Chapter Fourteen

Victoria's POV

New York.

Not all that I expected and somehow it still feels like something is missing. That's all I've been feeling since I left Nigeria, incomplete.I thought coming to New York would magically make me feel better and wash all my problems away but it didn't.

After much persuasion from everyone, they convinced me to tell Andrew that he's the father of the child I carry. Honestly I didn't know how to call him so I decided to use his email. I know he'll see it because he reads his mails everyday.

He hasn't called, texted or showed up since then and it's been almost a week. I felt tempted to call him, scared that maybe he was in trouble or something terrible had happened to him but somehow I didn't again.

Miles has been there for me but no matter how hard he tries, it still doesn't fill up the void in my heart.

I've been trying to forget him or at least wipe him away from my memory but no matter how hard I try, it always still feels impossible. He's like that one bug that you just can't get rid of.

So far, Miles has shown me his favorite places since childhood. Places that hold memories, both good and bad. He opened up to me, allowing me to see his deepest thoughts, desires and fears.

I'm grateful for his sincerity but what pains me is that I can't copy his actions, no matter how hard I try. I want to but unlike with Andrew, it feels forced and so I stopped trying. Miles doesn't push for answers so I'm not bothered. I want to give it a little time, time usually fixes things

I felt him squeeze my hand a little tighter and I tilted my head to the side slightly to look at him. His gaze was fixed ahead as we both walked the busy streets of New York.

As if sensing my eyes on him, he turned to face me and his lips widened to a smile at me. I smiled back and kept my gaze ahead.

We were both going out for lunch. I was lazy to cook and according to him, he didn't have the strength to cook so we both decided to eat out. Wanting to feel the sun on our faces, we decide that going out would be better than ordering in.

My gaze shifted downwards to my stomach and the bump that was now evident. It hasn't been easy, handling the hormones especially with everything that has happened. I'm pretty sure if drinking wouldn't affect the baby, I would be hungover every morning.

We finally got to the restaurant and Miles opened the door for me, waiting for me to go in before him. We took our seat at a booth by the French windows overlooking the busy streets.

When the waiter came over and asked for our orders, I didn't bother myself because Miles already knew what I wanted so he spoke for me.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

I looked up at Miles and shook my head. I smiled lightly and began to play with my fingers. I still felt his gaze on me so I looked up again and this time he took my hands in his.

"What's bothering you?" He interlocked our fingers.

"Nothing," I answered and he sighed.

He opened his mouth to speak but his words got carried with the wind when an unfamiliar voice spoke instead.

"Victoria Black, is this really you?"

I turned to the direction the voice came from and if I say I was confused that would be the biggest understatement. I was lost, completely and utterly lost.

I didn't know the woman who was standing in front of me. Her blonde hair was in a tight pony tail atop her head, her face caked with make up, which somehow made her blue eyes sparkle. She wore a black knee length fitted skirt and a hot pink chiffon too with black a stilleto.

The first question I asked myself was, how the fuck does she know my name? And second, who the hell is she?

Miles looked back and forth between me and the unknown woman and the confusion on his face couldn't be missed.

"Babe do you know her?" He tightened his hold on my hand to get my attention.

I shook my head, then looked at the woman again, trying to figure out who she is.

"You don't remember me do you?" She took two steps forward so she was now right beside the table.

I shook my head. "Sorry who are you?"

She chuckled, her voice light. "Grace Eastwood, we went to the same high school."

The name did sound familiar but the face, I just couldn't recognize no matter how hard I tried to think.

"I used to sit behind you in literature. Always on glasses and," she leaned in now and whispered. "Red hair," she added.

My mouth and eyes widened in realization. I did know this woman but not how I remember her. She used to be the geek of the class, always having her head in a book with her circle rimmed glasses and her a oversized clothes.

We were complete opposites back in highschool that's why I never really spoke to her but I never treated her like the rest of the class did. No matter how unpopular you were, I never bullied anyone.

"Grace," I chuckled and gave her a once over. Either her glow up happened after highschool or all this was surgery. She was slim back then and people used to tease her for her clothes wearing her instead of the other way around but now she had curves in the right places that held her clothes to her body.

"I know what you're thinking, no, it's not surgery." She shook her head and stood up straighter. "I just ate the right meals and exercised." She shrugged. "I dyed my hair a while back wanted to try something new and it suits me." She beamed.

"You've really changed, no wonder I didn't recognize you at first." I laughed then stood up -huge mistake.

"Oh you're pregnant," her eyes went down to my stomach and her face dropped for a second then lit up again. "Congratulations."

I forced a smile, "thank you."

Then she shifted her gaze to Miles as if just noticing him there.

"This is Miles, my fiance." I lied, straight through my teeth.

Her eyes widened, "oh." She looked at my left hand expecting to see a ring but her forehead creased in confusion. I wanted to speak about it but realized that I didn't owe her an explanation. "Congratulations then," I could tell tell  through her tone that she didn't really mean this one.

"Thank you," I smiled, more of a challenging one.

"Speaking of engagements, I'm getting married." She rose her left hand and the big rock on her finger glistened under the light. "You should come, it's next Saturday."

"Wow, congratulations then." I placed my hand on her arm. I looked at Miles then at her. "We would love to make it."

She reached into her purse and pulled out a white envelope and handed it to me. "Entry is only by invite."

I nodded and took the envelope. "I'll be there." I looked at Miles and rephrased my sentence. "We'll be there."

"Looking forward to seeing you." She looked at Miles now and gave him and before walking away and out of the restaurant.

I heaved a sigh of relief and plopped back on my seat.

"I didn't know we were still engaged," he stated with a raised brow.

"What did you want me to say Miles?" I sat back and folded my arms. "Did you see the look on her face? If I didn't say that, she'll go around telling people God knows what." I rolled my eyes.

He sighed. "People? Who?"

"I don't know Miles. God knows if she still has connections with people from our high school, I can't risk anything." I defended myself.

He pulled his lips to a thin line. "Do you plan on going to the wedding?"

I looked at the envelope and opened it to reveal a white card. I read the name of her fiance and that made my eyes almost pop out. "White," I said out loud.

"What?" His forehead creased.

"She's getting married to Vaughn White." I stated and dropped the card on the table. "He was the star athlete of the school, every girl wanted to date him."

"Oh, the most unlikely match." He noted.

"Exactly." I shifted the card aside to give space for the waiter to place my food in front of me. "I don't know." I answered his earlier asked question. "Can you come with me if I'm going?"

He shrugged. "If you want me to."

"I want you to." I told him and he nodded.

"Let's eat."

***

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