The Downfall Of Us All (Dabi X OC)

Chapter 48

Astra:

I sat beside Sophie, watching her cradle Paya in her arms.
As the baby suckled eagerly at her breast, I couldn't help feeling envious of her innocent contentedness.
But my thoughts quickly turned to Toya, the father of my unborn child. His aversion to thinking about the future had me worried about his reaction to my pregnancy. He might be elated or upset by the news.
The uncertainty was draining, casting a shadow over a time that should have been filled with joy.

"You will have to tell him you're pregnant, you know," Lily said as she rubbed her swollen belly.
"I know," I replied, "but it's Toya we're talking about."
"Not to mention the timing with a war on the rise," Sophie added.
Lily gave her a pointed look.
"Not helping, Soph," she warned.

"But what if he doesn't react well?" I asked, my voice trembling. "The timing is already so fraught, and I don't want to add to his worries."
Lily placed a comforting hand on my arm. "You know Toya loves you, and if he loves you, he'll support you through this. It's too early to know what his reaction will be."
Sophie nodded. "Besides, maybe the news will take his mind off the war for a while."

Sophie's words were like a balm on a wound. The idea that the news might distract Toya from the war was comforting, and Lily's reassurances of my husband's love eased my fears.
"I guess you're right," I said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"You should tell him today," Lily said, determined.
I nodded, ready to get this over with.
I got up and made my way to find Toya, hoping to break the news of my pregnancy to him.
I found him leaning against a wall, smoking a cigarette. His easy smile was a welcome sight.
I snaked my arm around his waist and put my head on his back.
"Hey, Doll, nice to see you too," he said, knowing it was me just by touch alone.

"Can we talk for a second?" I said to him, a nervous tingle running through my veins.
Toya's brow furrowed in confusion at the tone of my voice. "What's wrong, Doll?" he asked.
"I, uh, have something important to tell you," I said.
His expression became more concerned at my hesitant words. "What is it?" he asked.

I was about to speak when Toya spoke first. "Before you tell me, let's go somewhere more private," he said, stamping his cigarette out with his boot.
I nodded and let him lead me outside. The cool air of the outside was a welcome change from the stale atmosphere inside.
This was the first time I had been outside in a long time, and it was still forbidden to leave the confines of the compound. But Toya was always one to break rules, and I felt comforted by his presence. Even though Ethan was still out there somewhere.

But as I followed him, a strange feeling crept over me.
Something felt off. Toya's manner was off just...just ever so slightly. It wasn't anything I could put my finger on, but my instincts were tingling.
My mind raced with thoughts, but one thing was certain.

As I hung onto Toya hand, it finally hit me. There was a small difference in his demeanor. It was subtle, but enough to make me pause. His movements felt...off. It wasn't the rough, forceful way he usually led me around. Instead, it was smooth and elegant. Even his grip on my hand was too gentle.
These minor details felt significant to me, triggering my intuition that something was wrong. This didn't feel like Toya at all.

Toya glanced down at me with an innocent, concerned look. "Is everything okay?" he asked, noticing that my body language had gotten tight with tension.
His voice was soft and gentle. And even his appearance had somehow changed slightly. Something didn't feel right.
"No..." I muttered. And that was the moment I knew what was wrong. "Who are you?"

I kept my gaze firmly forward, noticing how elegant and graceful Toya steps were. Almost like a skip. His movements were precise and measured, unlike his usual rough movements. Something had to be off, because the change was too remarkable.
I also noticed something about his appearance. His eyes, normally sharp and intense, seemed softer somehow.
It wasn't much, but these subtle changes triggered my suspicions. This man, while similar in some ways to my husband, was not Toya "Who are you?" I asked again.