Bound By Her Bump novel Chapter 23

"Mind your language, Lucia!" Evelyn countered.

Laura noticed Annie went pale, even though she was confused as to what was going on, afraid that Annie would pass out, she went to her and held her cold hands in hers.

"Come on mom, don't tell me you believe the thing she's carrying in her belly is my brother's child?" Lucia said harshly which made Annie's eyes moist.

"I don't want to hear anything from you again Lucia" Evelyn warned. Lucia rolled her eyes. She didn't seem to care about her mother's warning; she turned her attention to Annie.

"I couldn't believe the morning papers I saw with you and my brother getting all lovey-dovey. So it was you mom was talking about all along and I know you're after my brother because of his money. You're tired of your poor wretched life and want to stylishly come into wealth that was why you got pregnant with someone else's child and claim it's for my brother. Are you even pregna...." She did not finish the statement because Evelyn's hand landed across her cheek.

"What's going on here?" Eric asked, his father coming behind him. They were discussing business in the study room but were interrupted by the noise coming from the living room.

Eric could see his mother was angry; Lucia was standing a few steps away from his mom with her right hand on her cheek as if she had been slapped. Annie was seated on the couch with her face down, her hands in between Laura's own who looked scared.

With her right hand on her cheeks, Evelyn dragged Lucia out of the living room into the Study room. Austin followed them.

Tears welled up in Lucia's eyes as she held her right hand close to her cheek. Her mom had never raised a hand on her and she eventually did because of Annie. She swore in her inner mind that Annie was going to pay for what her mom did to her.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Lucia?" Evelyn shouted at her daughter as soon as Austin shut the door.

"Why are you such a pain in the neck? Your brother is happy, why can't you be happy for him? All his life he has always sided you, took blames and punishments for you even when you knew you were wrong. Is this how you repay him?"

Lucia Ivan-James was the third and only wayward child of the Ivan James family. She was so different from her siblings; she believed in class and treated people below her as if they were garbage. She doesn't think twice before saying hurtful words to people. She believed in having fun, shopping and spending lavishly. The only good thing about Lucia was that she was a very brilliant student but with a very bad attitude. She was in her final year of college, studying for an accounting degree.

"Mom, you have to trust me. She's only with Eric because of money and fame. Trust me she's a gold digger, a lying bitch, a murder....."

"Enough!!!!" Her Dad, Austin commanded. "I don't want to hear the rubbish you have to say. Again, stay away from Annie and her relationship with your brother. If I hear that you cause trouble again, I will personally deal with you. You have to apologize to her."

"What??? Of course not. Why will I apologize to that...?" She wanted to describe Annie with a mean word but her mom glared at her which prevented her from doing so.

"Just go to your room and don't show your face until tomorrow" Austin commanded.

Lucia mumbled incoherent words as she walked out of the study room, slamming the door behind her.

Evelyn sighed as she plopped down on a couch. "I'm tired of her Austin, I don't know what else to do to make her change her behaviour." She said with a very sad voice.

~~

Immediately his mom and dad left with Lucia, Eric sat next to Annie. She was trembling when he made her sit on his lap. He turned to Laura. "Honey please go and get a glass of water." She nodded and left for the kitchen.

As soon as he lifted Annie's chin to look into her face, a tear rolled down her cheek which Eric wiped away with his thumb.

"Please don't cry; I can't bear to see you this way." He pleaded.

Laura came back with a glass of water and some tissue.

Eric thanked her, collected the water and fed it to Annie who only took a sip. He handed her the tissue and she wiped her face.

He was so tempted to ask what was wrong but he wanted her to calm down. She was seriously trembling and he knew stress was not good for her because of her condition so he decided to wait until later.

"We can go home now if you want. I'm sure mom will understand." He said to her.

"No, it's fine. I'll stay."

"Are you sure? I mean, I perfectly understand if you want to leave now." Evelyn added as she walked into the living room.

"I'm sure, Mom." She replied with a smile which was not reaching her eyes.