Chapter three: Aftermath of a one-night stand
ARTEMIS POV:
The doctor’s words floated in the air, almost unreal. “Pregnant.”
I gazed at her, feeling my chest constrict. The beating of my heart was so loud that it blocked out all other sounds.
"Pregnant," I murmured.
She nodded, her face soft and patient, and I couldn’t miss the look of pity in her eyes. She must have noticed that I wasn’t ready for a baby.
“Yes, about two weeks. Do you have someone to talk to? A support system?”
Two weeks. That couldn’t be right. Jarvis wasn’t possible. It had been six months since we’d done anything intimate before the breakup.
No, it was impossible for it to be him. I thought about it briefly before deciding on Jamie. I took in a sudden breath, placing my hand over my mouth.
We had been cautious, right?
It was a single night, a mistake. A one-off. A one-night stand.
I swallowed, but my throat was tight and dry.
"I-I can't..." My voice cracked, the weight of everything crashing down on me.
The tears stung my eyes.
I blinked rapidly, trying to keep them at bay, but I knew they were going to burst out soon.
“I can’t afford a baby. I... I’m still in school. My exams are approaching...”
I suddenly choked on my words.
I felt my coat fabric twisting in my trembling hands.
The small office walls seemed to be shrinking, making it hard to breathe, each inhalation becoming more difficult. What was the reason for this occurring?
My thoughts ran to my dad—how he’d been struggling, how we were barely keeping things together since Mom died. This would shatter him. Everything was unraveling.
I felt my phone vibrate, but I didn't bother to check it. How can I confront anyone, particularly my father?
I pictured the disappointment, the way he’d look at me, and it made my stomach twist painfully.
He’d lost Mom, and now this? How could I break his heart again?
The city moved around me, cars honking, and people rushing by, but it all blurred together.
One thought pushed through the fog: Jamie. He needed to know, even if I had no idea how to tell him. We weren’t a couple. We weren’t even friends. Just two people who’d shared one night.
I pulled out my phone, staring at it. I didn’t have his number. Only his address from that night. A cab wasn’t far-fetched, it was close enough, and I had just enough cash left.
Taking a breath that felt more like a gasp, I flagged down a taxi. I climbed inside, my hands still shaking as I gave the driver Jamie’s address.
The city blurred past, but all I could see was Jamie’s face—what he would say, how he’d react. Would he even believe me? And if he didn’t, what then?
When the cab pulled up to Jamie’s building, I handed over the last of my money and stepped out, my legs wobbling.
The sleek glass of the building seemed to mock me as I stood there, frozen. I had no plan. No words. Just panic.
I found myself in front of the intercom without realizing it, hesitating to press the button.
For a second, I considered going back, fleeing, and acting like this wasn't happening.
“Who is it?”
A voice crackled through the speaker, and my throat tightened.
“It’s... Artemis.” I said, and then it all went silent.
My stomach twisted. I shouldn’t have come. This was a mistake.
He probably thought I was here to bother him. Shame and disgust started to creep in slowly.
Why did I do it that night? I should have just walked away from him.
Tears began to well up in my eyes when the door opened.
I felt a surge of happiness in my heart upon seeing him. I had to restrain myself from embracing him
Jamie was such a kind soul. He had even helped me with Jarvis, so I was sure we’d be able to figure something out.
"What do you want?" he asked with a stern expression, his eyes cold, and I felt my blood run cold.
This wasn't Jamie. He wasn’t like this two weeks ago.
"If you are here to sulk, you can leave," he added, snapping me back to reality.
His usual cute smirk was gone. He just looked cold and distant. Was this what Jamie looked like?
I clenched my fists by my side, forcing the words to come out with all my might.
"I am pregnant."
The silence that followed after I said those words made me worried.
However, Jamie was what frightened me the most. He didn't react at all. It was nearly as though he was indifferent, or perhaps he truly was.
"And?" His voice came out cold.
I blinked, caught off guard. I had recently informed him of my pregnancy, and his only response was?
"I'm expecting a baby, Jamie," I murmured, my voice breaking like delicate glass.
His eyes narrowed as he took a moment before responding. His lips formed a grim expression instead of a smile.
Then, he laughed, and it echoed in the empty hallway, stabbing through me like a knife.
I stood there, frozen like ice. My stomach was flipping and bile rose in my throat.
“You?” he finally spat, his voice dripping with mockery.
“Pregnant with my baby? Have you lost your mind?”
His words hit me like a blow and my legs trembled under me as I struggled to find my voice.
“Jamie, I’m telling the truth. It happened that night—”
“That night?"
“You mean that one time, Artemis? We had sex only once, and I made sure to use protection. So do not try to pin this on me because your life is falling apart. You think I’m that stupid?”
I flinched, every syllable from him felt like a slap. My throat tightened and the panic rose.
"I know it sounds crazy, but I—"
I tried to explain again but my voice failed me.
"Oh please, Artemis, stop trying to act so innocent here. Some other guy must have knocked you up, and now you want to pin it on me because I’m rich," he spat, his words filled with so much disgust.
His words hit me like a physical blow. My stomach clenched with a nauseating twist of Shane and disbelief.
I felt my heart shatter. Did he truly perceive me this way? Was I being treated as a promiscuous person lacking self-discipline?
I was shocked and unable to speak.
The word hit me hard, causing my chest to constrict and my knees to weaken.
“Jamie—” I tried again, but he wasn’t listening.
“I was bored, okay?” he hissed, stepping.
“You were nothing more than a distraction. A quick fuck. That’s all you ever were. Did you honestly think it meant something? That you meant something?” He scoffed.
“You’re just as pathetic as that loser Jarvis. No wonder he dumped you."
His words burned like corrosive acid. I tried to reply, but no words escaped my lips.
I took a sharp breath, attempting to balance myself, but he pulled me towards the elevator, his grip becoming more intense.
“You’re nothing, Artemis,” he growled, and his voice shivered down my spine.