Not around
BANE'S POV
I woke up early the next morning, as usual, my routine unbothered by the uncertainty that lingered in the back of my mind. Renee would be arriving soon, and I was already making plans for the day. There was no time for hesitation now. I needed her under my roof—needed it for everything to move forward.
I glanced at the clock, double-checking the time. It was just after 8:00 a.m., and my driver would be picking her up in about an hour. The thought of her in my space—her being so close—was oddly exhilarating. I couldn’t put my finger on why, but there was something about her that got under my skin. Something that made me question whether I was really in control of this situation.
But I shook it off. Control was what mattered.
I straightened my tie in the mirror and made my way downstairs to the study. The house felt eerily quiet without Antonio moving around, but I welcomed the peace. I needed to think—plan the next step, make sure everything was in place.
ALICE'S POV
One bag for personal care items and one large suitcase of basics from my closet were the extent of what I thought I would need while living in Mr Ethan’s house.
Lily helped me pack everything then she left. It was now morning, my turn to leave but I didn't want. I was already feeling sad.
Although I have been getting issues with the land lord because of rent but this small apartment had been my first place, and my safe place. No one had ever been here with me except lily.
It was my sanctuary that time I used to dance as a stripper in the club and when the meetings I made with different men made me hate myself.
For now, I had to let it go and force myself to live through the uncertainty of the next nine months of pregnancy. I reminded myself that Ethan will probably nice to me, and I locked the door.
The driver helped me get my belongings in the back of the car. And by helped, he begged me to get in the car so he could load it all up in the trunk by himself. His eagerness to do a good job was refreshing breeze when I had a gloomy cloud over my head.
The car ride to Ethan’s felt longer than it was. Twenty minutes that went by as if it were two hours. Mostly because my mind was scattered with every possible thought and every insane possibility of what my life was about to become.
I kept running through the same questions, the same doubts. Was this really happening? Was I really about to live with a man I barely knew? A man who was paying me to carry his child?
I had always been careful with my choices. I never let myself get too caught up in anything, never allowed myself to trust too easily. But now... now I was on the verge of something I couldn’t control. And as much as I hated to admit it, a small part of me wondered what would happen once I crossed that threshold. Would he try to manipulate me further? Or would I find the strength to stand my ground?
The car came to a halt in front of a massive, imposing house. My heart dropped into my stomach. It was too much. Too big. Too cold. I could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on me like a vice.
The driver opened the door for me, and I stepped out slowly, my knees feeling weak as I glanced up at the structure before me. This wasn’t a home. This was a fortress.
I walked up the steps, trying to steady my breathing, but nothing could calm the storm brewing inside me. As I rang the doorbell, I wondered how I would survive the next few days. How would I survive being in such close proximity to him?
And why did I feel this strange pull, this undeniable tension in the air every time I thought about him?
The door opened, and a lady was standing there, with a bright smile on her face.
She was probably a maid of Ethan.
Her smile felt warm, but it didn’t reach my nerves. I stood frozen in the doorway for a moment, unsure of how to respond to her hospitality.
"Good morning, Miss Alice. Mr. Ethan is expecting you," she said, her voice soft and polite. "Please, come in."
Her words were kind, but all I could think about was the looming uncertainty of the next few months. I had no idea what to expect once I crossed the threshold into Ethan’s world.
I stepped into the foyer, trying to shake off the unease. The inside of the house was just as grand as I had imagined, with sleek, modern furniture and high ceilings. Everything was pristine, almost sterile. Nothing about it felt lived in, nothing felt personal. It was just... cold.
"Mr Bane is currently not around but would you like something to drink as you wait for him?" the maid asked, her smile still firmly in place.
I shook my head, my throat tight. "No, thank you," I replied, my voice shaky despite my best efforts to sound calm.
She nodded politely and led me down a long hallway, the sound of my footsteps echoing in the vast, empty space. The house was so quiet, so still. It felt like a museum, a place where emotions weren’t allowed to exist.
As we reached the end of the hall, the maid stopped at a door. "This will be your room for the duration of your stay," she said, pushing the door open.
I stepped inside, taking in the neutral tones of the room. The bed was massive, the furniture sleek and modern. There was nothing here to make me feel at home—no signs of life, no warmth. Just... space.
I could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on me again. This was it. I was here. And as much as I tried to convince myself that I could do this, that I had no other choice, the truth was gnawing at me. This wasn’t just about carrying Ethan’s child anymore. This was about living with him, being around him every day. And I had no idea how I was supposed to handle that.
"Mr. Ethan will be with you shortly," the maid said, her voice cutting through my thoughts. "Please make yourself comfortable."
She left without waiting for a response, and I was left alone in the room, the silence suffocating.
I sat on the edge of the bed, my hands trembling slightly. I was supposed to be strong, to push forward no matter how uncertain things felt. But for the first time, I wondered if I had made the right choice.
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