Chapter 180: Ask if she’s pregnant

Liam lay face down on his bed, the darkness of sleep finally embracing him after a week of relentless nights trying to work in his own company along with the Galverra Enterprise and also working on his friend’s case at the same time. Not once had he gotten to rest, he’d just gotten off work by dawn and wanted to have a few hours of sleep before the sun rose.

But just as he began to drift into the sweet solace of slumber, his phone rudely shattered his peace. He groped for it on the nightstand, annoyance lacing his muttered curses. Without bothering to check the caller ID, he answered, his voice laced with irritation.

"Whoever you are, you better have a damn good reason for waking me up."

"It’s me, Liam," Neil’s urgent voice pierced through the haze of his sleep, instantly banishing any remnants of drowsiness left in him. Liam quickly sat up because he knew Neil wouldn’t call unless it was an emergency, and the thought that something had happened made his senses on high alert. "Neil, is everything alright? Has someone recognized you there?"

"No," Neil’s response was clipped, urgent. "I need a favor. Can you get me Mia’s personal number or email right now?"

Liam was caught off guard by that sudden request because it was very unlike his friend to want a woman’s phone number when he should be worrying about something else, and the fact that he’d called by this time for that made him suddenly wary that he was about to lose a bet with James about his friend’s feelings for the woman. Not to mention the fact that the last time he spoke to Neil, he’d vehemently denied having any feelings for the young woman which had made him so confident in betting on it with James.

"Why?" he ventured cautiously.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line, causing Liam to hold his breath for a moment. Had Neil hung up? Then, Neil’s voice broke the silence, heavy with unspoken tension. "I think I might have gotten her pregnant. I need to know so I can make some arrangements for her. Can you get me her number now?"

"You what?" Liam exclaimed before he could stop himself, "You mean to say you two had done it without...Good Lord! Am i really speaking to Neil Wayner, the ever so predictable man with no sense of feeling for another. You_"

"Liam, quit that I really need to contact her urgently, I don’t have the time for your lecture now. Hurry up."

Liam sighed, messaging his forehead as he said, "Alright, but before I do that I want to ask you something again?"

"What’s that?"

"Are you by any chance in love with Miss Harrison?" He asked the only question that had been bothering him ever since his bet with James, he would like to prepare beforehand by hearing the truth from Neil, but Neil on the other hand wasn’t ready to admit that to anyone but the woman he’d hurt, thus he blankly replied with a, "No, I just want to take responsibility for my actions. If she’s carrying my child it’s only right that I take responsibility for them both. Now hurry up and get me her number."

Without wasting time Liam got off his bed and grabbed his laptop, his fingers hovered over the keyboard of the laptop as he absorbed the weight of Neil’s words. "I’ll try to get the number," he promised as he placed the phone between his shoulder and ear and powered up the laptop, his fingers flying over the keys in a frantic search as he spoke to Neil about other matters regarding his company and what he planned to do next once he’s free.

Few minutes later, Neil impatiently asked, "Have you found it?"

Liam’s brows furrowed in consternation as he delivered the bad news. "Unfortunately, her personal number isn’t available. It’s been taken down since the press conference debacle. She’s not receiving any direct calls unless you want to speak to her through her manager."

Silence hung heavy between them after that, Neil’s silence speaking volumes of his disappointment. "Neil, are you still there?" Liam asked cautiously as the line remained silent.

"Yes," came the quiet reply, tinged with resignation. "Then can you do me the favor of going to her house? I’ll send you a message. Make sure she reads it. And ask her if she’s pregnant. If—"

Liam’s incredulous laughter cut him off. "You want me to ask her that? I’m not as bold as you, man. That would be awkward as hell. I don’t think I’m up for that."

"Please," Neil’s voice was calm, a plea that caught Liam off guard for the second time. It was the first time Neil had ever uttered that word to him in such sincere, desperate voice. He’d known him for years and he knew him to be someone who was used to commanding and not pleading. Was five years in prison enough to change his overbearing friend in this way?

"Take James with you," Neil continued to say, "Find a way to ask her. Don’t show her my message until you’re certain she’s carrying my child."

Liam sighed, the weight of Neil’s request settling heavily on his shoulders because he couldn’t imagine himself asking a woman he’d never spoken to that awkward question. "Alright," he conceded reluctantly. "I’ll do it. What else would you like me to tell her?"

"If she’s pregnant, you can call me back on this number I have a lot of arrangements to make for her and our unborn child." He said casually, causing Liam to frown in disbelief at the absurdity of the words coming from a man like Neil Wayner, yet again he couldn’t help but wonder if his friend had gone through some life changing experience in that prison and when he was at that mountain because those words were something the old Neil would never speak of so causally.

In the past, Neil had slammed the doors on his face countless times whenever he’d tried to advice him to give love and settling down a chance, and now he spoke of his unborn child like he’d never hated the thought of having his own child and a woman to love like the most repulsive thing on earth. And the thought that Liam was now the one who thought of that notion as the most stupid and unrealistic thing was funny, the irony.

"One more thing, Liam. Make sure you don’t make her feel uneasy when asking her that question, if she’s pregnant it might affect our baby in a bad way."

"Alright, I will try my best not to make her feel awkward and uneasy with my natural approach of asking her if she’s carrying my best friend’s child," Liam said with humor, "And I hope I won’t end up being hit with a heel for being a jerk."

After giving a few instructions, Neil ended the call and stared blankly at the burning cigarettes between his fingers. He had to contact her, partly because of the solutions he’d come up with if she was carrying his child, but also because he desperately wanted her to know the truth about how he felt. He was now certain that the truth couldn’t hurt her nearly as much as he’d hurt her with a lie. This might be their last communication, but at least it would correct the ugly ending to the most exquisitely beautiful days and nights of his life.

Sunlight was peeping through the curtains and he glanced at his watch, waiting and hoping Liam would call him back soon with a feedback of his meeting with Mia, he couldn’t wait to hear the news about her and how she was coping.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read