Chapter 5 You were pregnant?!

RILEY

Even after five years, I recognized him immediately.

He was just as breathtakingly beautiful as I’d remembered, more so, if that was even possible.

Killian Bryce was all angles: high cheekbones, a jaw that could cut glass, and a straight nose. His shoulders were broad, his body lean and well-toned. His hair was the same shade of snowy white as Domi’s, artfully disheveled and shaggy in a way that should have looked messy and inappropriate in a business setting, yet somehow only made him more attractive.

But apart from that moonlit hair, the thing that stood out the most about him was his eyes.

They were striking, startling green, large and framed by long, thick, silvery eyelashes.

As I looked into them, it was as if the entire world had gone quiet. My surroundings blurring until it was only the two of us in the room.

My heart skipped a beat.

A low whistle interrupted the fragile moment.

“Well, well, well. Who is this lovely lady?” the handsome man seated beside Killian asked, tilting his head curiously.

When Killian didn’t respond, the man pressed further, his tone smooth and almost condescending.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?”

Embarrassed, I swallowed past the lump in my throat. I ignored the way he addressed me as if I was beneath them, as if I was a common mistress here for the wrong reasons.

Judging by the expressions on the other faces around the room, it was clear the man wasn’t alone in his assumptions.

“My name is Riley Clarkson,” I answered, trying to keep my voice even.

A brief flash of recognition crossed Killian’s expression, but he quickly schooled it back into neutrality, betraying none of his inner thoughts.

The other man’s eyes flitted over me in appraisal before shifting to Killian. “Must have been some night if she’s hunting you down at work. You sly dog – ”

“Shut up, Dale,” Sophia hissed at the man in annoyance.

She shot a glare at the receptionist, who seemed ready to bolt from the room. “And what are you waiting for, Lisa? Get her out of here-”

 “Sophia, let her speak,” Killian said with calm detachment.

His dark emerald eyes pinned me to the spot.

“What did you want to talk to me about?”

Everyone stared at me expectantly, and I instantly felt like prey trapped in a den of ruthless predators.

Here I was, desperate for help saving the greatest blessing I had ever received, and my only hope was a breathtaking man who was looking at me as if I were gum stuck beneath his boot.

“Could we speak in private?” I asked.

He dismissed the idea with a firm shake of his head.

“I don’t have time for that,” he replied loftily, crossing his arms against his broad chest. “As you can see, we’re in the middle of something. You can either speak here or not at all. Your choice.”

A few snickers bounced off the walls, and I straightened my spin.

“Clearly, you don’t remember me, but five years ago, we met at the Black Stallion pub,” I began, my cheeks growing hot as everyone stared at me.

Dale whistled again before I could continue, seemingly delighted by the exchange.

Killian shot him an irritated glare before turning back to me. A crease formed between his silvery brows.

His voice was cold.

“I don’t have time to reminisce with you. If that’s all you’ve come here to discuss, I suggest that you leave. Lisa, if you could escort Miss. Clarkson-”

Lisa immediately began moving at Killian’s order, but I stepped out of her way and moved closer to him instead.

“No!” I blurted out.

Anger and frustration pulsing through, my hands curled into fists.

“You’re right,” I snapped. “I shouldn’t have come here. This is the last place I wanted to be, and you’re the last person that I wanted to talk to. But this isn’t about me; it’s about our son!”

The entire room fell into a dead silence.

It was as if the air had been sucked from the space, leaving everyone suspended in the place. All eyes darted to Killian in quiet alarm, but no one seemed wiling to speak.

Then the sound of a chair scraping across the polished floors shattered the stillness.

Killian rose to his feet and stride towards me, his movements fluid and predatory. His tall frame was almost intimidating as he invaded my space.

The intensity burning in those emerald eyes startled me.

“Our son?” he asked. Shock and disbelief mingled in his voice as he searched my features.

I was too stunned to respond. My heart pounded wildly.

I only nodded.

“This has to be a joke,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. “We were only together for one night. And you are hu –”

He stopped mid-sentence. I wondered what he had wanted to say before he continued. “There’s no way.”

“It’s not a joke,” I said. “And I’m not lying.”

He stared into my eyes, a million emotions crossing his features.

“So, you… were pregnant.” he said, the words coming almost through gritted teeth. His jaw ticked, and he stepped closer.

“Fuck, Why didn’t you tell me? why didn’t you try to contact me?!”

Intimidated by his proximity, I instinctively stepped backward.

But he was faster. His large hands closed around my shoulders.

“D-does it matter now?” I stammered. “H-he’s—”

“Answer me, Riley!” Killian demanded.

His grip tightened, and I winced, fear ripping through me at the sudden force.

“Calm down, Killian, you’re scaring her,” Dale interrupted, rising to his feet to intervene.

“This isn’t any of your business, ” Killian growled, his voice deep and terrifying. “Stand down and stay back.”

Dale opened his mouth to respond, but he seemed to think better of it a moment later. After sparing me a sympathetic glance, he lowered his head. “Yes, Alpha.”

There it was again, that strange nickname.

If I hadn’t been so stressed, I would have questioned it further, but I was too distracted by Killian’s crushing grip on me.

“If you could track me down now, why couldn’t you find me then?” He pressed. His gaze burned into me, as if he wanted to bore a hole straight through me. “Why in the world would you keep a child’s existence from me? Fuck, do you think you have the right – ”

“I don’t owe you anything!” I finally shot back.

My voice shook with frustration, but I forced myself to continue before he could question me further in that accusing tone.

“He’s my child. It was my choice to keep him and raise him. I’ve done that alone for four years without expecting anything from you. We’ve been perfectly fine on our own, and if he didn’t need you right now, I never would have come here or involved you at all!”

His lips drew into a thin line. A vein stood out on his forehead, his hands trembling with an emotion I couldn’t identify.

I was sure he was going to erupt.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he took a deep breath and released me, his chest heaving.

“What do you mean he needs me now?” he asked, his voice tight.

I let my shoulders drop slightly.

Despite the tension between us, I knew it was now or never. I had to deliver the news clearly.

“He’s been diagnosed with leukemia,” I said . “Blood cancer. The doctor… said he might need a bone marrow transplant.”

My throat tightened, and tears welled in my eyes, but I blinked hard to force them back. I couldn’t cry now. I would not allow these people to see my tears.

“Close relatives are preferred when it comes to finding a match,” I continued. “The doctor recommended that I reach out to you so they can test you too.”

Killian’s expression darkened and he frowned deeply.

For a long moment, he didn’t move or speak, as if he were struggling to process what I had just told him.

Everyone in the room watched us closely, waiting for Killian to respond. When he finally did, his voice was husky and stern.

“Where is he now?” he asked.

“Bayview General Hospital.” I said.

“Take me to him. Now.”