At the OB/GYN Department of Mento City's Maternal and Pediatric Hospital, Briley Luna stared listlessly down at her feet. Her heart flipped in her chest as she gently laid a hand on her flat belly.
Did she have to abort this child?
As she closed her eyes, her mind was involuntarily pulled back to the events of two months ago...
She clearly remembered the call from her little sis, Jade Luna, who had phoned her from a bar, drunk as a skunk and needing a ride home.
At the time, she didn't overthink things; she just flagged down a cab and headed to the bar to fetch her sister.
But as soon as she arrived, Jade's bad news buddies forced shots down her throat and refused to let her leave until she was sauced. So, she downed a shot, but that single stiff drink hit her like a freight train!
After that, she only remembered clinging onto some random dude and refusing to let go...
When she came to later, she found herself butt naked in a swanky hotel room...
The ache in her body and the love bites that littered her skin screamed one thing: she had lost her v-card while blitzed!
She hadn't the foggiest idea who she slept with or even what he looked like.
She'd thought that her drunken escapade that night was low enough, but things took a turn for the worse when she discovered she was knocked up!
Briley shut her eyes feebly.
Ballin' up the bill in her hand, she glanced up to eyeball the clock.
Her folks would flip their wigs knowing she was preggo with some stranger's kid, and her fiance, Ryan Thomson, wouldn't be stoked to learn he was gonna be a daddy.
"I'm sorry, baby, but you can't come into this world. Forgive me." She mentally apologized to her unborn child.
Decision made.
Suddenly, she picked up on a familiar voice not too far off.
"Oh Ryan, I'm so pumped. Our baby's gonna be such a doll, right?"
Briley wrinkled her forehead and instinctively swiveled her head toward the other end of the hallway.
Seeing the joyful couple standing just a short distance away, it felt as if she'd been sucker-punched in the gut. Her blood felt as if it was coursing in the wrong direction, and there was a deafening buzzing in her head.
This lovey-dovey twosome were none other than her kid sister, Jade, and her fiancé, Ryan!
The corner of Briley's mouth twitched; she wasn't a schmuck, she understood what was cookin'.
As she spotted the double-dealing duo sauntering toward her, her face drained of color. She briskly turned her back to them and hung her head low.
As Jade and Ryan neared, their chatter grew more distinct.
"Now that you're carrying our bun in the oven, Jade, you gotta be extra careful. No more carousing around town."
"I know. But when're you gonna come clean to Briley? Can't hide my baby bump forever."
"Don't worry, I'll drop the bomb on Briley shortly... Your sis is too wrapped up in her dingy flower shop to even notice anything. She won't even give me the time of day since we got engaged... My love for her ran its course long ago!"
The duo walked past her, so engrossed in their conversation they didn't even notice her.
Briley watched them walk off, a glacial chill filling her eyes.
When the matchmaker had first introduced Ryan to her, she made him out to be as true-blue as they come. And he'd played the part perfectly for the past year, acting as solid as a rock. She'd been blind to think his sincerity was a sure thing!
A bitter laugh escaped from Briley. "What a waste! Ryan's got the chops to outshine any Hollywood actor!"
"Oh Briley, you must be blind to have wasted one of your golden years on such a jerk!" she scolded herself.
"Next—"
"Is there a Briley Luna here? Briley Luna?"
Startled awake from her thoughts when the plump nurse called out her name for the third time from the doorway.
She quickly arranged her face and struggled to rise to her feet, embarrassed. "I'm here."