“Theodore, I heard Ariana's pregnant. What are your intentions regarding the child?”

At Helen's words, Ariana's heart pounded, her breath hitching as she anxiously awaited Theodore's reply.

Ariana held her breath, suspended in a state of dread and expectation as she awaited Theodore’s answer.

After a tense moment, Theodore finally declared, "I won't keep this child."

Ariana felt as though she'd been struck by lightning. The world around her seemed to blur, the echoes of his words ringing painfully in her ears. Her heart shattered in her chest.