Driven

Chapter 1: Somewhere in the Middle (Teaser)

Her flesh is simultaneously a burning inferno and stinging with arctic chill. 

"No...it can't be..." she whispers slowly, emotion trapped somewhere between disbelief and horror.

Once deft fingers are now barely holding on to a tiny plastic stick. Her limbs feel heavy as she stares down at the digital display reading: Pregnant.

No matter how many times she swallows rising bile, shakes the test, or furiously denies the word on that tiny digital screen, a series of follow up tests confirm she is, in fact, pregnant. The walls begin closing in on her the longer she sits huddled on the bathroom floor.  Thoughts flash in a flurry of confusion and panic. How the hell did  this happen? What's he going to think? How am I suppose to run an international, multi-billion dollar company now? Do I keep it? Do I tell him? What time does the clinic open in the morning? What will the press think? Oh god...how do I hide this from the press?!

"For fucks sake, Vivian. Pull yourself together!" She spits the words, a venomous threat to herself for not only allowing this to happen but also allowing herself to lose control in light of the unwelcome news. 

The tiles feel cold beneath her bare legs and she suddenly wonders when the last time the janitor cleaned her office bathroom. The thought is revolting, forcing her to clamber forward and expel her lunch into the nearby toilet. Sitting back, she quietly thanks herself for choosing a tightly-wound ballet bun this morning. In the same moment, she curses her decision to wear her favorite knee-length, black dress. Note to self: Request heated floors in the next master office build.

Pushing herself from the floor, she smooths her hands from her stomach down over the fronts of her shapely thighs. This dress always makes her feel powerful but today, it does very little for her self-esteem. She's overwhelmed and preoccupied with the tiny cluster of cells nestled in her womb. On autopilot, she washes her hands and smooths them over her already perfectly plaited hair. Grabbing the lint roller near the sink, she quickly smooths and de-lints her garment. Dark blue eyes watch her, the irises dilated and making her own reflection seem foreign. Blinking fails to bring her mind out of its fog, resulting in a wayward tear spilling onto her porcelain cheek.  She watches, tracking its movement as it travels down her thousand-dollar skin. Literally, she thinks, I've spent a fortune to look this good and I'm going lose it all...for this? Without thinking, her hand wanders to her stomach and rests where a bump will eventually begin to emerge, ultimately giving way to a mountain of baby-filled, stretched flesh. A shudder creeps down her spine.

She looks away from herself, turning her back to the mirror and resting her hands on either side of he closed bathroom doorway. Drawing a slow, deep breath, she straightens her stance. Her shoulders tense, letting the ripple of power edge down towards her toes as her eyes close.  Feeling every muscle and fiber in her body contract and relax in a wave from head to toe, she's reminded she has years of training, both physically and mentally, coursing through her. The result is a heady mix of invincibility, power, and false immortality causing her lips to part as she expels every emotion in a deep-throated groan. This is who I am. Strong. In control. A warrior. A queen...no, a goddess. Unbreakable and capable of anything and everything. This will be no different. You'll see.