Chapter Twenty Six
Clarice gently opened her eyelids, wincing at the bright light. She closed them again to adjust, then fluttered them open once more, finding her concerned friends, Whitney and Elise, peering down at her.
"How are you feeling, Clarice?" Elise asked, worried.
"We were so worried," Whitney added. "Are you feeling better?"
Confusion washed over Clarice. Why were they acting as if she were sick? Then it hit her like a tidal wave - the doctor, Dr. Flint, had diagnosed her condition. She was pregnant.
In an exhilarating burst of joy, Clarice sprang out of bed, her hair wild. "Guys!" she shouted, embracing her friends tightly. "I'm pregnant!"
Whitney and Elise struggled to breathe under her enthusiastic grip. "Congratulations, Clarice, but please... let go of our necks," Whitney managed to gasp.
Apologizing, Clarice released them, her mind racing. Amidst her happiness, she suddenly felt queasy and rushed to the bathroom, vomiting into the toilet bowl. As she retched, her thoughts drifted to Hunter. What had she done? She had hugged him tightly, cried on his shoulder, and now she couldn't face him. Her emotions were a mess.
After composing herself, Clarice returned to her friends, who offered their support and advice. They insisted she tell Anton, the father of her child, but Clarice hesitated. She couldn't bear the thought of facing him after her emotional outburst.
Max, her cousin, arrived with groceries and an unusual air of discomfort. He had interfered in her life again, and Clarice wondered if she had made a mistake by involving him.
Later, as Clarice lay in bed, she spoke to her unborn child, expressing her love and promising to care for them, despite the complicated circumstances of their conception. The thought of revealing the truth to Anton weighed heavily on her heart, especially when her feelings for Hunter seemed to grow stronger. Her heart beat for him and him alone, leaving her torn between her emotions and her responsibilities.
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