Chapter 25

UNEDITED 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🙈🙈🙈

Baylee was now at the point of desperation. She has been trying to contact Lola repeatedly only to be blocked on everything. She just wanted to talk to her best friend. She had to try and fix everything. She ruined her happiness, her happily ever after. The guilt was eating her alive. It was a heavy weight that just kept getting heavier and heavier, a sinking pit of your stomach feeling.

The baby growing in her shouldn’t have to feel the effects of her actions, and that is why when she found out that the Ashers were hosting a charity dinner for cancer research, she bought a plate for an unprecedented amount and planned to show up.

She straightens her hair, puts on a short black loose-fitting dress to hide her small bump, and paired it with the same color heels and purse.

It was getting hard to squeeze in her two-door Porsche but she was still managing and drove herself to the venue.

Her heels click as she steps on the pavement that turns into a red carpet. She was greeted by men wearing sharp white tuxedos that opened the golden French doors for her.

“Thank you.” She enters.

Inside was stunning, something Lola would pick. A three-foot chandelier hung from the high ceilings and pearl white marble was the flooring.

She was escorted to a circular table. A table that was covered with light pink silk and sat down in chairs that were shiny gold. Immediately, she begins scanning around for Lola. There were many people there. She passed face after face and Instead of finding Lola, she found her big brother.
As much as his sister has been blocking her, she has been blocking him. The thought of him stressed her.

He was smiling while in conversation with an older gentleman on his right and didn’t seem to notice her. She only lets her eyes linger for seconds when something sparkly catches her attention.

She turns her head and sees that it was Lola’s long spaghetti-strap silver dress. Her hair was done up with a few curls dangling around and she was directing a woman dressed in a blue suit. She shakes her head and points in the direction of the staff-only sign.
When she turns and begins walking away, Baylee jumps up and follows her into a hallway, and then into silver swinging doors. On the other side was an enormous stainless steel kitchen busy with employees. “Lola…”She calls.

She stops paralyzed in her tracks. It couldn't be. When she turns around and sees her ex-best friend, it definitely could be. She crosses her arms and shakes her head in disbelief. “Go the hell away.”

“Hear me out please.” She steps closer.

“Nothing you say to me can make any difference so save it all for someone who gives a damn.”

“I kissed Conner.”

She greets her teeth. “You bitch.”

Workers were acting as if they weren’t listening but they were.

“I know I’m terrible...But that’s all that happened.”

“You say that like it’s a good thing.” Her glare burned into Baylee. Her teeth edged together with hatred “Just leave before I call security.”

She couldn’t leave. She had to speak to her. “He pushed me off and told me that he loved you and I believe he does. He deserves a second chance and you deserve to be happy Lola...”

“Leave!” She yells and points to the door.

“I won’t go until you talk to me. I miss you every day.”

She takes her phone out of her matching clutch and sends a text.

It took all but eighteen seconds for two intimidating men to enter. “Yes ma'am.”

Lola's cold eye’s shift. “Escort her out of the building please.”

“Ow.” Baylee feels the baby kick and then a feeling of lightheadedness. A firm hand grasps her upper arm and tugs her back. “Let me go.” She demands and yanks back but is forcefully pulled again.


Niko, caught sight of his ex-wife as she followed his sister. He ends his conversation after a minute and strides into the area he saw her go in. He didn’t like what he walked into. “Get your hands off her….” He commands the guards.

“But sir...” One of them tries to reason.

“Now.” He growls. “She is pregnant.”

The guard releases her instantly.

“You’re what?” Lola’s brows knit together as she takes an involuntary step back.

Niko was near Baylee in a flash. He reached out and settled on her upper arms. “Are you okay?”

She nods, steps out of his hold, and then shifts her focus back on Lola. She wasn’t concerned with him. “Can we talk?”

“Is Connor the baby's father?” She questions.

A wave of weakness hit her suddenly... She felt like she might fall. That question was enough to stress her.. Her eyes slowly closed, her knees bend, and Niko’s arms come around her immediately. “Hey…”

“I..” She shakes her head and snaps out of it. “I just need to sit.”

“Come.” He guides her to a nearby staff room with Lola in tow. He sat on a leather sofa but couldn’t lean back.“What’s wrong?” He stoops in front of her. “Is the baby okay?” He places his hand on her belly.


Lola glances back and forth between her brother and Baylee’s face. What was she seeing? How did he know she was pregnant? “What’s happening here?” She points back and forth. “Between the two of you?”

At that exact moment, the baby kicked. Niko was shocked. His eyes revert to the bump. He gawks at it in shock. Something stirred inside of him and then Baylee knocked his hand away.

“I have a lot to tell you.”

She places her hand on her hips. “What? Have you slept with my brother too?”

Guiltily she looks away.

“Oh my god.” Lola’s eyes widen and her hands flared up. “You have…you’re such a slut I swear.”

“Hey…” Niko stands up quickly and warns his little sister. “You’re overdoing it. She is pregnant and that’s not helping”

Lola swallows. “How could you sleep with her after what she did to me?”

He rolls his eyes. “I wan…”

“It happened before,” Baylee admits. “I have so much to tell you. Can we go somewhere private?”

“No…” she almost screams. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” She then diverts her attention back to her brother. “How did you end up sleeping with my best friend?”

“It started when we were in college.” Baylee answers “and we got married... and we divorced... and that night…”

“That’s enough.” Niko cuts her off.

She squints. “You two were married?”. If looks could kill, they were dead yesterday.

“Wow… just wow… some best friend you were” she glances to Niko. “and some brother you are....”

“I’m sorry… I just want to make things right…”

“You don’t understand... you can’t fix this. You’ve gone too far this time. I was so stupid to have stayed friends with you all these years. So stupid for thinking there was good in you. I’m just so stupid.” She turns away and begins leaving.

“Wait… Lola… Don't leave like this.”

She stops suddenly and turns back. “Whose baby is it anyway?”

Baylee opens her mouth but nothing comes out.

“I know you slept with Conner. Why don’t you just admit it.”

“It’s impossible for it to be Conner’s, I swear…”

She laughs “I’m supposed to believe the same person who was my so-called best friend, that didn’t tell me she was married to my brother.” With that, she walks out into the hallway and out of sight.

Baylee’s eyes well up. She didn’t think it was possible to feel worse but somehow she did. She moves to get up and Niko extends his hand to help. She really wasn’t in the fighting mood and wasn’t really feeling good so she accepted and he pulled her up.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Once I get into bed I will be.”

“Let me take you… you can’t drive in this condition.” Instinctively he brushes the hair away from her face.

“No, I’ll call my driver.” She pulls her hand out of his grasp and digs into her purse for her phone.

“It was only at that second he realized he was still holding her hand.

“But thank you.” She sends a quick text.

He slides his hands into the safest place, his pockets “How are you? Everything okay with the baby?”

“Fine.” She swallows. All she could think about was Lola. She stares in the direction of the exit hoping she would come back.

“She’s hurt.” He states. “ I don’t think you realize the level you crossed. There isn’t a woman in this world that would want to be your friend again.”

She blows out a defeated breath. “I know okay…”

“I’m not trying to beat you down.” He clears his throat. “I get what you’re trying to do here… really I do… but you’re doing it to make yourself feel better and that’s typical Baylee.”

“Yeah…” She glances away uncomfortably. Another deep stress relieving breath escapes.”I guess you’re right.”

He didn’t like seeing her like this. She wasn’t Baylee if there wasn't a fight in her eyes. He should be feeling the opposite. He should want her to suffer and wallow in her guilt but he didn’t. He still just wanted good for her. “Look… think about how she feels. She wants to move on and you’re a reminder.”

“I destroyed her happiness and it’s killing me.”

“She will find happiness again... Conner just wasn’t the right one for her.”

“He is the right one.” She affirms. “I'm telling you he loves her. I’m the wrong one. She didn’t deserve me as a friend.”

“Baylee.” He states in a warning tone.

“What?” She looks at him strangely.

He scans her features for a moment before shaking his head. “Nothing.”

She looks down at her phone when it chimes. “I should go...my driver is here.”

“What about my DNA test?” He changes topics.

“I already told you Niko, if you’re gonna claim this baby, you’re gonna claim it without one.” She throws her thin strap bag over her shoulder and starts waddling away.

“Fine.” He announces, which stalls her.

She turns around. “What?”

“I said fine…no test...I realized that you needed space, or time, whatever it is, but I think that’s enough now...”

She grazes her fingers through her hair... “So what do you want?”

“Just let me be a part of my child’s life…” He pauses. “Do you know the gender?”

She folders her arms and eyes him suspiciously. “Yeah… it’s a girl.”

His brows lift. “A girl?”
The little feet that kicked him was his little girl’s. He felt an immediate bond the moment he felt it. “And the doctors say she is healthy?”

“Yeah.” She nods.

“The next doctor's appointment I want to be there.” He declares.

“Fine.” She agrees.


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