k i w i

- 74 -

- arabella -

I settled down on the couch, finally relaxing back from the long week I've had. From running around trying to catch up with what I've missed at work to babysitting stupid Pepa to having talks about the baby shower.

Closing my eyes, I hear the door open and close, Zayn's voice echoing around the walls as he walked into sight with his phone on his ear. Giving my forehead a kiss, he sat in front of me and hummed, winking at me as I continue to stare at him.

God, I hate how not tired he looks.

"Okay, sounds good, bro." He nods, saying goodbyes and hanging up. Sinking down in the couch, he sighs and raises an eyebrow. "Long day?"

"Week." I corrected him, frowning which only made him smile. "You?"

"Got off the phone with Liam." He says, closing his eyes and throwing his head back. "Have to go to England to close a deal." His eyes opened and eyed me, "For a week."

My frown deepened and I turn away from him, not wanting to be mad but feeling the anger slowly rise up. "The baby shower is the upcoming weekend."

"I'll be back by then." Sitting up, he says and then looks away. "Maybe." There it was, the word that made me sit up as he sunk deeper. "They're hard clients and other companies are going after them as well—"

"I thought Doniya had England's business." I cut him off, taking my heels off and standing up. Going to the kitchen, I took the kettle and began to fill it up with water. "Why would they need you there? It's not like Olly calls me to go over there whenever there's a business matter."

Leaning against the counter on the other side, he shrugs. "She's still a bit new. She needs my help, I know these clients, doll."

"Yeah whatever." I huff, setting the kettle on the stove to boil. Staring at him, my blood only boiled more. "Are you even gonna take time off when the baby is born? Or are you going to fly around doing business?"

"Don't." He sighs, getting off the counter and walking out. "We both had a long—"

"Zayn, it isn't fair!" I cut him off, again. Following him out and to the bedroom, he sits on the bed and takes his shoes off. "I have work as well, but I still make time for you!"

"I moved from New York to Chicago to be with you!" He raised his voice, throwing a shoe down, but not turning to me. "I spent half my life living in New York, do you think it was easy for me to leave all that behind? At least you're living in the city you made your friends in. What about me? All my friends are over—"

"If you say New York one more fucking time, I'm going to snap." I yell back watching him go into the closet, "Why are you so selfish? I'm the one giving up everything to bring your child to term!"

He walked back out, shirtless in a pair of sweatpants, face slightly red and eyebrows furrowed down. "You had the option not to."

My throat knotted and I felt a kick in the heart, my eyes stinging as well. As soon as I let the first sob out, he was walking forwards with a small pout.

I moved out of his way and walked out the bedroom, not wanting to see his face anymore. Going down to the kitchen again, turning the stove off, I went back to the front door.

"Arabella, I'm tired." He says with a tired voice, hand running through his face. Wiping away tears, I turn to him and raised an eyebrow. "Where do we even stand in this? Am I just the father of your child?"

"Seems like you want it to be that way." I spit back, sitting on the floor to tie my shoes on. "I keep trying and trying to have our relationship work out. For you to feel comfortable here, to feel at home. What else can I do Zayn!?"

Running out of breath, I stopped my actions and continued watching him watching me. My heart was full, full of sadness and disappointment.

"Where are you going?" He asks dodging the question, "To run away from this like you always do?"

I flick him off, somehow getting up without his help. I took keys off the bowl and a coat off the hanger by the door, not caring if I looked homeless.

Opening the door, I made sure I had my phone in my back pocket before zipping up the jacket. I hate the cold weather and the snow. "I'm going out. Leave if you want to, just make sure to take all your things."

Making sure to slam the door behind me, I tried holding my tears in all the way to the elevator, letting them roll down once inside.

I called Sammy, leaning back and trying to control my tears. "Sammy, can you pick me up?"

"Right now?" He asked bored and annoyed, a long and extra loud sigh coming from him. "Where are you? And for what?"

Feeling my lip trembling, I tried not to let it sound that I was crying and at the verge of screaming. "Uh, I'm...I'm at my place. Please."

"Are you crying?" He asks now alarmed, the change of his tone making something in me panic and begin to fully cry. "Hey! Woah, Bella. What's wrong!?"

"I-I don't know." I mumble, staying inside the elevator once it arrived on the first floor. Sniffling and hitting random buttons, I sit down on the floor. "Please."

"I'm on my way." He says, I could hear his keys jiggling and a few curse words as his footsteps were stomping loudly. "Wait for me in the garage. Inside the car, okay?"

I nodded, humming as well and struggled to get up. Getting out at the garage level, I look around for my car, exhaling shakily as I get inside and completely loose myself.

Zayn is such an asshole.

It took Samuel less than seven minutes to arrive, he didn't have Peppa with him and I was thankful. As soon as he opened his arms for a hug, I lost it even more.

My chest felt tight and my throat burned, his words echoed in my head as I struggled to breath properly. I closed my eyes, seeing black dots everywhere in my vision and beginning to panic even more.

Samuel's voice echoed around in my head, and as I began to go down to take a seat, his face was the last thing I saw.

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