Countdown to "I Do" novel Chapter 14

**Midnight Roads Unseen by George Orwell**
**Chapter 14**

Adrian found himself engulfed in a tide of regret, a feeling that washed over him like a relentless wave.

He had once convinced himself that life could carry on without Isabella, that he could forge ahead and find solace in the absence of her presence. Yet, the stark reality was a cruel twist of fate, revealing that he was utterly mistaken.

Each tick of the clock since the moment he learned of her departure felt like a dagger to his heart. He longed for her to materialize before him, to walk back into his life as if nothing had changed, as if the world hadn’t conspired to tear them apart.

But the truth was inescapable: Isabella had married Jared.

Just the thought of it constricted his chest, making it hard to draw a breath. It felt as if he were suffocating under the weight of his own thoughts.

He had been on the verge of dialing Jared’s number again, his mind swirling with confusion and anger, when a sudden call from Ella interrupted his spiraling thoughts.

“Adrian, I’m pregnant. I’m having your baby. Are you happy?”

The words hit him like a thunderclap, leaving his mind blank and his heart racing.

Happy?

He should be, shouldn’t he?

But as panic surged within him, he found himself grappling with a tumult of emotions. Why was happiness so elusive?

Could he ever hope to return to Isabella now that he was about to become a father?

He had already inflicted so much pain upon her. The thought of Ella carrying his child twisted his insides into knots. Would Isabella ever find it in her heart to forgive him for this?

The more he ruminated on the implications, the deeper his panic grew.

With a shaky voice, he stammered, “Ella, do you really have to have this baby?”

The moment his question left his lips, he sensed the shift in the atmosphere. Ella’s smile faltered, her expression morphing into one of disbelief.

“Yes, Adrian. I really want a child for company, especially one that’s ours,” she replied, her tone firm yet tinged with vulnerability.

“Didn’t we discuss this before?” he countered, desperation creeping into his voice.

“If you can’t accept it, or if you’re worried Isabella will get jealous and angry because of the baby, then I can just get rid of it and have a child with someone else!”

Her words hung in the air, sharp and cutting.

Though one was based in Los Angeles and the other in Denver, both companies had branch offices in each city, their operations intertwined in a complex web of competition.

Especially when it came to government contracts, the two firms were locked in a fierce battle, each vying for supremacy.

In the past, Adrian had failed to grasp the reasons behind Jared’s relentless pursuit of the Foster family.

Five years earlier, the Rhodes Group and the Foster Group had little in common, their paths rarely crossing.

That was until Jared took the reins of his family’s company, methodically expanding into overlapping business sectors, determined to wage a war against the Fosters.

Jared was undeniably skilled, having orchestrated countless sabotages against the Foster family with alarming success.

At that time, Adrian had merely assumed that Jared’s actions stemmed from some ancient feud between their families.

But now, with the revelation of Jared marrying Isabella, the pieces fell into place. It became painfully clear that the reason behind Jared’s obsession with targeting the Foster family—and Adrian himself—was none other than Isabella!

Thus, Adrian resolved to employ the same tactics against Jared, a calculated move designed to force him into a corner.

He needed to draw Jared out, to confront him directly.