Chapter 26
Halo Key
Today, me and Lyrick were on our way to our baby shower, thrown by his family.
The ride felt light, and that meant something to me.
My hands rested on my belly, rubbing the little kicks that came every few minutes.
Preslan was moving more these days, and full of life already.
I smiled thinking about how wild he’d probably be once he got here.
Motherhood had changed me in ways I couldn’t even put into words.
It wasn’t just the cravings, the swollen ankles, or the endless doctor visits.
It was how I saw life now, and how every little thing mattered in a way it didn’t before.
Every appointment taught me something new.
I’d been going to prenatal yoga twice a week, learning how to breathe through discomfort and calm my mind.
The nurses said I was doing great, and my doctor told me that my baby was strong.
Every ultrasound made my heart melt. The sound of his heartbeat was like music, and when they showed me his little hands and feet on the screen, I always cried.
I’d started journaling after my third appointment, writing down every symptom, every craving, and weird dream I had.
Some nights I’d sit in bed with my hand on my belly and talk to Preslan about everything.
I told him how much I loved him already, and how I promised to do right by him no matter what.
Sometimes I would talk about things that scared me too, like not knowing if I’d be a good mother.
The books I’d been reading said that babies could hear their mother’s voice after twenty weeks, so I started playing music around the house, talking to him like he was already here.
I even walked along the beach in the mornings when it was quiet, letting him feel the peace I was trying to find.
My doctor said walking was good for the baby, so I did it every day.
Some days I’d stop at this little café near the water, order a fruit smoothie, and just sit there with my thoughts, rubbing my belly like it was the only thing grounding me.
I won’t lie, though. Being pregnant wasn’t easy.
I had nights where I couldn’t sleep, days where my back ached so bad I’d just cry in the shower, and moments when I felt so emotional I didn’t even recognize myself.
But every kick reminded me that it was worth it.
I was bringing life into the world, and that made all the pain and doubt fade away.
Even though I was happy, part of me still felt alone sometimes.
I pictured what it would’ve been like to have my mama with me at the appointments, and holding my hand when I saw the heartbeat for the first time.
Or my dad sitting beside me when I learned the gender.
But I didn’t have that, and I learned to stop waiting for it.
I had Lyrick now. He was there for every appointment, sitting in the chair next to me, his hand resting on my thigh, whispering that everything would be okay.
He was so proud to be a father, and I loved watching him get excited. He talked to my belly every night. He downloaded baby apps, researched every little thing, and told everyone that his son was going to change the world.
When we pulled up to the hall, I couldn’t stop staring.
Everything looked perfect. The decorations were beautiful with soft baby blues mixed with gold and ivory.
The entrance was lined with white roses, and a balloon arch shaped like a crown framed the door.
Inside, the walls were draped with silk fabric and fairy lights that made the room glow like a dream.
The tables were covered in crystal centerpieces, each one holding blue orchids floating in tall glass vases.
There was a dessert table with gold trays stacked high with cupcakes, chocolate-covered strawberries, and little jars of honey labeled “Sweet Baby Preslan.”
Lyrick’s parents, Alina and Omari went all out.
They didn’t hold back on a single detail.
The catering was done by one of the most popular chefs in Halo Key, and the food smelled heavenly.
There was jerk salmon, roasted chicken, lobster mac, honey butter rolls, and every kind of side you could think of.
The drinks table had champagne for the guests, but they made sure I had a mocktail that looked just as fancy.
Everything screamed money, but in a classy way.
I couldn’t help but think how different this all felt from the life I almost had.
If this was Pressure’s baby, things would’ve been different.
There wouldn’t be no soft blue roses or happy family moments.
I probably would’ve had an extravagant baby shower because his family had money, but it would’ve felt empty.
I could already picture how it would’ve gone, me smiling through the whole thing while feeling completely alone inside.
It wouldn’t have been this. It wouldn’t have been peace.
My mama should’ve been here… so should my daddy.
Every time I called my mama lately, she didn’t answer.
She would text back hours later like nothing was wrong, but I could feel something was off.
I tried not to overthink it because she had done this before.
When I first got engaged to Pressure, she went silent too, only texting when she felt like it.
I told myself this was just her way of loving me from a distance, but it still hurt.
I didn’t like the inconsistency and it seemed like no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t get us on track.
And my daddy… I didn’t even know where to start.
I missed him more than I could explain. Every time I looked him up online, I saw something worse than before.
His name was being dragged all over the news.
There was reports about a dead seventeen-year-old girl he supposedly got pregnant, illegal money transfers through his company, Charm Strategies, and the police saying he ran.
I knew my daddy didn’t run. I knew exactly what was going on. Months ago when I called his phone, Abeni was the one who answered. The sound of her voice told me everything I needed to know. She had him, and there was no doubt in my mind that he was still there, paying for everything I’d done.
I should’ve been trying to clear his name, or to at least tell the police how to find him, but instead, I was sitting here smiling for pictures like my life was perfect. I hated how easy it was to pretend, but pretending was safer than facing the truth.
Everyone was celebrating, laughing, taking videos, and talking about my baby.
Lyrick was glued to me, kissing my cheek every few minutes, whispering things that made me blush.
He looked proud, standing tall next to me.
His family loved me. They kept saying how happy they were to finally have a baby in the Hall family.
Omari said it was about time. Alina couldn’t stop smiling.
The gifts were over the top, from a Gucci diaper bag, designer baby shoes, diamond-studded pacifiers, a gold-trimmed crib, custom onesies with Preslan’s name embroidered in gold thread, and a stroller that looked like something out of a royal parade.
Lyrick’s family didn’t do anything halfway. They moved like people who had power in places most didn’t even know existed. His daddy ran a chain of luxury car dealerships, and his mama worked in the education field.
Being around them taught me how deep love and laughter could really run in a family.
At the hall, we ate, we danced, and we laughed like everything in the world was right.
For a while, I let myself believe it. I let myself feel safe.
When the music slowed down, Lyrick pulled me into his arms and we moved together in the middle of the floor.
He kissed my forehead, then my lips, and told me he couldn’t wait to meet his son.
My heart softened because, no matter how messy things had been, I couldn’t deny that I loved this man.
By the end of the night, everyone was helping load gifts into a truck. I stood by the car rubbing my belly and smiling at how much love surrounded me. And then, out of nowhere, a car pulled up. The sound of the tires grinding against the pavement made me look up.
Nooré stepped out.
My stomach dropped the moment I saw her. Her hair was longer now, pulled back neatly, and her face looked pale under the lights. Next to her was Soléa, quiet but ready. My whole body tensed. I hadn’t seen her since the day I left her condo. It was the day I lied and told her I was going back home.
The tension was too damn thick, and I could feel it before she even opened her mouth.
“You really did it,” Nooré said, her voice cutting through the noise. “You really had a fuckin’ baby with my man.”
Her words hit me like a slap. Everyone froze. Even the people loading the truck turned to stare.
“Nooré,” I started, trying to find something to say, but she cut me off.
“You’re a low-down, dirty bitch,” she said, her voice trembling but sharp enough to cut through the air.
“You a snake, Jayla. The type of bitch that smile in your face while plotting behind your back. You can’t be trusted.
You the worst kind of bitch walking this earth.
” She took a step closer, her eyes glistening with tears that had nothing to do with weakness.
“You sat in my house crying, talking about how life broke you, and how your husband died. Bitch, I fed you. I gave you a place to sleep. I stopped you from blowing your head off on that beach. And this is how you repay me? By fucking my fiancé and getting pregnant by him? You evil as hell for that.”