Welcome back

88 3 0
                                    

MARIA's POV
The sun woke her up. Groaning, she sat up, her ring glittering when the sun touched it and she smiled. Been four days since Ryan proposed to her and she still felt like it was a beautiful dream, one she didn't want to wake up from.
She walked into the bathroom and quickly went through her morning routine. She got dressed in a short dress since that was the only thing that seemed to fit her now.
She was alone in the house. Aubrey had gone to the Wilcox Mansion last night, promising to be back today. She sighted her phone on her bedside table and picked it up so she wouldn't have to shuffle back if it rang.
She dragged her feet to the kitchen, feeling extra tired this morning.
She fixed a small amount of cereals and immediately lost appetite when she felt something spill down her legs.
"Oh God" she said freezing.
The first contraction hit her almost the same time the doorbell rang. She whimpered as she shambled to the door. It was Lia.
"Hey. Are you okay?"
She shook her head
"My water broke" she said, lips trembling.
"Shit! Where's Aubrey?" Lia asked, already pushing her way in and looking around.
"Wilcox Mansion" Maria answered, groaning as she felt a small contraction hit her again.
"Okay I'll take you to the hospital"
"My bag. Bedroom" she said weakly.
"I'll get it, just wait here." Lia said, hurrying to the bedroom.
Ryan. She had to call Ryan. She hobbled into the kitchen and looked around. Where the hell did she put her phone. She spotted it on the counter and quickly put it in her pocket just as she heard Lia coming back.
"Ready?" Her friend asked.
"Yeah."
They got into the car, Maria strapped in at the back.
She let out a huge groan as another contraction hit her.
"Oh God Lia! Hurry! No, wait you missed the turn! Lia! What the hell?" She shrieked as she watched the road that led to the hospital draw further away.
Her contractions were coming faster now and she sobbed.
"Lia. Please. I need to get to the hospital." She begged, holding her stomach.
"I'm sorry Maria. I'm just doing what she asked me" Lia said, her voice void of emotion.
Maria felt her heart stop.
"No! God No! Please No! Lia!!!" She screamed, clutching the car door. She kept shrieking and sobbing until she couldn't any longer. She felt dizzy as her last contraction lasted longer.
"Lia, the baby, it's coming" she said weakly.
"Don't worry, we're here"
It was another old warehouse except this was a lot smaller that the one before. Seems Lydia had a thing for warehouses.
Too weak to fight Lia, she let her help her down from the car.
"I thought you were my friend. I trusted you" she said, raising her head to meet her eyes and letting all of the hurt and pain she felt reflect through her own eyes.
For a split second, she saw something flash through Lia's eyes but it was gone before she could figure out what it was.
"Just doing a job" She answered. Her face cold and impassive.
They walked through the door and Maria felt her knees go weak.
There, standing in the middle of the cold room, was the woman behind the worst of her nightmares.
"Great! You're here! Welcome! Welcome!" Lydia exclaimed, clapping her hands in delight. If they weren't standing in a dirty warehouse and Lydia wasn't planning on killing her, one could almost think they were old friends and Lydia was so happy to see her.
She wailed and almost fell to her knees if it wasn't for Lia holding her up. She panted, trying to control her breathing, she'd read that it helped.
"Lydia, please" she begged weakly.
"Please? Please?!!! All of this is your fault!!! Thinking you're better than me and that you're even worth Ryan's time!! Then as if that isn't enough, you made me leave my home and run into hiding. All of this is your fault Maria!!!" Lydia ranted, breathing heavily at the end of her speech.
Maria was stunned. This woman was crazier than she thought. She had to get out of here. She was looking around when her phone vibrated in her pocket.
She froze.
Her phone! How could she have forgotten!!
"What is that?" Lydia asked emphatically.
Maria could hear how loud her heart was beating and she thought the other two women could too. She unconsciously took a step back when Lydia walked towards her.
"Bring it out."
"Lydia I didn't...."
"I said, BRING. IT. OUT" she said in a low voice, her footsteps punctuating every word.
With a shaky hand, Maria brought out the still ringing phone and handed it to Lydia.
"Oh it's Aubrey. Pick it. Go on. Tell her where you are and who you're with" She said handing the phone back to Maria.
Knowing this was another one of Lydia's tricks, she raised the phone to her ears.
"God! Maria!! Where the hell are you and why did it take forever to pick my fucking calls. I was worried out of my mind!!" Aubrey shouted through the phone, her voice laced with worry.
"Bree. She has me. Lia.."
"Okay that's enough." Lydia said, dragging the phone from her ear and smashing it on the floor, destroying it.
"Take her away, I need to attend to something. I'll be back very soon." She said to Lia who was standing in the shadows and turned to leave.
"Lydia! Wait! I need a doctor. Please! My baby.." she stopped when Lydia's palm connected with her face.
"Does it look like I care what happens to you or that stupid thing in your stomach? You have no right to ask me for favors. No right!" She said, hatred dripping with every word. She turned and left the room.
Without Lia to hold her up, Maria fell on her side, spraining her wrists when she tried to break her fall.
Holding her stomach, she sobbed, curling up on the floor and ignoring Lia who was trying to get her to stand.
"Cmon Maria, I'm trying not to hurt you" Lia said softly.
She led her to a room similar to the last one she'd been in and left her.
Pausing at the door, Lia looked back at her crumpled on the floor and holding her stomach while sobbing. Regret flashed through her.
"I'm sorry Maria" she said just before she went out, locking the door behind her.

The Billionaire's BrideWhere stories live. Discover now