The Messenger( Iva) novel Chapter 369

Prove It!

+25 Ports

Prove It I

The dinner table was small, barely large enough for three people, its surface scarred with the

marks of years of use. A simple meal of roasted meat and vegetables sat in the center, steam

rising in curling wisps that dissipated into the cool evening air.

Iva sat between Nick and her father, her hands wrapped around her cup of water, her appetite vanished. She pushed the food around her plate, her movements mechanical, her gaze fixed on the

table in front of her.

The atmosphere was tense.

She could feel it in the air-the unspoken words, the barely contained frustration, the weight of expectations pressing down on her from all sides. It was a familiar feeling, one that she had grown

accustomed to over the weeks since her rescue.

But tonight, it felt heavier than usual.

Her father’s eyes were fixed on her, his disapproval palpable. He was a man of strong opinions, quick to judge, slow to understand. And right now, his judgment was aimed squarely at her.

“Iva,” Rhys said, his voice carrying that familiar tone of forced patience. “Think about what you’re doing. Think about Nick. Think about your future together. You have a chance at such a beautiful bond, yet you’re hanging on to a misfortune.”

Iva’s grip on her cup tightened.

She knew he meant well. She knew he was trying to protect her, to guide her toward what he believed was the right decision. But the way he spoke to her-the condescension, the dismissal of

her feelings-rubbed her wrong every time.

The word “mistake” echoed in her mind, sharp and cruel.

Her child was not a misfortune.

Nick shot Rhys a warning glance, his hand reaching across the table to squeeze Iva’s.

“Don’t worry, Rhys,” he said, his voice smooth and placating. “I’m sure Iva will make the sensible decision in the end. It’s just a lot for her at the moment. She needs time to process.”

Iva felt a knot form in her throat.

She looked at Nick, at the man who claimed to love her, who had risked everything to save her. But his words felt right now like a betrayal. He had put her on the spot, forced her into a corner, made it

clear that he was expecting her to comply with their wishes.

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He wasn’t giving her time.

He was giving her a deadline.

25 Painte

She tried to swallow a bite of food, but the knot in her throat made it impossible. The food felt like

sawdust in her mouth, and she could feel her stomach churning with anxiety.

She set down her fork.

“I need to lay down a bit,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’m feeling quite dizzy.”

She didn’t wait for a response.

She pushed back her chair and rose, her legs unsteady beneath her. She could feel their eyes on her as she walked toward the small bedroom, could feel the weight of their disappointment / pressing down on her.

She closed the door behind her and leaned against it, her hand pressed to her chest.

Her heart was pounding.

She crossed the room and sank onto the edge of the bed, her body trembling. She placed a hand on her growing belly, her touch gentle, reverent.

And then, she felt it.

A small movement.

Tiny but unmistakable-a flutter, a shift, a life stirring within her.

Iva’s eyes filled with tears.

Her child was moving.

She sat there, her hand pressed to her belly, feeling the gentle flutter of life. She didn’t know how

long she stayed like that, lost in the miracle of it all.

How could she terminate the pregnancy?

How could she end the life of a child who had done nothing wrong, who was innocent of all the horrors that had surrounded its conception?

The pup was innocent.

Why couldn’t Nick see that?

Why couldn’t her father see that?

Why couldn’t anyone see that?

SAT

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She stiffened.

“Nick,” she said softly, her voice hesitant.

His hand found her breast, his fingers cupping the soft flesh.

She pulled away.

“I can’t,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Not tonight.”

Nick’s hand froze.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then he pulled back, his voice sharp with frustration.

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