### Chapter 35: The Past (Part Two) **Two Months Later** With trembling hands, I hold the pregnancy test, my heart racing like a wild animal caught in a cage of fear. It stares back at me, tauntingly confirming what I dread most—the second line, bold and unmistakable, is a harbinger of my new reality: I am pregnant. Pregnant with Rowan’s child. These past few months have twisted into a hellish nightmare. I've become the outcast not only in my family but also in the world beyond, where whispers of my transgressions circulate like a plague. Everyone knows what happened between Rowan and me, yet no one believes my version of events. They see me as nothing more than a seductress who leveraged drunkenness to steal my sister’s boyfriend. School has morphed into a battleground of relentless bullying, and the familiar streets of our town feel like a hostile wilderness, with eyes that burn with judgment. My parents have grown distant, their silence a deep chasm, while Emma has erased me from her life entirely, declaring me dead to her. As for Travis? It’s as if I’ve vanished into thin air—just another ghost in a house filled with absence. I haven’t shared a word with Rowan since that fateful night; the chasm between us grows wider with each passing moment. My heart aches, shattered by the events beyond my control, each pulse a reminder of my solitude and desolation. And now, impending motherhood looms over me like a storm cloud. Would they pressure me to terminate the pregnancy? I wouldn’t put it past them—their ultimate goal still being a reunion between Rowan and Emma after their breakup. Looking around my dimly lit room, I finally resolve to break free from this toxic prison. Staying here isn’t just unhealthy for me; it endangers my unborn child. I rest a hand on my belly, vowing to provide my baby with the love I’ve been denied—love that will bloom far away from this betrayal. With Travis and Rowan both at home, the rest of the family has ventured out for brunch, leaving me abandoned. Naturally, I wasn’t invited; they wouldn’t dare let me near Rowan again. To them, I’m a pariah, a blight on their happiness. I move swiftly, packing only the essentials into my suitcase. There’s a small stash of money saved from my part-time job, just enough for a fresh start. I could work right until I’m eight months along, if need be, since my father has severed all ties, leaving me without a trust fund. As I zip up my suitcase, I hear the door creak open. Panic floods me as my mother steps into the room, her face a mask of indifference. “What are you doing?” she asks, her voice void of emotion, as if looking at a stranger rather than her own daughter. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m leaving. I have no reason to stay in a place where I’m hated,” I reply, refusing to meet her gaze as I continue my task. I barely register her response; my mind is fixated on my escape. But then, the world narrows as the weight of her words flips a switch within me. “What the hell is this, Ava?” Her tone slices through the air, forcing me to turn. My heart drops. In her hand is the pregnancy test. How could I have been so reckless to leave it on my vanity? “Nothing, it belongs to a friend,” I stammer, desperately trying to deflect. “You have no friends. Is this why you’re running away? To steal my sister's boyfriend, and now his baby?” Her pacing fills the room with tension, a predator stalking its prey. “How can you be so sure it’s his? You all think I’m a slut—anyone could be the father!” Frustration spills out of me, matched only by the unreadable expression on her face. All I want is to escape this twisted narrative. Was that too much to ask? “I won’t let you leave until we confirm whether the baby you’re carrying is indeed Rowan’s.” Before I can grasp what’s happening, she whirls out the door, locking it behind her. A wave of frustration crashes over me. I press my palms against my temples, trying to think. My window is barred; they did that after I made my first escape attempt. I settle on the floor, heart racing as my phone buzzes. The screen lights up with Rowan’s name, but I ignore it. What could he possibly want from me after everything? I look around the room. There’s no choice left; it’s now or never. Grabbing a chair, I smash it against the window, glass shatters into a million pieces, freedom beckoning me like a siren. I push aside the wooden slats that have held me captive, my suitcase tumbling through as I follow in its wake. Carefully, I navigate the shards of glass, my heart hammering in my chest. Relief washes over me as I reach the ground, suitcase in hand. I fumble for my phone, ordering a cab, but my elation is quickly extinguished when I collide with a solid figure. Looking up, horror grips my throat as I meet Rowan’s piercing grey gaze. “Were you seriously trying to run away with my baby?” His voice drips with menace, a storm brewing behind his eyes. “I told your mother it’s not yours!” I throw my hands up in defensiveness, letting my suitcase slip from my grasp. “Don’t lie to me. You were a virgin. Your mother may be fooled, but I know that child belongs to me.” His accusation hits me like a physical blow. “How do you know that?” I murmur, shock freezing me in place. “The sheets we slept on had bloodstains.” I fight the urge to flinch. “It doesn’t matter. The baby could be anyone’s. I might’ve been with countless others afterward.” His eyes flash, fury bubbling just below the surface. But before I can process this volatile exchange, my ride arrives. I make a desperate push to maneuver around him. “I’m sorry for ruining your relationship with Emma, but I need to leave. My life isn’t here anymore. I genuinely hope you two can work things out.” I step sideways, aiming for freedom, but he grips my wrist, anchoring me in place. He pulls out money, handing it to the cab driver, ignoring my protests. “We’re getting married right now. The judge is waiting at your parents’.” “I’m not marrying you!” Panic surges in my chest. Is he out of his mind? Why would he want to bind himself to someone he loathes? “We are, and that's final.” His hold tightens, a vice around my will, fear spiraling within me. “This isn’t how it has to be. You could tell everyone the baby isn't yours. I’ll vanish from your life. Emma will welcome you back. This will obliterate your chances with her!” Desperation seeps into my voice as I plead with him. “Please, just let me go.” But he stands firm, unwavering. “I may hate you, but I won’t allow my child to grow up without a father.” In an instant, he tugs me back into the house, where the judge, my parents, and Travis await, measuring me with glances that feel like daggers. Thirty agonizing minutes slip away, and then, just like that, we are legally bound. With a stormy glare, Rowan storms out, leaving me standing there, isolated, in a space filled with hostile energy. I can hardly call them my family; they look at me as if I carry a curse. Silence engulfs me; I’m left alone. A hand instinctively drops to my belly, and I manage a smile. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise, I tell myself, weaving a fragile thread of hope amidst the chaos. Right then and there, I vow to my unborn child that he or she will be born into a world suffused with love. I will make Rowan fall for me, ensuring our baby isn’t raised in a shattered home. I smile at the thought, unaware that Rowan's presence in my life will lead me down paths that may break me in ways I have yet to fathom.