Finally alone Saturday morning, Gina knew she needed to make her move before Gabriel returned from hanging out with his friends. She had began to associate his returns with distractions she didn't need --example, yesterday's affair-- since she had barely four months to go. Everything would end the day she gives birth, and whatever she didn't discover by then would have to be set aside. Amelia would curse her if she didn't avenge her, she reasoned.

After the intense drama yesterday during breakfast, Monica became scarce, more than usual. Her meals, which were sent to her room, were returned by the maids untouched, and Gina began to worry. She couldn't begin to imagine the pain Monica was going through having to relieve those horrible memories this way, and she knew it was partly her fault.

With strong determination, she strolled into the kitchen to make red velvet cupcakes. Cakes cheered her up when she was sad, and she hoped it would too with Monica. She knew the woman still didn't like her, but she hoped to buy her affection with some chewy goodness.

A knock at her door went answered, as well as two more. Not one to be deterred, however, Gina pulled the knob down and entered the room, her jaw nearly dropping at the decor. It was a similar arrangement to Gabriel's except the colour was livelier, with a mesh of yellow, green and red adorning the room. However, the green drapes were closed, as well as the lights which were off, making the room appear dreary. When her eyes adjusted to the dimness of the room, they travelled to the bed covered with purple duvet where a disheveled  Monica dressed in pink pyjamas with scattered love inscriptions lay propped up by a pillow as she tapped rapidly on her phone.

Suddenly sensing her presence, Monica lowered her phone and sat up on the bed, looking shocked. Out of habit, her hands found her hair, and she ran fingers repeatedly through the knotted weaves to straighten them.

Once she had attained a resemblance of orderliness, she squinted her eyes. "Gina?" Her voice sounded unsure, watching the items she held in her hand with suspicion. "What are you doing here?"

With the way Monica scrutinised her, Gina felt like she was put on the spotlight where she was being judged harshly.

She coughed through her building nerves to appear confident. "I know you said you'd rather be alone than be friends with me, but I want you to know there's no reason to hate me. I won't stay long in your brother's life, if that's what you're worried about."

Her eyes grew wide like saucers, and her back went ramrod straight. "And, why is that?"

This was definitely a good opening speech, Gina thought, giving herself a mental pat on the back. She eyed the bed, and wondered how best to go about this without ruining it. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

She scoffed in disbelief. "Of course I would. I mean, I want you gone, and you're here telling me my worries are needless."

Even though she was on a contract, Gina still felt herself flinch at the bluntness. Ignoring the painful words, she brandished a toothy grin. "If you have some cupcakes, and invite me to join you on the bed, then, maybe, we can discuss it."

Monica eyed her warily, her eyes watching her protruding belly with undisguised attention. Asides from their talk the first week she came to this house, she and Monica had never really bonded and she figured they could do it today. Once she accepts the cupcakes, that is.

"I don't eat cupcakes," she declared monotonously, before dragging her attention back to her phone, silently dismissing her.

Feeling rejected, Gina admonished herself that what she had overheard should not affect her or her mission today, so she strolled to the side of the bed. Dropping the tray on the quilt, she adjusted her yellow maternity gown to help her ease into the bed, before settling quietly.

Shocked by her brazen behaviour, Monica gasped. "What are you doing in my bed? I never said you could climb on."

"You never said I couldn't either," she pointed out, trying to be smart by using a famous quote from her favourite movie. "And if I remember correctly, you haven't said much to me since I entered."

"I'm sure that's enough to tell you I need to be alone."

Suddenly, a rapt knock sounded on the door, and Gina gave her permission before Monica could utter her infamous words. A maid breezed into the room, set the tray containing a milk jug and some glasses on the side table before scurrying out of the room following Monica's hard glare.

"You're taking liberties I did not grant you in my room."

Gina sighed audibly, feigning remorse. "I know, and I'm sorry. I just really needed someone to talk to and you were the first person in mind."

"What happened to Lilah?"

"She hates me. You know that."

She rolled her eyes before focusing her attention back on her rose-gold coloured phone. "Anthony looked like he enjoyed your company."

"I can't talk to a man about women problems. He's nice and all, but he still thinks with his long pole, no offense."

Monica rolled her eyes at her, again, before adjusting slightly, so the divide on the bed between them was obvious and clear. "I love my space." She clarified monotonously when Gina raised a quizzical brow.

"I like crossing boundaries. It's how I end up tangling limbs with Gabriel everytime we sleep together. He's so nice, that sometimes I wonder why he puts up with me."

When Monica gave her a weird look, she lifted a cupcake and pushed it towards her. "Take a cupcake or I won't tell you my girl problems."

Monica snorted, turning her head away to continue pressing her phone. 

Gina thought she was being too rude but assumed she was brought up like that, so she changed tactics. If she was ever going to make any headway befriending this woman that seems to loathe her with every fibre of her being, she felt she had to start now.

"I wanted to go baby shopping this Saturday or the next one, but I don't know if I should spend so much money for a child I wouldn't even be around to raise."

Her snort was loud and annoying, an attempt made to rile her up. "Of course you wouldn't be around to raise it. Did you honestly think my brother would end up with someone like you?"

"You didn't have to rub it in my face. I am very emotional and highly sensitive to every cruel and harsh word. The doctor says I should blame it on the hormones."

"Well, that's not my problem."

The girl was a hard nut to crack, and try as she may, Gina knew she couldn't convince her she was on her side. She pushed her hair off her face and eased off the bed, slowly making her way to the door.

"Are you leaving already?" The sarcasm was too thick. "Too bad. I was waiting for you to tell me why your relationship with my brother would end the minute you give birth."

That was her cue to throw in her bait, and she hoped she could reel in some big fish with it.

"I don't think I love Gabriel that much again." She waited for the words to sink in before continuing. "I want to, but being cooped up in this house, without seeing his face everyday makes me doubt 'us'. As if that's not enough, I hear the maids going on and on about this Amelia girl he supposedly had a relationship with, and ended up separating mother and child when their relationship went sour.

"You cannot imagine my shock when I accosted him about it and he boldly said he did it for the fun of it. Like, if he was okay doing it to her, what's the guarantee he won't do same to me?"

"And that's why you'll end whatever you have with him after having his child?"

Gina felt bereft, extremely confused and quite taken aback by the level of apathy displayed by the woman. "Yes, I need to protect my heart, and my child."

"Well, I don't care about your heart as long as I won't have to see your face again." Her attention finally off her phone, she turned to smirk at Gina. "On the other hand, I hope you know Gabriel won't let you have any connection with your child if you guys break up, right?"

It wasn't the flippant way she worded it that did her in, it was the malicious glee in her eyes that ticked off the frustration Gina had bottled down inside since she started receiving the cold shoulder from her.

"I can see why you're so bitter!" Gina erupted, her hands clenched tightly by her sides, her teeth bared.

"Excuse you?"

"You are overly happy that I'm going to be separated from my child, aren't you? Which makes me wonder if what Lilah said about you is true. You hated to loose your figure so you lost a child instead only to end up loosing your marriage?"

"Lilah doesn't know what she's saying," she refuted, easing out of the bed to come stand beside it, hands akimbo.

"But she knows you're a killjoy where pregnant women are concerned. Do you hate anyone who can have children? Cause I know now your dislike towards me isn't about my class."

"I don't hate pregnant women, or women who can easily have children. Why should I?" She muttered, darting her eyes around, refusing to hold Gina's inquisitive stare.

"Why should you, yet your actions betray you. Is being happy for me such a hard thing for you to do?"

"Why should I be happy for a bunch of lowlives who don't deserve it?" She sneered, hands folded under her bust region. "I deserved to have my own child, not her, so, I'm glad Gabriel took the child away from her."

Gina ignored her outburst, a weak attempt to make the issue about her. She wasn't here to get her to talk about herself, but her sister.

"I now understand why you despise me and throw distasteful words at me. For some reason, you can't have your own children, and so you derive joy in taking down anyone who can. But it's not anyone's fault but yours when you decided to chose perfect body over babies, Monica. You just can't eat your cake and have it!"

"You have no right to say that to me. You don't know what happened." She hissed spitefully, as her lips quivered.

"Then tell me what happened!" Gina cried, feeling desperate and rueful for using her emotions against her. "Tell me why you want me to go through the same horrible experience she did. You understand the pain a woman goes through when she loses her child, yet you would stand by and do nothing while your brother commits the same atrocities to me?" By now, she was standing in front of the crying woman, holding her trembling body in a hug, as much as her bump would allow.

"Help me fight for my child, Monica. Tell me what she did to make him take away her child from her so easily?"

It took a lot of crying, more crying and a binge on an unhealthy dose of cupcake and milk to get her to finally calm down and talk, and her first sentence after the whole ordeal had sent chills down Gina's spine.

"She tried to betray him."

+++++++++

Gabriel stirred, stretching out his limbs to his full height before attempting to peer open his eyes. The intensity of the blinding light had him clamping it shut when his eyeballs hurt. Did he leave the bedroom light on? He wondered before squinting his eyes open to behold his room.

The dark blue hue with white dots on the ceiling had him pausing instantly. Feeling as if in a trance, he let his eyes wander around the room, quickly taking in the light blue hue with patches of white. On closer inspection, he realised the white patches were supposed to be a representation of clouds, which had his gaze snapping to the ceiling again, only this time, he took his time to study the dots. He knew what it was now, he realised with a sickening thought, he had even painted it in a long ago time. A starry night with hanging artifacts of a moon and a large white star. Only one room in a house could possibly have such decor.

Still in a daze, he quickly stood to his feet, and took in his immediate surrounding with undisguised horror etched on his face.

It was not possible! How could he be here right now?

There was a pink crib to the side, with a wooden rocking chair next to it. Opposite this setting was a changing table placed next to the wall and a chest of drawers was aligned next to the table. Blessed with memory, he recalled that there should be a...

He swung around and nearly had a faint when he saw a baby carrier stacked together with a stroller, a basket of baby toiletries and a pink box that he remembered were full of baby clothes. Baby clothes he had been bullied into buying.

This cannot be happening, he thought to himself, nearly chuckling at the twisted nightmare. After seven years and he was relieving this moment now? He supposed it was bound to happen after Gina accosted him with it, but he didn't think he would remember it so soon. Hadn't he already buried this particular memory with its horrible counterparts where they belonged? He wondered, feeling slightly nostalgic.

As if on cue, his memory of this event reminded him why he had been in this room that day, and he adjusted slightly to find the white paper lying on the ground which he promptly picked up. A rumble through his body informed him unmistakably that he was reliving this moment.

Awash with a renewed sense of anger, he pursed his lips and waited for things to unfold as they had occurred that day.

When the doorknob turned, he adjusted on his feet and waited for his guest to enter. Dressed in a pale yellow sundress with her protruding belly visible and her feet bare because she complained they were getting swollen, he watched her stroll into the room, a pink teddy bear in her grasp, singing softly in her native voice. He remembered them doing acoustic competitions sometimes. He always won.

Shocked by the sudden presence, she froze at the doorway, her mouth parted. "Gabriel, what are you doing here? I thought you would be at work."

He watched her chubby heart-shaped face fondly, wondering why she had to go behind his back. Certain behaviours he tolerated from her because she was expecting their child, but she had gone too far this time, and he had every intention of putting her in her place. The hard way.

"Do you take me for a fool?" He demanded, ignoring her earlier question.

When she saw his cold stare, she shuffled slightly on her feet. Closing the door quietly, she sauntered into the room to go stand beside the crib. Caressing it softly, she quizzed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He let out a harsh scoff that was meant to free the anger choking him. It didn't. "Are you and my brother an item again? Cause I seriously feel like I'm being replaced in my own ship by another captain."

"Why would you say that? You know that's not true." Her denial was too quick, confirming his suspicions.

"Then, you tell me what is true and what isn't. Your place is by his side every minute of the day, and if I wasn't so invested in this treachery, I'd not have minded. But you have roped me in so tight, and I expect you to honour our agreement!"

She flinched visibly, her bottom lips quivering. "You have nothing to worry about with us being together. He just wants to talk, and I owe him that."

"If you're needed by his side, I will not stop you, but you must know where I stand."

"I've told you there's nothing between us. He just feels betrayed that I'm expecting your child and he's not taking it well, lashing out at every opportunity, and I had to calm him down before he ruins everything!"

"That is your cross to bear. Like I said, if you want me out of the way, I'd gladly wash my hands off this matter entirely."

His threat irked her, he could see it with the way her fists clenched by her side, and her eyes narrowed. "Are you doing this intentionally? Reminding me every now and then that I brought this upon myself? Is that why you're throwing my relationship with him, your own brother, in my face? Are you this insensitive?"

He would not stand and watch her manipulate him again, although she had been doing it for the past six months and he'd been an utter fool. He was taking big risks for her by doing this. He was following her lead, playing her game, something he rarely did. He was invested in this conspiracy as much as it was required of him, but he'll be damned if he let her back out of it so easily because of some misguided emotions.

"Do not talk to me about insensitivity when you dragged me into this crazy scheme of yours by making me a father when I clearly didn't want to be. And now I have to stand and watch you ruin it, ruin my reputation, because you cannot control your emotions. I'd rather die than let you."

"Is that why you want to punish me by asking me to end my relationship with your brother? You know I love him."

"Yes, but I also know that I love my future, which is why I must secure it from stupid people like you." Without preamble, he thrust the document in her direction. When she collected the paper in a daze, he brandished a pen. "Sign it."

"What is this?" Her voice was hollow, shock permeating into her body.

"I need to know we're on the same page. If I'm invested in this scheme, I need your hundred percent cooperation as well. I need to know you'll hold on till the very end of fooling everyone that you're expecting my child."

"We are on the same page. I just told you that. There's no need for a contract agreement, Gabriel."

He ignored her cries, his fingers fitting into the pockets of his black pants which contrasted and yet blended with his crisp white shirt perfectly.

"Of course there is need. You are as fickle as the weather that I don't know what you are capable of next. You heard me tell everyone this child is mine. You were there the day I promised to take care of it till my dying breath, and I take my vows seriously. If you want to play love with him, please be my guest, but keep my child out of it." He knew he was being harsh, but if she were to make a mistake now, it would cost him everything. "Now, sign it. I don't have all day."

"I won't sign it, Gabriel!" She cried, moving away from the crib towards him, tears steaming down her fair cheeks that were turning slightly red from the action. "I can't give you sole custody of my child. You're not the father."

"Not according to what you said, or what my family and the entire community heard you say. You made me the father and I must do what is best for my child. If you continue down this path you're already heading to with great speed, you'll ruin her life. You'll ruin both your lives, and a lot more lives as well. Don't be naive. This is real life, not some fairytale."

"This is heartless. You can't make me sign away my child to you," she retorted quickly, eyes flashing but even she knew he was right. He was always right. "Please, don't take her away from me. She needs her mother!"

"You should have thought very hard about that before you made me the father. If you go against me, you know what will happen to you. This is not a fight you can win, Amelia, so do what you know is best for your child."

With tears streaming down her cheeks in rapid succession, eyes puffy, nose snotty and hands trembling, he watched her scribble down her name and signature on the dotted lines, probably wishing him a thousand deaths as she did. "You're heartless!"

Somehow, her venomous spat was enough to snap him out of the brightly coloured room, into the darkness that was his present bedroom. Adjusting his eyes to the dimness, he could make out the silhouette of the chandelier hanging above, streaks of light from the wall-light on the fence bouncing off of it, illuminating the room faintly.

Feeling fatigued, he yawned loudly before sitting up on his bed to rest his back on the headboard. He knew why that dream had resurfaced, and he couldn't help wondering if the rest would come too. If Gina's inquisition into hs past were to continue, he knew this was just the beginning.

He still remembered vividly the hate in Amelia's eyes as he stepped out of that room that day. And he would never forget the exact words she had uttered to his departing frame, even if they both knew he had made the best decision for her in that scenario.

"You're so cold, Gabriel Asika, and I wish you would never find love, nor know what it's like cause you don't deserve it."

~~~~~~~~

Another memory unlocked. In all honesty, you'd agree with me that this was an emotional chapter.

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