers tapping against the edge of her cup. “And what are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I don’t even know where to start. Gabriel doesn’t know, and I… I don’t think I can tell him.”
Shanice tilted her head, her expression thoughtful. “Why not?”
“Because it’ll destroy him,” I said, my voice trembling. “He’ll never forgive me. And even if he does, it’ll never be the same.”
She nodded slowly, as though she understood. “And yet, keeping this from him could destroy you.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut.
“You don’t have to decide right now,” she said gently. “But you can’t run from this forever, Oliver. The goddess has a plan, and whether you like it or not, you’re a part of it.”
“I’m so tired of her plans,” I said, my voice breaking. “All she’s done is ruin my life.”
Shanice didn’t respond, her expression unreadable.
We sat in silence for a long time, the weight of my confession settling between us.
Finally, Shanice broke the stillness. “You know, Oliver,” she began, her voice calm but firm, “you have a way of blaming the goddess for everything that goes wrong in your life. But have you ever considered that maybe she’s giving you a chance to grow? To rise above the chaos and become stronger?”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Stronger? Is that what you think this is? Because from where I’m standing, all she’s done is rip everything apart. She’s ruined my relationship with Gabriel, thrown my life into chaos, and now this…”
“The baby,” Shanice interjected. “Say it, Oliver. The baby isn’t just a consequence—it’s a blessing. Whether you see it that way or not.”
Her words stung, and I couldn’t help the anger that bubbled to the surface. “A blessing?” I repeated, my voice rising. “How can you call this a blessing when it’s tearing me apart? Do you even care about what this is doing to me? To Gabriel?”
Shanice’s expression didn’t waver. “Of course I care. But the goddess’s will is bigger than any one person, Oliver. Bigger than you, bigger than Gabriel, bigger than me.”

I shook my head, feeling a familiar frustration build in my chest. “You sound just like her,” I muttered.
“And maybe that’s what you need right now,” she said sharply, leaning forward. “Maybe you need someone to remind you that this isn’t just about you. The goddess chose you for a reason. She’s given you a task, and whether you like it or not, you have to see it through.”
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “And what about Gabriel?” I demanded. “Does he not matter? Does our relationship not matter? Or is he just collateral damage in all of this?”
Shanice’s expression softened slightly, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of sympathy in her eyes. “Gabriel matters,” she said quietly. “But he’s stronger than you think. He loves you, Oliver. And if you give him the chance, he might surprise you.”
Her words hit me harder than I expected, and I found myself swallowing the lump in my throat. “I don’t want to lose him,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Then don’t,” Shanice said simply.
As I drove back home, Shanice’s words echoed in my mind. I didn’t know if I believed her, but I knew she was right about one thing: I couldn’t run from this forever.
When I pulled into the driveway, Gabriel was sitting on the porch, his expression thoughtful as he watched the sunset. He turned when he heard my car, his face lighting up with a smile that made my chest ache.
“Hey,” he called as I climbed out of the car. “Where’d you run off to?”
“Just… needed some air,” I said, hoping my voice sounded steadier than I felt.
He nodded, holding out a hand to me. “Come sit with me.”
I hesitated for a moment before walking over and taking his hand. He pulled me down onto the porch beside him, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
For a while, we sat in silence, the warmth of his presence grounding me in a way nothing else could.
“You’ve been distant lately,” he said finally, his voice soft but probing.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my throat tightening.
“Don’t be,” he replied, his fingers brushing against mine. “I just want to help. Whatever it is, you don’t have to face it alone.”
I looked at him, my heart breaking at the sincerity in his eyes. “I know,” I said quietly.
And for a moment, I thought about telling him everything.
But the words wouldn’t come.
Instead, I leaned into him, letting his strength bolster me as the sun dipped below the horizon.
For now, that would have to be enough.