In an instant, everything she knew was all a lie. The life she knew, the people she loved, everything was all a lie. She cried, not concealing the pain and agony she was feeling. She was betrayed by my the people she trusted the most. She hoped to wake up quickly from this nightmare but it was all real. Why didn't she leave for Italy when she had the chance? She wouldn't be in so much pain if she had left... But then again, she would never had found out the truth. She needed a safe place to hide and going to Andrew's or Danny's was not the solution because she didn't want Ryan there. She wanted nothing to do with him!

    Mia found herself at the entrance of David's apartment, she was shaking, soaked in her tears and sweat. Even the small bag she carried to Chicago, was still in her hand.

    David opened the door and found her. "Mia? What the —"

    Mia hugged him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "They lied to me. They all lied to me." She sobbed.

       "Shhhhhh." He rubbed her back, calming her down.

      "I hate them. I hate them so much." She wept on.

      David was confused but he tried calming her down. After he had helped her settle down, Mia told him everything that had happened.

      "Please don't tell anyone I'm here." Mia pleaded with him.

     "I won't." He said, placing her head on his shoulder.

     "Thank you." She whispered.

     David tucked her in bed. He was worried as well as concerned. How come nobody said anything to him? He sat in his living room thinking about Mia when he heard gagging noises coming from the room Mia was in, he ran into the room. He found her puking her guts out in the toilet.

         "Don't get too close." Mia managed to say. "I don't want you to see this." Mia threw up all over again, it took almost a minute to make herself calm.

      "Easy, Easy." He cooed. "Breathe, just breathe... Slowly." He said, assisting her with breathing exercises. When he was sure that she was calm, he spoke. "Will you be okay?" He asked her.

    Mia flushed the toilet, went up to the sink to rinse her face and mouth. "I'll be fine." She exhaled, looking at her reflection through the mirror. "Do you think you could take me to the hospital?" She asked, turning to him.

      "Why? Is this something we should be worried about?" He asked with pure concern.

     "No, I just need to know something that's all." She said to him. She needed to know if her baby was alright, she wanted it safe.

     "Okay." He nodded. "I'll get the car ready." David said, and she nodded.

     She took a shower, wore skinny jeans and threw on an oversized sweater with no make up on. 

      They arrived at the hospital in no time.

     "It's fine, just wait for me down the lobby." Mia said to him.

    "Will you be alright?" He asked.

    "Yeah, I'll be fine." She said with a little nod. She waited for David to be out of sight before walking up to the nurse's table. "Hey." Mia managed to smile at the fat lady behind the counter dressed in scrubs.

     "Hi." The lady smiled back at her.

   "I wanna see an obstetrician, is that... Is that possible?" Mia asked quite nervous about the whole issue.

           "Of course darling, I'll have you registered. What's your name dear?" The lady asked Mia.

    "Mia Simp—" Mia bit her lip. "Sophie, Sophie Bibianna Karavagh." She corrected herself, while handing over her ID to the woman.

The lady typed somethings on her laptop for awhile and then smiled back at Mia. "Oh! It's been awhile since you checked in Miss Karavagh, how's your mom?" The clueless woman asked.

     "You knew my mom?" Mia frowned.

    "I did, Vera Karavagh. We were both interns at the same hospital." She grinned at Mia.

     "Is that so?" Mia nodded.

    "Last I heard from her was a pretty long time, after her daughter died." She said to Mia. "It must have been so hard for you both, a daughter and a sister." The lady shook her head sadly. "Please accept my condolences."

    Mia swallowed nervously. "We moved to Italy, we came back some months ago." She said quickly.

   "Okay, tell your mom Sandy Lupin says hi." She told Mia.

     "I will." Mia managed to smile.

    "Take the elevator to the sixth floor, that's the obstetrician floor." She spoke sweetly.

     "Thanks." Mia gave a fake smile before walking out. Something was steering up her stomach, she didn't know if it was the smell of the hospital itself or the drugs. Mia placed her hand over her neck as she was nauseous, feeling sick.

     "Are you alright?" Someone asked her as soon as the elevator stopped.

    "I'm fine." Mia said before getting off on the sixth floor. She met with another nurse who directed her to the doctor.

    She was asked to change her dress into a hospital gown. The doctor did some tests on her and made her wait for sometime. Mia sat on the bed, waiting nervously for the result.

      "Yes, you're indeed pregnant Miss Karavagh." He told her.

   Mia took in a deep breath, slowly exhaling. "Okay."

   He continued. "You're six weeks gone."

      "Six weeks?" Mia sat up and frowned. "Doctor I haven't been experiencing any signs until recently." She told him. 

      "No need to panic, every woman's body differs." He said smiling.

     "Although I noticed my breasts got bigger and fuller, I thought it was just my hormones acting up. Then again, I often felt tired easily. I didn't think it would be pregnancy." Mia recalled all the signs she had been seeing but she failed to take note. And she still had her period... Until now though.

     "There you have it! Since it's your first trimester, I'll write the list of things you should avoid eating or doing."

      "Doctor how is my baby? Is it okay?" Mia asked a little terrified.

      "Oh don't worry about the champ, he's perfectly healthy. Nothing to worry about, just keep eating healthy." He said while writing down something on a paper.

   Mia heaved a sigh... "Thank you." She seemed satisfied with his answer.

        She was gonna have a baby!!! She didn't plan on having a baby anytime soon because of the lies her mom told her, but now? She was more than excited to have a baby, only a bit annoyed that Ryan had to be the father.
✴✴✴✴✴

    Mia's phone rang, it was Andrew.

      "Hello, Andrew?" She said, sitting up from the bed.

    "Mimi where are you? Ryan has gone mad looking all over for you! The idiot turned my house upside down and threatened me!" Andrew sounded very angry and furious.

      Mia gasped softly... "Did he hurt you? Did he lay a finger on you... Tell me I'd —"

    "He wouldn't dare! Who the hell does he think he is?! Mimi where are you? I don't want that deranged human near you so tell me where you are, let me come get you."

     "I can't tell you but I promise I'm safe. There's a lot we need to talk about, when I'm ready, we'd meet and talk." Mia said to him.

      "But why wouldn't you tell me now? Ryan was looking for you. He was very violent but then he kept crying like an idiot, saying some gibberish nonsense. What is going on? Did something happen between you two?"

     "I'll tell you everything but not now okay. I have to hang up now." Mia said to him.

      "Mimi you—"

    Mia hung up on him, not letting him say a word. She heard a knock on her door.

     "Mia? Are you asleep?" She heard David's voice ask.

      "Not yet." She said aloud and the door opened.

   "Can I come in?" He asked politely.

    "Of course." She smiled, nodding.

He walked up to her and when he was close enough he stood with his hands in his pants pockets.

     "I just want you to know you can stay as long as you want." He told her.

      "Thank you. I'm really sorry for any inconvenience my stay might have caused you." She apologized.

      "No. It's fine, besides I get to have company." He said with a smile. "What are you gonna do now?" He asked. "Do you have any plan?"

      "I'm going to track down my dad, I want to see my siblings." Mia said to him.

      "What's going to happen to you and Ryan?"

    "I won't be able to stop myself from hurting him so it's best I don't see him at all. All I feel for him now is anger and I don't want to lose my patience because of my present condition." Mia said, letting her hair fall past her shoulders.

     He frowned at her... "What condition? What did the doctor tell you?"

   Mia sighed... "He didn't say anything much, I just don't want to stress myself out for no reason." She said. She was still planning to keep her pregnancy a secret for a while.

   He nodded... "Okay. In case you need anything, I'm a room away." He said.

    "Thank you David." She smiled, watching him leave. She texted Mrs Van that she wouldn't be coming in for a few days.

     Mia laid on her back, staring at the ceiling with a hand on her stomach, she wasn't sure what tomorrow might bring. Her life had just turned upside down by the people she considered her family. Speaking of family, whatever happened to her dad, Jennifer and the kids, she had to find them!

     There was still one more person she had to look for and she had no idea how she was going to go about it.
✴✴✴✴

     Ryan flinged some files away angrily as he sat on his chair. "Don't come in here until you have something useful to present. Dismissed." He said coldly to the employee in front of him.

    "I'm sorry sir." The man apologized quickly, shakily picking the papers up.

     "I just said dismissed didn't I?" Ryan glared at the man.

    The man hurried out of the office quickly.

    Ryan groaned, massaging his temples with his eyes closed while Olivia stood away from the table.

      "Sir, you have—"

He raised his head, cutting her off. "You too." He said not sparing her a glance.

     "But sir this is important. We need to—" Olivia shut her mouth the moment she met Ryan's glare.

   "Get out." He ordered immediately.

   Olivia swallowed full of fright. "Yes sir." She quickly strutted out of the office.

     It was no news that Ryan's been bitter and arrogant since Mia fled. He has not been himself since the last three days, and everything and everyone irritated him. He got angry at little things and was always furious with the people around him, truth be told, he cried himself to sleep every night. He was going crazy looking for Mia and if he heard no news in a week's time, all hell was gonna break lose.

    Just as he was seating in his office, he got a call from the private investigator he hired to find Mia.

     "You better have good news, I don't pay you for incompetency." He said to the investigator.

    "Good morning Mr Webster, I—"

    "There's nothing good about the morning. What I just want to know is if you have any information about the lady I asked you to find." He said to the man.

    "Yes, I think I —"

    "German I don't pay you to think." Ryan growled.

    "Sorry." He cleared his throat. "I found Miss Mia."

   Ryan stood up immediately... "You did? Then where is she?" Ryan's eyes brightened up a little, his heart filled with hope. 

     "She just entered a supermarket sir." He told Ryan.

  Ryan grabbed his jacket, heading for the door. "Text me the address immediately, I'm on my way. Make sure you have your eyes on her, do not lose her. Got it?" He said racing past Olivia.

    "Yes sir!"

     Ryan practically raced down the building. He needed to see his universe, he needs her. Even if she didn't talk to him, seeing her at least would give him a little peace.
✴✴✴✴✴
   

   Mia walked into the supermarket two days later, dressed in a baggy hoodie and pants making sure her hoodie was worn over her head. She was collecting groceries and supplies for David. She got outside to the car that David had lent her.

     She dumped all the bags in the car, as she closed it, that's when someone grabbed her hand, she was quick to defend herself as she grabbed the person by his wrist, went under the intruder's arm pit and pushed his arm forward, twisting the person's hand to the back.

      "Wrong move." She said, pushing the person away. It was Ares.

    "Whoa, I'll admit, that hurt." Ares chuckled massaging his wrist.

     "It'll be worse if you don't stop following me. You know, my hunch was right after all, someone was indeed following me." Mia said to him. "What the hell do you want from me?" She asked, glaring at Ares.

      "Feisty relax. Can't we just talk like normal people? It's as if we were never engaged to be married." He chuckled... "I still remember how sweet and bubbly you were back then, you cooked for me, you'd run a bath for me, you'd even clean for me." His infamous smirk was back.

     "That's long gone." Mia said. She was ready to disfigure his face if he tried something funny.

      He shrugged... "Your mom told me everything. So... Your memories are back I presume?" He smirked at her.

    "Oh yes." Mia smirked back. "You have nothing on me because my mom fed you lies. I remember everything."

    "That's wonderful..." His smirk widened. "Sophie."

     "What... What did you call me?" Mia stumbled back in surprise.

   "Sophie. Or isn't that your real name pumpkin?" He chuckled not missing the surprise in on her face. "You see my pumpkin, I've known for a long time your mom lied to you. You know how much I wanted you but the problem was your mom didn't like me one fucking bit. So I dug out her secrets one at a time and finally forced her to bend the knee." He scoffed. "Poor Karen was so scared to death that I'll tell you the whole truth so she agreed to help me convince you to marry me. It was so easy to get to your mother my darling pumpkin." He chuckled again. "She needed my help to break you and Ryan apart and of course I gladly accepted! She was sacred that Ryan would sooner reveal the truth to you and that's why she called for me." He narrated to her.

     Mia shook her head... "You're sick in the head! How could you do that?! What kind of person are you?"

     "I didn't commit any crime here Mia, the only thing I did was to fall deeply in love with you. And now that Ryan's out of the picture, it makes things easier for me." He grabbed her both arms and tried to kiss her.

      "Let go of me! Stop it!" She tried kicking and averting his lips. "Let me go!" She yelled out.

    Ryan jumped out of his car with fury, running towards Ares. "You sonofabitch!" He violently pushed Ares, not waiting for the impact, he punch Ares on his nose. Before Ares could hit the floor, Ryan grabbed his jacket, giving him another massive punch definitely breaking his nose. The blow sent Ares to the ground.

   Ares fell, sitting on the ground instantly with a profusely bleeding nose.

    "You stay away from my family you got that! If you ever think, just think of touching her hair. I swear to God, I'll fucking murder you!!" Ryan lashed out at Ares.

    Ares stood up, "This isn't the end Webster! I'm fucking coming for you!" Ares said before scurrying away.

    Ryan turned to Mia with worry. He placed his hand on her cheek. "Did he hurt you? Did he touch you? Are you okay?" He was so worried.

   Mia swatted his hand away, giving him a slap. "Don't you dare touch me." She said before turning to leave.

     He was shock why she had done that but he recovered quickly, stopping her from leaving. "I deserved that. Baby please, let's talk first, give me a chance to explain everything to you. I'm begging you."

     "I don't want to see you much more talk. Get out of my way and leave me alone." Mia snapped at him coldly.

     "I know you're mad, you have every right to be. But baby, I was worried sick about you. I almost lost my sanity thinking about where you were, if anything happens to you I'll die. And that fucking bastard attacked you, come with me, let me protect you." He begged almost on his knees.

   Mia scoffed... "I didn't need your help, never will. I can handle myself, I don't need a deceiving liar like you to help me."

    Ryan's heart shattered all over again. "I need to protect you... And our baby. Mia —"

     "It's mine. Mine alone. My baby. My baby doesn't need you. Just stay away from us." Mia said trying to go around him but he held her wrist. "Don't touch me." She slapped his hand away.

     "Universe I'm begging you, don't do this, don't take away my right as a father." He went on his knees to beg her. "I can take every other punishment but please not this." He pleaded with his eyes gathering tears.

     "You," she narrowed her eyes at him, staring into his eyes. "You should have thought of that before deceiving me." She spoke coldly without any emotions but anger and resentment. "Don't you follow me because if I find out, you'd lose me forever." Mia said before walking away, leaving Ryan in tears.