NTH

idn't mean to r

s heart aching at the sigh

ignoring his calls, his messages, and even his emails. He

felt like an eternity. An emptines

him. She came to his house, but the cold

gry. I th

with a child?" Vera cut him of

u thought?" Her gaze bore i

regret. He had lost control, let his fears drive

you," he admitted, his voice

d, disbelief flash

e didn't believe it, like she never e

and pressed a soft kiss to

like that because you thought I was pregnant?" S

the thought of her carrying his child? Especially a man as p

t," he murmured, his gaze locking o

danger. That was what terrified him the most. B

bling over. "Are you even listening to yourself?

g your child?" she repeated,

rself before asking, "Tell me the tru

d his gaze. "Babe, can we not talk about

ways say! Every time I ask, it's the same excuse

ign of honesty. Then, the question that had

e anothe

came instantly, his h

said, his voice firm, his eyes

n her mind. She didn't know which one to ask first. Instead, she s

uch," she whispered, pres

. "And I love you too," he murmu

leaded softly, "tell

is walls slamming back into place. She let out a bitter s

into her eyes. "I'm Stan George,

ds. An introvert," Vera finished

xt line?" she asked

he same. Nothin

, spreading his arms. "Bec

a shot back wit

me," she said, standing up

nd Stan, knowing bette

hool, it has a name. You attended university, it has a name, too. You met people th

oice low and controlled. He wasn't

't ask anymore," she said, her voi

nce settled

lly said, breaking the qu

ill, knowing wha

y family?" she asked, even tho

that could somehow relieve the ten

re busy," she finished f

n't know your family, and you don't know mine.

hifting further into the sofa, a sile

pinched the bridge of his nose, and

elieve me," he said, moving closer. He leaned forward and k

lled away, avo

hispered, his voice s

ropped into a husky whisper, s

d hers. This time, she didn't resist. She told herself it would stop at just a kiss,

over, realit

he hadn't protected himself, and she had

nder her breath, still

sed. "Wh

. "Nothing," she lied, pan

o another fight, another storm she wasn't ready fo

pressed, his soft yet insistent voice

small smile. "I... I just

s, he flipped her over, his touch

e took her, Vera's mind was trapped elsewhere, staring at an invisible calendar, counti

rouble. Big,