**Hi friends. Sorry this upload is coming so late, I had to nanny all day and then felt very under the weather. This ends on a maaaaajor cliff hanger and I think you're all also going to shit a brick...enjoy!**

Roxie's POV

"I can't believe we actually convinced Jedrek to let you go with us," Khloe commented from the backseat - the one Ivy was currently pouting in. She'd thrown a fit at being stuck in the back with her because she was 'better with the aux' than I was. While she wasn't wrong, I was now six months pregnant and needed the extra cushion the front seat of Seth's car offered. If I didn't get that modicum of support, my sciatic nerve would be pinched six ways to Sunday. No one was having fun if that happened.

"Me either, honestly. I swear to God, if that man doesn't get his stress under control he's going to give himself a heart attack," I replied. "Ah, speak of the devil," I snickered before picking up my buzzing phone. I had a slew of text messages awaiting me.

"What's he saying now?" Khloe laughed.

"He's mad at me because I haven't been giving him fifteen-minute updates like we'd agreed upon prior to me leaving the house," I said absentmindedly while I was typing a reply.

"So where are we going first?" Ivy asked.

"I was thinking let's get the baby clothes and nursery shopping out of the way, then we can go to the bridal shop. That way I can sit and rest while you try on dresses," I commented. Both Khloe and Ivy nodded. We chatted lightly for the rest of the forty-five-minute drive, Seth piping in and adding his two sense every once in a while.

"So, did you guys end up finding out the gender?" he asked while flicking his blinker, waiting to turn into the mall parking lot.

"Oh, that's right! You were on vacation last week!" I exclaimed. "Well, here's the thing. Yes and no. I told Jedrek I wanted it to be a surprise even though I know he really wants to know. Then I felt incredibly guilty and called the next day and demanded they tell me. So now I'm going to get a cute little outfit and have it wrapped up while we're here to surprise him with when we get home," I explained.

"So, what is the little tike?" Seth asked impatiently. "Was it a boy like Jedrek keeps claiming it is?"

"Nope! I told him my genes would win. It's a girl," I cooed, rubbing my hand over my oversized belly. "You're going to give daddy a shock aren't you, baby girl?" I hummed. Seconds after I said it, I felt a swift kick against my hand for the first time.

"Oh my god!" I yelled right as Seth put the car in park in a stall as close to the building as he could find.

"What? What happened?" Seth demanded, scanning me from head-to-toe before surveying the area around us.

"She just kicked! I felt her kick!" I yelled once again, a huge smile overtaking my face as I pressed my palms flat against my stomach and waited with bated breath. Ivy and Khloe squealed in the back before unbuckling and shoving themselves into the small space between Seth and my seats. They reached their own hands out to cover my stomach as well.

"Ahh, I just felt her too!" Ivy shrieked. Ivy and Khloe remained preoccupied with the little one playing soccer with my uterus as I pulled my phone out and FaceTimed Jedrek.

"What's going on, sweetheart?" Jedrek asked, an edge to his voice.

"The baby's kicking!" I rushed out, growing weepy with each passing moment and wishing he were here with me to experience it.

"What?" he breathed out quietly, shocked just like I was. I flipped the camera so it was facing my belly as Khloe and Ivy retracted their hands. I smoothed over my shirt and waited, praying she would give at least one more little nudge. After a few minutes had passed, there was still nothing.

"Roxie girl, are you sure you felt her-" he started to say just as she gave the strongest one of them all - and this time it felt like it was right against my ribs.

"Oh my God..." Jedrek rasped out before a happy laugh bubbled from his lips. "See if you can take a video of it. If you get anything, send it to me," he requested before saying goodbye. I did as asked, apologizing to everyone in the car for having to wait as I filmed. Satisfied after getting a few good kicks recorded, I sent the video off and zipped my coat up, preparing to brace the cold.

I did some serious damage with Jedrek's card inside the various baby-centered stores we'd visited, only finally calling it quits once my feet started to swell (worse than they already were) and my back felt like it was going to split in half. I was thankful to finally be able to sit down once inside the quaint little bridal boutique. While Ivy didn't have any intention of purchasing a dress, she wanted to try on the different styles they had to get an idea of what she liked before she met with a prestigious dress-designer in the city.

"Mom, would you like water or anything to drink?" The owner asked me with a kind smile. She was stunning; with chocolate brown hair, sharp blue eyes, and endless curves I was shocked when I looked down to see her ring finger bare.

"No, but thank you for the offer," I replied with a kind smile. I really liked the place. It was small, but that didn't mean they didn't have a great selection. The walls were lined with racks that were packed to the brim with dresses. "You guys have an amazing place here," I commented, admiring the layout and design with awe.

"Thank you. We just recently opened a few months ago and have been trying to establish ourselves," she said.

"Is it just you here?" I asked, having peeked around and not seen another worker in sight.

"Most of the time, yes. Sometimes I'll have a couple of teenage girls from the local high school come and help me with inventory and such. This was my mom and my's dream; to have our own bridal shop. Growing up, it was just the two of us, so we were really close; she was basically my best and only friend. She was always the business savvy one while I was more into sewing and the actual dresses aspect," she explained with a genuine smile.

"Is she here?" I asked although I regretted it the second the words slipped from my mouth as her happy smile turned grim.

"No, uh, she passed away two years ago from cancer. She gave me strict instructions to use her life insurance money to finally make our dreams a reality," she spoke, a faraway look in her eyes. I wasn't sure when I'd started crying, but the next thing I knew I was a blubbering mess.

"Oh goodness, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to put a damper on the mood," she rushed out with a stressed expression on her face, looking around the store to make sure Ivy nor Khloe had noticed. Thankfully, they were both still blissfully flipping through the racks of dresses.

"No, you're fine! This is pretty much a daily occurrence for me at this point, but that was such a touching story. I lost my mom to cancer when I was a teenager, too. I'm usually pretty good at coping, but the pregnancy has made me think about these things more now than I ever did. It's nice to meet someone who knows what I went through," I explained, reaching out to grasp one of her hands in my own.

"Does it really get easier with time?" she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

"Yes. Some days are better than others. There will be times you'll see something or stumble upon something that'll remind you of her. I try and remind myself that she would want me to be remembering her with a smile on my face rather than tears." She nodded before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and clearing her throat.

"I know that's how my own mother feels, but sometimes it's just like..." she trailed off.

"Like there's a hole in your chest? Like something's missing?" I asked while fiddling with the locket around my neck. She looked at me with glassy eyes.

"Exactly," she rushed out breathlessly. I reached into my purse and pulled out a stray receipt and pen, quickly scribbling my number down on the back of the wrinkled paper.

"If you ever want someone to talk to or just vent to, I'm available pretty much always," I said before handing the paper to her.

"Thank you so much. I...I really needed this," she said with a sigh. "I should go help your friend now. Thank you again."

"You've got a bleeding heart, you know that?" Seth rumbled out with a half-smile.

"Yeah...it gets me in trouble sometimes," I rambled while watching Ivy and Khloe oh and ah over basically every dress they saw. "This is probably very informative for you. If you listen and pay attention, you might actually have an idea of what the hell Riley is talking about when she tells you about how her dress shopping went," I commented, thinking about Seth's own pending nuptials.

"I'm getting paid a very pretty penny to ensure the only thing I listen and pay attention to is you and you alone. I'd be kind of an idiot to screw that up, don't you think?" he questioned sarcastically.

"Alright, you've got a point," I remarked with a smirk.

An hour later, and Ivy still hadn't found anything she really liked. She tried on everything; mermaid, ball gown, A-line, sheath, some with long sleeves, some with no sleeves at all. You name it, she tried it.

"Alright, what about this one?" I asked as Ivy came out of the dressing room in what felt like dress number 500. I could instantly see the look of distaste on her face.

"I don't even know. I like lace and sparkle, but I don't like this. I love the mermaid style, but I hate this. I just feel like I'm never going to find the one," she stressed, a look of panic slowly overtaking her face. Uh-oh.

"Before we get overwhelmed and worked up, I have one more I want you to see. It's not on the sales floor because it's technically still a work in progress, but I think you'd be the perfect bride for it," the owner - who's name I learned to be Samantha - quickly said. Ivy took a deep breath before nodding and heading back to the dressing room to change out of this gown and into the next.

It was a few minutes before Ivy came back out to the wrap-around mirrors, but when she did, I instantly knew we'd found a winner.

"Ivy, this is..."

"Absolutely stunning," I filled in for Khloe, who appeared to be speechless. Ivy looked like she was about to start sobbing any second now.

"This is a one-of-a-kind gown. Everything has been hand-sewn in house. I designed it a few months ago on a whim and have been bringing the sketch to life ever since," Samantha explained, looking hopeful as Ivy continued to silently examine herself in the mirror.

"You made this?" Ivy finally asked, looking at Samantha as if the sun rose and set on her.

"Yes. I thought the style of the lace halter-top would look amazing with a nearly plain A-line skirt and I hadn't seen anything like it come into the shop yet, so I made it myself. As I said before, it's still a work in progress. I wanted to feather out the opaque white skirt at the bottom into transparent lace so it matched the top, but I haven't gotten to it yet."

"I want this. Name your price and I'll double it. Triple it. Fuck it, whatever you want, tell me and I'll give it to you," Ivy sputtered, hearts in her eyes as she continued to stare at herself in the mirror. Samantha just laughed at her with a humble smile.

"Would you like me to grab a veil so you can see the whole image together?" she asked. Ivy nodded her head vehemently. Ivy made Khloe and I close our eyes so we would be properly surprised just like her. After the sound of some shuffling, we were told to open them.

"Oh, Ivy..." Khloe and I both sighed while grabbing each other's hands. Ivy's smile grew from one side of her face to the other just before she turned to face the mirrors. The second she saw herself, the tears came quick and were never-ending.

"This is it. This is the one," she sobbed before roughly pulling Samantha into a tight hug.

"You have to let her breathe, honey," I called out to Ivy as Khloe and I snickered. Ivy released her hold on her before having us take a few reference photos for her.

"So much for 'just looking', huh?" I commented as Ivy reappeared from the dressing room, this time in her street clothes.

"When you know, you know," she commented - it seemed to have become her go-to saying lately. Khloe and I just shook our heads as Ivy gave Samantha her credit card - bullying the poor girl into tripling the price she'd originally quoted her. With a goodbye to Samantha - and encouraging her to give me a call anytime - we left the shop and were on the road back to the condo. I was positively exhausted, passing out nearly the second my seatbelt was clicked.

**

"So when are you and Jedrek going to get engaged? Out of everyone here, I feel like you're the one that should be dress shopping," Ivy commented while she cooked us all a late lunch in my kitchen.

I sighed, knowing this question was going to be asked sooner rather than later. "We both talked about it. We agreed that we don't want to rush anything - well, more so than we already have with the pregnancy and everything. Besides, he's still technically married and we can't change anything about that until this baby is born and legally voids that stupid fucking contract - without any repercussions, that is. I told him we would revisit the topic when I could happily shred that contract with my own two hands and then burn the son of a bitch to a crisp," I commented.

"Too bad that'll never happen," came a voice that had my blood chilling in seconds. I whirled around to find Tori standing just inside the kitchen, a gun clutched between her shaking hands. My heart jumped to my throat at the sight as a cold sweat broke out along my hairline.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

"Tori, please-"

"Shut up, bitch!" she screamed back at me, extending her arms so the gun was closer to me. I took a few staggering breathes in as I tried to keep from crying out of fear, my hand instinctively finding my belly. From the completely deranged look on her face, I knew I had to keep a calm, level head if I wanted me and baby Adelaide to make it out of this situation alive. I swallowed the lump in my throat as I took a subtle step back and collected my thoughts. I needed to find a way to call Jedrek and get him here. Maybe if she saw him, he could talk her down and get us out of this safely.

"Tori," I tried again, putting my hands up in front of my body so she could see I was submitting to her, "I know you're mad. I can see that, but this has nothing to do with my friends. Let them go and we can talk this out just the two of us," I insisted, mentally telling my hands to stop shaking so she wouldn't see how scared I was right now and go on a power trip.

"I don't fucking think so. These skanks have helped you keep this shit quiet for the past six months. They've wronged me just as much as you have - sit down!" she suddenly screamed, waving the gun away from me and pointing it towards Khloe and Ivy. They yelped in fear before coming around the counter to sit on the barstools in front of Tori.

"Tori, I need to call Ezekiel and tell him I won't be meeting him at his apartment or he'll know something is wrong. I always text him if I'm going to be late or won't make it," Ivy explained slowly. Tori appeared to be mulling over the thought in her mind before finally nodding once.

"Hurry up, bitch. I want to get this over with."

I didn't even want to think about what she meant by that. Ivy pulled her phone from her pocket painfully slow as to not ruffle Tori's feathers. She put her phone to her ear and waited.

"Hi, honey buns," honey buns? She's never called him that before, "I was just calling to let you know that the girls and I got ourselves into a pickle at the mall. We won't be back when we thought we would be, so I won't be able to meet you at your place tonight. Can we reschedule?" she rasped out, her voice coming out as shaky as my hands. "Great. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you," she murmured before ending the call and placing her phone on the counter as Tori'd instructed her.

"I know what you're probably thinking, Roxanne," Tori spat, focusing her attention back on me, my heart beginning to pound once again. "What about the private investigator Jedrek hired?" she said in a mocking tone. "Something you should know about life, Roxanne, is that money always talks. I noticed the fucker tailing me a few times. Mom got on it right away. The second the price was right, he squealed like you wouldn't believe. He told us all about you and Jedrek's little plan. Now, mom wants this contract to stay nice and intact, so, obviously, we just can't stand for this bastard child to live-"

"What about you?" I asked, cutting her off the second I realized her slip up. She may not have noticed it, but I certainly did.

"What?" she asked, caught off guard by my interruption.

"You said your mom wants the contract to stay in place, but what about you, Tori? What do you want?" I asked. She blinked a few times as if her brain was short-circuiting. Just by her reaction alone, I wouldn't be surprised if this was the first time in her entire life that someone asked her what she wanted. Sensing this was my only chance to talk some reason into her, I took it and ran.

"Tori, this doesn't have to be your life. You don't have to let your mother live through you. You don't have to stay under her thumb. You can be happy. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be with someone that loves you for you. Not for your mom's money, not because they're being paid, and certainly not because of a legally binding contract. You deserve to be loved just because." I could see my words were having an effect on her. She'd slowly started lowering her hands as I spoke, the gun now pointing mostly towards the floor rather than at my body.

"Please, Tori. Please don't do this. It doesn't have to be this way. I swear to you if you just break this contract, Jedrek and I will help you. You don't have to be your mom's puppet anymore. You can just be Tori!" I exclaimed.

She wasn't even looking at me anymore, she didn't appear to be looking at anything. She looked as if she was in her own head, really thinking about being her own person for the first time - imagining what it would be like.

Until there came three pounding knocks on the front door.

"Tori Spalding, this is the police! Open the door!"

"You lying bitch!" She screamed, raising her arms back up once again. "You don't care about me! You fucking set me up!" she hissed. Aiming the gun, she flicked the safety off. Time seemed to pass as if in slow motion as Khloe lunged for Tori's arms, throwing the bullet she'd fired off its original trajectory.

And then, the pain exploded.