Chapter 5: Keep The Baby Safe
When Kiara heard the door open, she looked up, and her smile vanished. She looked scared like she'd seen a ghost. She shook and almost fell.
Zoey was surprised by Kiara's sudden change. She gasped and held her up. Enzo also tried to help Kiara stand, but he stopped when he saw Zoey was already there.
Kiara was breathing fast. Seeing the man's handsome face only made her more terrified. Her heart raced. 'Why is he here? How did he find me?'
The man in front of her was her worst fear. She wanted to run away. So, she grabbed Zoey's hand and said, "We have to leave."
But her pregnancy made it hard to move fast. Zoey looked at the stranger. He looked perfect, but his eyes were icy cold. She shivered. 'Who is he? Why is Kiara scared of him?'
"I've been searching for you, Kiara," Enzo said through gritted teeth.
Kiara held her belly protectively, trying to keep her baby safe from him. "Stay back. I won't go with you!" Tears welled up in her eyes, knowing there was no escaping him.
Enzo ignored her plea and grabbed her wrist. Despite her pregnancy, she seemed frail and weak. Feeling her thin wrist, he felt a pang of guilt. 'Has she been starving herself?'
Zoey, summoning her courage, spoke up. "Hey, mister, she's eight months pregnant. Be careful. You might hurt the baby." Then she turned to Kiara, asking softly, "Who is he?"
Kiara's face was drained of color. "The baby's father," she whispered sadly. No one would stop her from having this child. No one except Enzo. He would harm the baby.
Enzo stared at her with authority. "You're coming with me right now," he commanded.
Kiara bit her lip, feeling trapped. One misstep, and she'd be in deep trouble. But she summoned her courage. Knowing death was near made her fight harder to live. "Okay, but you have to promise not to harm the baby," she insisted, looking him in the eye with determination.
"Do you really think you can negotiate?" He sneered. 'I haven't even started making you pay.'
Kiara's face paled. She knew she didn't have much leverage, and this was all her fault. 'But the baby is innocent.'
Enzo's expression darkened. The fear of her disappearance had kept him up at night, fueling his anger. "Remember your place," he said coldly.
Kiara's heart twinged. She knew she belonged to him, no matter where she went. Tears welled up in her eyes as she made a decision. 'I have to take this chance. Maybe there's still a bit of kindness in his heart, and he'll spare the baby.'
But her anxiety stirred the baby inside her, causing it to kick. The pain made her bend over, but someone steadied her with their arm.
"Are you okay, Kiara?" Zoey asked, concerned.
"Yeah, it's just the baby kicking," Kiara reassured her.
Enzo scanned the village, urgency in his eyes. 'I need to get her home quickly. If anything happens to her now, more than one life is in danger.' He didn't know what to do about the baby yet, but there was no time to figure it out. He just needed to get her away. "Come with me. Right now," he ordered firmly, gripping her arm.
Kiara knew she couldn't escape anymore. "Okay," she conceded. Then she faced Zoey. "Thanks for everything, Zoey."
"Wait, you still need to grab your things. The baby's clothes, remember?" Zoey reminded her.
Kiara's face drained of what little color remained, tears flowing down her cheeks. "There's no need for that now." With that, she headed to the car and got in.
Enzo followed her into the car. Suppressing her sadness, Kiara said goodbye to Zoey. "Thank you for all you and your family have done for me, Zoey. I'll repay the favor someday."
"Take care. Keep the baby safe," Zoey said, waving goodbye.
The off-road vehicles disappeared around the corner, out of sight.
Kiara closed her eyes, but the car hit a bump suddenly. The bodyguard didn't see the pothole and drove over it. Startled, Kiara instinctively grabbed her belly but lost her balance and fell against Enzo's chest.
Enzo caught her immediately, but she quickly moved away, afraid he might harm the baby. She hurried to the other side of the car.
They boarded the plane and flew back to Dewbrook. The baby kept Kiara awake all night, and she was exhausted. Even though Enzo was across from her, she fell asleep on the couch. Even in her dreams, she protected her baby with her hands over her belly.
Enzo looked away from the window and watched Kiara, especially her belly. Suddenly, he saw movement inside. The baby was kicking and moving around. He stared in surprise, feeling conflicted.
'So, that's my child, huh?'
Even now, Enzo still doesn't know how to handle the situation. He sighed and glanced out the window again. His thoughts were jumbled, but he instructed the stewardess to cover Kiara with a blanket to keep her warm.
The flight lasted two hours. Just before landing, the stewardess woke Kiara up. When she opened her eyes, she saw Enzo sitting with his legs crossed. Panicked, she sat up quickly, surprised she had slept for so long. She rubbed her numb arm, feeling the baby kick inside her, which reassured her.
During a checkup, the doctor hinted that the baby was a boy.
After landing, they got into Enzo's car and headed toward the city. Kiara sat in the back seat. After six months in the countryside, being back in the city felt strange to her.
At 4:00 PM, they arrived at Enzo's villa. Kiara got out of the car, holding her lower back. The journey had exhausted her.
Enzo walked ahead, sneering at her. "You did this to yourself."
A bitter feeling filled her heart. 'He doesn't care about the child at all.'
"Can we talk?" she asked softly.
"I don't want to talk," he replied coldly, then turned and walked away, leaving her alone in the cold.