I began pacing around. "Go check out Ciara's movement, and if she's recently made new friends. "

Damn .. I need to fix this fast.

" What did you find?"

"She's just recently started seeing Tony. She's not made new friends, and she just got out of the hospital."

I still go very still at the word hospital. What is she doing at the hospital? Is she unwell?"

Louis clears his throat "Now I need you to be calm about this Mathew"

"What the fuck is going on?"

"She's just gone into the hospital for an abortion today" Every single thing around me blurs immediately "Did you just say abortion?"

"Yes, according to my men, she found out she was three Months pregnant and immediately requested an abortion. She never wrote the name of the father of the child."

"I am the father of the child"

"What? Then why did she get an abortion?"

"I'd like to know the answer to that too. I'm leaving the office now.

I call my assistant into the office, "Cancel everything I have pressing for the next week. I'd be back as soon as I can Geoffrey"

"Yes sir." He steps out

"Where is she now Louis?"

"She's on her way to your old family house."

I nod..."Okay guess I'm going home "

I rise from the chair and walk away from the office, get into my car and drive towards the old house. I'd never, ever, let her go in this lifetime.

I drive down to the house and Calista is first to berate me "Now what on earth are you doing here Mathew?"

I scoff "Last I checked both our parents own the house and we both grew up in this house"

"So is your little fiancée with you?"

"No, she's not Calista, give me a break. I'm going to my room." I walk away and she calls after me "Mom and dad will be so glad you came around."

I drop my things off in the room and move down the stairs to the kitchen, lighting a cigarette...I promised I'd quit yet whenever I'm in a nervous state I revert to my cigarette, my bad habit. I put out the cigarette, pick a glass of sparkling water when I hear her voice as I move towards them; she freezes the moment she sees me.

"Hello Ciara."

"Hi Matthew." She says softly then clears her throat before looking at Carlista in question as Calista shrugs nonchalantly.

"Babes, Matthew suddenly turned up here without prior notice hope you don't mind?"

"Of course not it's fine." She says softly. "

She chose to come here to avoid me but there is no avoiding me right now because we both need to have the dreaded conversation she's avoiding.

Calista fawns over her "Sweetheart, why were you at the hospital? Are you okay? Should you be standing?"

"I'm fine Calista...just need to lie down right now."

She takes her hand as they both walk up the stairs together, disappearing from my sight.

I wait until Calista comes out "She's asleep, I need to get some things outside now I'd be back on time. Please keep an eye on her for me will you? I know you don't like her but please she's the closest one I have to a sister."

I scoff "Why do you even think I don't like her?"

"Well duh...she avoids you like a plague and you ignore her totally which works just fine for me but today she's sick so I need you to watch her for me."

"Okay, Calista." I walk up to her, hug her and kiss her forehead as she eyes me suspiciously" You should let Louis take you"

She snaps immediately "I don't need Louis, I can go out by myself."

There's a story there I know but since they both don't tell me anything I act like I know nothing.

Immediately she leaves, I go to Cara's room where I find her asleep, a few minutes later, it starts raining heavily and I get a text message from Louis "I have your sister, I'd return her after the storm has passed"

I shake my head at that.. he'd share when he's comfortable sharing. I pick a chair and sit beside her as I stare at her then light a cigarette, two hours later she finally yawns and comes awake. I sent the butler a message to get soup for her.

"Are you feeling better Ciara?"

She frowns "Where is Calista?"

"She went out so it's just us. Would you care for water?" I open a bottle of still water and pour some into a cup, helping her sit as I help her drink it from the cup.

The butler James walks in with a tray which contains her soup and I collect it. "Drink up, it's healing soup" So I feed her and wait until she's done and a little relaxed before clearing my throat "Why on earth would you choose an abortion over telling me you were carrying our child Ciara?"

She scoffs "Of course you know already... doctor-patient clause doesn't even matter to you."

" Why would I keep a child I never signed up for? You want things always done your way but I will not be a pawn in whatever games you're playing. I'm done with you."

"Did it ever occur to you that I might actually want the child?"

"Oh get a grip and get off Lulu land Mathew; you're engaged very publicly to another woman, I told you I wasn't ready to have a child, you switched my pills, had my IUD removed without my consent just to keep me tied to you and I won't be having that. I'd like to go back to sleep now, please excuse me."

I stand, help her lie back, adjust her bed cover and kiss her lightly even as she stiffens.

"I know you're mad right now and it's fine, I'm sorry. Heal, I'll watch you till you're fully healed but we are not done, Ciara."

CIARA

I yawned as I opened my eyes slowly and discovered him beside me on the bed; no wonder I remained warm  inspite of the heavy storm that refused to stop. I tried to stand but he pulled my back to himself; his hard on digging into my back side as he spooned me so I pushed harder and he grunted "Good morning Ciara."

I scoffed. "Why are you here Mat? What if someone had walked in?"

"The storm is pretty bad so no one can come in but even if they do I'd handle it."

I exhaled slowly. "You are engaged to someone else; you should stay away from me."

"I know you are still mad at me but we need to discuss this. Why chose to have an abortion?"

"Why did you chose to swap my pills without my consent? How was my IUD removed without me knowing? You are a very known figure who got very engaged to Maggie; you need to forget about anything we had and move on with your life like I did mine."

The silence that followed was heavy and suffocating as the rain outside intensified leaving the atmosphere tensed.

"I thought I was down with a flu or something but imagine my shock when they told me I was pregnant. You are the most selfish man I've ever met in my life Mathew. You want a wife and a mistress but I'm not playing your game with you."

The rain stopped, leaving the world gray and washed clean. I stood, staring at the window. 

I turned to look at him, my eyes void of the softness they had held on "You cornered me everywhere...."

"Because you were avoiding me," he snapped, stepping closer to the window. "You pushed me away, Ciara. I thought you wanted this."

"Did you ever stop to think maybe I wanted you but not what you wanted to make me?" 

I tightened my robe "I need to go home, Matthew. I can't be here with you looking at me like I'm a mistake."

I started to walk past him, but he didn't move. 

"Did you love me at all?" he asked, the question tearing at his throat.

I paused, my hand on the doorknob. I looked back at him, and for a second, the anger cracked, revealing the hurt beneath. "I loved you enough to die for you, Matthew. That's the problem. I loved you more than you were ever willing to love me and only a manipulative jerk like you would bring up love right now."

The door clicked shut as I walked away from him.

He found me at the garden an hour later, ignoring the pouring rain as I pulled weeds from the soil. I looked like a wild creature, soaked to the bone, my hair plastered to her face.

"You're crazy," he called out to me, approaching through the mud.

I didn't look up. "Go away, Matthew."

"I'm not going anywhere," he said, walking right up to me. He grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to turn to him. "You're shivering."

"I'm fine." I tried to shrug him off, but he held on, my grip tight enough to bruise.

"You didn't eventually go through with the abortion," he stated. It wasn't a question.

My eyes went wide, then narrowed into slits. "You don't know that. I handled the procedure."

"I know you're pregnant," he said, leaning in until our noses were almost touching. "I know you better than you know yourself. Your body is fighting to protect something, Ciara. You're fertile, you're weak, and you're carrying my child."

"I'm not a vessel for your legacy, Matthew!" I shoved me hard, the force surprising him enough that he stumbled back. "Get out of my life. Just get out."

I pushed past him, but he caught my wrist, spinning me around and pinning me against the rough bark of an old oak tree. The rain soaked through our clothes instantly, our chests pressed together, skin slick and hot.

"Don't do this," he growled, his mouth hovering over hers. "I'm not letting you walk away from me, Ciara. I'm going to make you remember exactly what it felt like to be with me."

"Then prove it and leave me the hell alone" I screamed, water dripping from her chin. 

That was all the invitation he needed. He didn't waste another second. He kissed me, hard and desperate, claiming my mouth with a ferocity that bordered on violence. His tongue thrust deep, demanding access, tasting the rain and the sweetness of her that he had been starving for. My hands clenched in his wet hair, pulling him closer, my breath hitching in a moan that escaped into the storm.

One hand moved to the back of my neck, holding me in place, while the other tore at the sash of my robe, letting the fabric fall open. The cold air hit my skin, but his body was a furnace against me. 

"Matthew," I gasped against his lips. "We're outside."

"So what?" he nipped at my bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth. "The whole world can see us. The whole world can watch me take what's mine."

He lifted me effortlessly, her legs wrapping instinctively around my waist. He buried my face in the crook of my neck, inhaling my scent and lowered me onto the soft, wet grass of the garden. He covered my body with his, weight pinning me to the earth, his erection already hard and aching, pressing demandingly against my thigh.

"Look at me, Ciara," he commanded, his voice dropping to a rough growl.

I opened her eyes, dark with desire, water pooling in her lashes. I reached down, my fingers trembling as I unbuttoned his shirt, pushing it open to reveal his chest. I ran my hands over his skin, my touch electric, making him shudder.

"You think you can just walk away?" he whispered, his lips brushing against my earlobe, biting down gently. "You think you can carry my child and then just choose to leave? No. You belong to me. Your body, your mind, your child."

"I hate you," I breathed, my nails digging into his back as he ground his hips against me, letting me feel exactly how much I affected me.

"I know," he groaned, aligning himself with my heat. "But you're mine, Ciara. And I'm going to make you scream my name until you believe it."

He thrust into me in one fluid motion, sheath enveloping me instantly, hot and tight and perfect. I cried out, my back arching off the ground, my fingers digging into his shoulders as he began to move. The rain continued to fall, washing over us, blurring the edges of the world until there was only the friction of our bodies, the slick heat of our skin, and the thunder of our hearts beating in sync.

He fucked me with a wild, desperate rhythm, each stroke harder and deeper than the last. He wanted to mark me, to leave his sign on my skin, to remind me that no matter where I went, he was the one who knew my body best. My legs wrapped tighter around his waist, pulling him in deeper, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps.

"Mathew..." I moaned, my head falling back against the wet grass. "Please... don't stop."

"Never," he growled, reaching between us to rub my clit with his thumb as he pistoned into me. "I'm never letting you go."

I arched my back, my walls clamping down around me, milking him for everything he had. My eyes rolled back, my mouth open in a silent scream as I shattered, my body convulsing around his. The feeling was blinding, pushing him over the edge as he roared my name, emptying himself into me with a guttural cry.

He collapsed on top of me, both of us breathless and spent, the rain cooling our overheated skin. He held me close, burying his face in my neck, listening to the thunderous thumping of my heart. He didn't care about the mud, the wet clothes, or the public display. "You're mine, Ciara," he whispered against my skin. "Always."

I didn't answer, but I didn't pull away either. He turned my head to look at him, a small, broken smile touching my lips. "You're absolutely insane Matthew."

"I'm your man," I corrected, kissing her forehead. "And I'm not letting you leave this garden until you agree to forgive me."

I laughed softly, a sound that seemed too light for the storm raging inside me. "You think a fuck is going to fix everything, don't you?"

"It fixed something," he said, nuzzling my neck. "It fixed you and it's going to keep fixing us. Now get up. We need to clean up before Calista comes looking for us."

I groaned but moved, my legs trembling as I stood. He helped me up, his arms around my waist, keeping me steady. We were a mess, a tangled mess of limbs and wet clothes, but he didn't care. 

As we walked back to the house, he cleared his throat "Some Paps got their hands on your medical records, it's how I discovered you never went through with the abortion. I've handled them."

"Are you fucking kidding me Matthew? So...I don't even get any privacy?" I scoffed and as he's about to respond, the moment we stepped into the house, we found Maggie, his fiancée waiting inside.

She stared at us for a while then walked up and kissed him on his lips as he quickly pushed her aside "Hi babe."

CIARA

Maggie's eyes narrowed as she took in our dishevelled state-mud-caked shoes, rain-soaked clothes, and the undeniable scent of sex clinging to us like a second skin. I instinctively stepped back, crossing my arms over my chest as if that could hide the evidence of our encounter.

"Well, isn't this cosy?" Maggie's voice dripped with venom as she smoothed her designer dress, looking utterly out of place in the chaos we'd created. "Matthew darling, you've been playing in the rain without me. Trust you had fun? Hello Ciara"

"Maggie, what are you doing here?" Mathew's voice was tight, and I could see the muscle working in his jaw.

She laughed-a cold, calculated sound that sent shivers down my spine. "I came to check on you after the storm but it seems I interrupted something... intimate." Her gaze flickered to me as she walked towards me "You're soaked darling should I be concerned?"

"Watch your mouth," Mathew warned, stepping between us. "Ciara's not-"

"She's exactly what she looks like," Maggie interrupted, circling us slowly. "The orphaned little rich girl who thinks she can squish her way into our relationship. Do you really think he'd choose you over me?" She stopped before me, her face inches from mine. "If there's anything between you two, he'd use you for his amusement, Ciara. Nothing more."

I wanted to slap her, but Carlista's footsteps approaching from the hallway stopped me.

"Maggie! What a surprise!" Carlista's voice was falsely cheerful as she entered the room. "I didn't know you were stopping by."

Maggie's expression transformed instantly into one of sweet innocence. "Just checking on my fiancé after that dreadful storm." She looped her arm through Mathew's, her nails digging into his bicep. "We were just having a little chat with your... friend."

Carlista's eyes widened slightly as she took in the scene, but she recovered quickly. "Ciara was a bit down when she came over but she decided to work in the garden and got caught in the rain."

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Maggie's laugh was sharp as glass. "Well, I should be going. Matthew, we need to discuss our honeymoon arrangements." She kissed his cheek deliberately, her eyes never leaving mine. "Try not to get muddy again without me."

The door clicked shut behind her, leaving silence thick enough to choke on.

"I'm going to kill her," Carlista muttered, turning to face us fully. "What the hell was that about?"

Mathew ran a hand through his wet hair. "She's just being Maggie."

"No, she was a mean bitch who was unnecessarily disrespectful for no reason at all."

Carlista's gaze shifted between us. " I'm sorry this happened Ciara but do I need to be concerned girl?"

"Carlista, absolutely not-"

"Don't you dare lie to me," she snapped, pointing a finger at Mathew. "I don't know what's happened but keep your fiancées evil eye off my best friend."

"Yes ma'am." Mathew chuckled "You're so protective, won't you also protect me?"

I felt tears pricking the corners of my eyes and turned away. "I need to have a bath and change my clothing, please excuse me."

Carlista approached me, her expression softening. "Ciara, I'm sorry. I had no idea this was going on." She hugged me tightly. "I know my brother has been an absolute nightmare to you.'

I pulled back, wiping my eyes. "I'm fine Carlista thank you."

I walked away and moved to my room then into the bathroom and soaked in a hot bath when I felt his presence before he even spoke "I love you Ciara, you know I do."

"Then why her?" I demanded, my voice cracking. "Why propose to her if you love me?"

"For the investigation," he said quietly. "Her family's involved in my brother's death. I needed to get close to them."

I scoffed. "Then investigate all you want but leave me out of your damned mess."

"I'd solve it soon babe. I swear I will."

The door handle rattled, making me jump.

I tried to stand but Mathew took my hand. "We need to talk about the baby, Ciara. And our future."

I shook my head. "There is no our future, Mathew. Not like this."

I pushed him away and wore my robe as I moved outside the door and found Carlista waiting with a package "This came in for you Ciara."

I took it, my hands trembling as I tore it open. Inside was a photo of me, obviously pregnant, walking outside the university. Below it, typed words chilled me to the bone:

We know about the baby. And we know it's not the only secret you're keeping. Come alone to the old warehouse at Docklands tomorrow at noon if you want to protect what's yours. I thanked Carlista and quickly walked back into the room.

Mathew peered over my shoulder. "What is it?"

I folded the letter quickly. "Nothing important."

His eyes narrowed. "Ciara, don't lie to me. Not now."

"Like you haven't been lying to me?" I snapped back. "I need to go home."

I didn't wait for a response, grabbing my bag and heading for the door, my heart racing with fear I hadn't felt since the night I learned my parents were gone. Someone knew about the baby and they weren't afraid to use it against me.

The door to the room opened after a while and I almost screamed as Carlista eyed me suspiciously "Why are you so jumpy Ciara?" I exhaled as I tried calming my unsteady heart. "I'm fine....I was just lost in thought."

She nodded. "Get dressed babe. Matthew has a big fight tonight, let's go watch."

I chuckled "You don't even like watching him fight Carlista so why are we even going there?"

She shrugged nonchalantly as she moved to the wardrobe and brought out a short black micro mini shirt and tank top with black boots replicating exactly what she wore. "This idiot has been making all sorts of idle noise and I'd just take so much pleasure in Matthew beating him to a pulp plus you look like someone who needs to be cheered up.

I laugh as I changed and we both move out. Matthew left a while ago. As we climbed into the car, my phone alerted me for a message "You can't hide forever Ciara....leave him alone if you don't want to be dead." I shivered uncontrollably.