Pregnant And Abandoned: The Billionaire's Second Chance At Love

New York City, USA.

"You have to get an abortion!" the man demanded in a forceful voice.

The words struck Vanessa like a physical blow to the chest.

"Excuse me?" She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

She had traveled for almost five hours, making the long trip from the university-where she had earned a scholarship to study Business Administration-just to reach her boyfriend's office.

On her way there, she had been thinking about how to rearrange her schedule to dedicate more time to taking care of her baby.

Vanessa had truly believed that Raúl Bautista, the man who claimed to love her, would be thrilled by the news. After all, he had seemed so deeply in love with her that night when he begged her to skip protection. She had hesitantly agreed, trusting him because he swore he would take full responsibility.

"I can't handle a kid right now!" he snapped in annoyance. "Look, Vanessa, you're too young. You're going to cut your studies short."

He rubbed his temples in frustration. "Besides, I'm at the peak of my career. A baby would only block my promotion."

"We're talking about a human being!" she yelled, throwing her arms up. "About your child!"

"Just do as I say. Get an abortion, and nothing will change between us, okay? I'll still love you." He dropped his voice, terrified of drawing a crowd, desperately trying to contain and manipulate her.

It was lunchtime, and many of Raúl's coworkers were filing out of their offices. A few nodded at him in greeting, but he was too embarrassed to even turn around. He couldn't afford anyone finding out he had knocked up a college student and was refusing to step up.

Vanessa looked at the people around them, then shoved him hard in the chest. She yanked herself free from his grip and fired back, refusing to lower her voice.

"I could never love a man who wants to kill his own baby. You disgust me!"

"You're crazy! Lower your voice! What do I have to do to make you keep it down at my workplace?" He hissed the words, his tone dripping with reluctance and irritation.

Scanning the hallway with a deep scowl, Raúl pulled his wallet out, snatched a fifty-dollar bill, grabbed her hand, and forced the money into her palm.

"Take it, here's some cash. We can't keep doing this right now. Go wait for me at the coffee shop next door, and we'll talk later. I have to go upstairs, I'm in a rush..."

"What could possibly be more important than this, Raúl?!" Vanessa exclaimed.

But the words had barely left her mouth before he disappeared into the ground-floor lobby.

***

An hour dragged by. Vanessa stood there, her heart shattering. Still, she decided to give her boyfriend one last chance, hoping he would come to his senses. She checked her watch impatiently, but he never showed up. She finally called his cell phone, ready to say goodbye to him once and for all; she was absolutely determined to keep the baby. When Raúl didn't answer, she decided to go find him herself.

Vanessa hurried over to the receptionist.

"Excuse me, what floor is Mr. Raúl Bautista's office on?" she asked. "I'm his girlfriend. He told me to wait here for him, but he isn't answering my calls."

The receptionist, clearly sensing the drama from their earlier argument, didn't ask any further questions.

"You'll find him in the large office on the tenth floor. Office number one, on the right."

Vanessa sprinted toward the elevator.

When the doors opened on the tenth floor, she hurried down the hallway. She had barely turned the corner when a woman's loud moan echoed through the corridor. "Oh, oh, please, Raúl, faster..."

Could it be him?!

The thought screamed in her mind. Her heart pounded violently against her ribs.

"Raúl?!" Vanessa gasped. Gripping her purse tightly, she quickened her pace, following the sound until she reached an office door left slightly ajar. She didn't hesitate to push it open.

There he was. Her boyfriend, the father of her child, sweating profusely as he pinned a topless blonde against the desk, thrusting into her with aggressive urgency.

"So this is why you wanted me to wait?" she asked, her voice trembling as she stared at him with absolute disappointment. "I see. Goodbye forever, Mr. Bautista."

Raúl scrambled backward, shoving the bombshell blonde away as he hastily zipped up his pants and chased after her.

"Vanessa, wait! I can explain!"

"I'll say this one last time: the baby in my womb is mine alone, and I won't let anyone kill it!"

Because she had shouted the word "baby," several employees returning from their lunch break stopped and stared. Realizing they had an audience, Raúl's mind raced for a way out. A scandal would ruin him.

"You've gone completely crazy!" he bellowed, making sure his voice carried down the hall. "I don't even know who you are, you insolent girl! Go pin that brat on some other idiot who'll buy your lies!"

Vanessa parted her lips in shock. She looked at the coworkers whispering around her, then stared at Raúl with pure contempt. She didn't say another word; she had been humiliated in the worst possible way.

Turning on her heel, she ran from the building, desperate to escape the suffocating air. She burst out onto the street, sobbing inconsolably. After walking blindly for several blocks, she leaned heavily against a streetlamp and wrapped both hands protectively around her belly.

"Even though I haven't met you yet, you're the best thing I have," she whispered through her tears. "I won't let your father hurt you. I don't know how, but we'll get through this together. I'll watch over you day and night. I'll be your father and your mother. We'll be fine, my baby. And we'll never have to see that awful man again."

****

San Francisco, California.

Two months had passed since Vanessa moved to San Francisco. That morning, she had an interview for a new job.

All her hopes were pinned on landing this position, as the hours perfectly fit her study schedule.

She clutched several folders to her chest, holding her resumes and recommendation letters like a shield.

Minutes earlier, across town, Ryan Knight had slipped away from the wedding guests and walked out of the church. He had ripped off his bow tie, tossed it onto the manicured lawn, and, with clenched fists, climbed into his Lamborghini.

"I am never coming back to this place," he vowed silently. Pressing the accelerator to the floor, he sped away, desperate to escape the wedding that was tearing him apart.

Vanessa smiled, a spark of enthusiasm returning to her eyes. She spotted the building where her interview was being held. Just to be sure, she ducked her head to check the exact address on her phone and stepped into the crosswalk, completely missing the red light.

Suddenly, the deafening shriek of tires tore through the air. The papers in her hands exploded upward like confetti as she was thrown to the ground. A sharp, blinding pain flared in her hip and leg. Her eyes fluttered shut the moment her body hit the pavement.

"Fuck!" Ryan cursed. His heart stopped for a terrifying second as he watched the girl crumple to the asphalt, and then his pulse skyrocketed.

He knew the accident wasn't his fault-she had stepped right into moving traffic without looking. Still, panic seized him. He scrambled out of the car, raking a hand through his hair as he sprinted toward her lifeless form.

"Miss! Somebody call an ambulance, please!" he shouted, dropping to his knees. His heart hammered against his ribs as he leaned in to check if she was still breathing.

He touched her neck, searching for a pulse. "Are you okay?" he demanded, praying for an answer.

To Vanessa, the man's voice sounded muffled, as if she were underwater. When she forced her heavy eyelids open, the only thing she saw was a pair of striking green eyes, shadowed by a deep, unexpected anguish.

"My baby... please don't let anything happen to my baby..." she begged, her voice barely a whisper. Blindly, she sought his hand and gripped it with surprising strength. "It's all I have left..."

Then, the darkness pulled her under. A violent shudder ripped through Ryan at the sweet-looking girl's desperate plea. He squeezed his eyes shut. He was a cold man-life had forced him to be-but he wasn't heartless enough to carry the death of a woman on his conscience, let alone an unborn child.

The second the ambulance arrived, he ordered the paramedics to take her to the best hospital in the city, making it clear he would cover every expense. But he had no intention of staying in San Francisco a minute longer than necessary; being here was destroying his sanity.

He couldn't stomach the sight of Paige-his ex-girlfriend, the only woman he had ever truly loved-in his brother's arms. Today, she had officially become his sister-in-law. That was the wedding he had just fled.

But he couldn't just leave her alone. He was not a monster. He studied the injured woman's pale, delicate face.

Despite the ice in his veins, he climbed into the back of the ambulance to accompany her. He stayed at the hospital until the doctors assured him she was out of danger, having rummaged through her purse to find her ID for the registration desk.

"Family members for Miss Vanessa Johnson?" a doctor called out.

Ryan stepped forward immediately.

"I'm not family. I'm the one who was involved in the accident. How is she?" he asked, a tight knot forming in his throat.

"She's going to recover, but she needs strict bed rest for several weeks. We managed to control the internal bleeding from the impact, and the baby is perfectly safe. She sustained a deep laceration on her leg, which will heal with time. She just can't be on her feet for the next few days."

"I understand," Ryan replied, his voice dry as he dragged both hands down his face. "Poor girl." While searching her purse, he had found past-due eviction notices and a stack of unpaid bills. His chest had tightened at the sight, his mind flashing back to his own childhood-to the days when his mother had desperately juggled pennies just to survive, all while his biological father refused to acknowledge him as a Knight.

How many times had they been thrown out on the street? The memory squeezed his heart, and he made a quiet decision to compensate the girl, even though the accident hadn't been his fault.

****

A few minutes later, a nurse permitted him to check on her. He stood in the doorway, watching quietly. She was fast asleep, her hand resting protectively over her belly even in her unconscious state. The sight made something shift inside him. She looked incredibly young, her pale features radiating a quiet sweetness.

But he didn't have time to linger. Stepping into the room, he cautiously reached out and gently brushed his fingers against her hand. Her skin was remarkably soft. He let out a heavy sigh.

"I hope you recover soon."

And just like that, as quickly as he had swept into her life like a hurricane, he was gone-leaving no name and no way for Vanessa to ever find him.

When Vanessa finally woke up, her first and only thought was of her baby.

Panic clawing at her throat, she frantically asked the attending nurse what had happened to her child. A profound wave of relief washed over her when she was assured her baby was safe and sound.

She blinked against the bright lights, and as her vision cleared, she finally took in her surroundings. She was in a high-end, luxurious private hospital room.

"But I don't have the money to pay for this," she whispered in horror. Then the memory hit her-by stepping into the street so carelessly, she had completely missed her job interview.

"What am I going to do?" she choked out, her whole body trembling. She had no idea how she was going to survive, or who had even brought her here.

Tears spilled over her lashes and tracked down her cheeks. "I'm going to be evicted..."

"Hey, calm down," the nurse said softly, stepping up to the bed. "Don't get yourself worked up, it isn't good for the baby. You need to rest."

"Rest?!" Vanessa cried, a sob tearing from her throat. "No, I can't. I have to find a job. You don't understand-places reject me the second they see I'm pregnant, and the ones that don't demand hours that make it impossible to finish my degree. I owe rent, groceries, gas, electricity..."

She buried her face in her hands, weeping in sheer defeat.

The nurse's heart ached for the desperate young woman. Reaching into her scrub pocket, she pulled out a thick yellow envelope.

"This was left for you," she said gently.

Vanessa wiped her tear-stained face, her brow furrowing in confusion as she took the envelope.

"What is it?" she asked hesitantly.

"The man who brought you in the ambulance. He paid your entire hospital bill in full, and he asked me to give this to you." The nurse gestured to the envelope.

"He was gorgeous, by the way. Wearing a full tuxedo. I don't know if he was the groom, or just running late to a wedding when the accident happened. But he refused to leave until he knew you and the baby were safe."

Vanessa shuddered, a strange pang echoing in her chest.

What if he missed his own wedding because of her? Guilt formed a heavy lump in her throat. She desperately needed to know who this man was, to apologize for ruining his day, and to thank him for his incredible kindness. With trembling fingers, she tore the envelope open.

Her eyes widened in absolute shock. Inside sat several thick stacks of hundred-dollar bills, along with a handwritten note.

"I am very sorry for you. The doctor informed me that you must remain on bed rest for the sake of your baby. I am leaving this money so you won't have to worry about expenses while you recover. Please be more careful when crossing the street."

Fresh tears streamed down Vanessa's face. She reached inside, thumbing through the stacks. She couldn't even calculate the exact amount-it had to be at least five thousand dollars, maybe more.

She shook her head in disbelief. She had never been the type to accept handouts, but right now, she was in such a desperate situation that this mysterious man felt like a literal guardian angel. She had to find out who he was and thank him in person.

"Excuse me," she called out to the nurse. "Do you happen to know the gentleman's name?"

"He didn't want to leave a name, but let me check the system. Whatever name he used to pay the bill has to be on file. I'll be right back."

Vanessa nodded, a small, fragile smile touching her lips.

Moments later, the nurse returned and informed her that her generous savior's name was Ryan Spencer.

To ensure his family couldn't track his whereabouts or tie him to the injured girl, Ryan had paid entirely in cash and registered the billing information under his mother's maiden name.

"I hope one day I can find him and thank him properly." She gently stroked her stomach. "We're going to save this money, little one, and one day, we'll pay him back."

She let out a long, shaky sigh.

Neither Ryan nor Vanessa could have possibly imagined that destiny wasn't finished with them yet, and that it would one day bring them together again.