Pregnant?

Fred POV

Stepping out of the car and slamming the door harder than necessary. The meeting with the hitman had left me energized. The plan was solid this time.

Elias’s days were finally numbered. A dark smile tugged at my lips as I walked into the house, my shoes echoing against the marble floor.

“Jane!” I shouted rudely the moment I entered the living room. “Where the hell is my mother? Call her down now!”

The old hag appeared quickly from the side hallway, looking nervous as always. “Young Master Fred, welcome back. Madame is upstairs, I’ll—”

“I said call her!” I snapped, cutting her off. “Don’t make me repeat myself. Tell her her son is home.”

Jane bowed slightly and hurried upstairs. I tossed my jacket onto the couch and loosened my tie, still riding the high from earlier. That young whore had been a nice distraction, but business was what mattered now.

A few moments later, the sound of heels came down the stairs. My stepmother appeared, her face lighting up with that fake sweet smile she reserved only for me. She rushed over and pulled me into a hug, kissing both my cheeks.

“Oh, my darling Fred! You’re finally home,” she cooed, stroking my hair affectionately. “I already prepared your favorite meal — grilled steak with that special sauce you like, and fresh pasta. Come eat, baby. You must be hungry after handling all that important business.”

I raised an eyebrow, studying her. She was being unusually sweet, even for her. Normally she only acted this way when she wanted something or when Father was watching.

“Why are you acting so strangely, Mother?” I asked, pulling back slightly. “You’re never this… nice unless something’s going on.”

She laughed softly and waved her hand. “What are you talking about, my love? Can’t a mother spoil her favorite son?” She leaned in closer, lowering her voice. “Though… Elias is here. He came earlier to pick up some old files. He’s in your father’s office right now.”

My expression darkened instantly. Elias again and he was in my space. The mere mention of his name made my blood boil.

But then I remembered the conversation I just had with the hitman. The trap being set. The thought of Elias’s upcoming “accident” brought a slow, vicious chuckle out of me.

My stepmother looked at me curiously. “What’s so funny, darling?”

“Nothing important,” I replied, still smirking. “Just thinking about how perfect things are about to get. Don’t worry about him. He won’t be a problem for much longer.”

She smiled knowingly but didn’t ask further. “Good. Now, about your meal—”

“I’ll eat later,” I said, waving her off. “I want to take a bath first. I need to wash the day off me.”

“Of course, baby. I’ll have Jane prepare everything on the dining table.”

I headed up the stairs without another word, my mind racing with dark satisfaction. Once inside my bedroom, I started stripping off my clothes, tossing my shirt and trousers onto the chair. The cool air felt good against my skin after the long day.

Just as I was about to head into the bathroom, my phone rang on the bedside table. I glanced at the screen — it was the hitman.

A cold smile spread across my face as I answered. “This better be good news. I just left your place and I’m already in a great mood.”

The hitman’s voice came through, unusually cautious. “Master Fred… there might be a small hiccup in this new job.”

My smirk vanished instantly. “What the fuck do you mean by ‘hiccup’? I just paid you half already! Don’t tell me you’re backing out again, you useless piece of shit!”

“Calm down, rich boy—”

“Calm down?!” I exploded, pacing around my bedroom like a caged animal. “Every single time I give you money, something goes wrong! First you let Damien fuck Elias, now there’s a ‘hiccup’? I swear if you ruin this again, I’ll—”

“Fred, shut up and listen,” the hitman cut in sharply. “It won’t affect the job itself, only the timing. We might need to wait a little longer before we move on Elias.”

I stopped pacing, breathing heavily. “Explain what ever you just fucking said.”

The hitman sighed. “Damien showed up at the event last night...and he met Elias. They talked for a while and from what my guy saw, Damien seems… interested in him. He might very well be interested in your father’s company and Elias personally. He was watching him the whole night.”

The phone nearly slipped from my hand. A cold wave of fear washed over me. My legs felt weak. “What… what did you just say? Interested in Elias? No. No, no, no! That can’t happen!”

“Fred, calm down—”

“Calm down?!” I shouted, voice cracking. “Are you fucking kidding me?! That monster met him? He talked to him? This is a disaster! Elias is going to ruin everything! He’s a beast! A woman in man’s clothes! That disgusting, pathetic, illegitimate whore—”

“Fred! Shut the fuck up and explain what the hell you’re talking about,” the hitman growled. “You’re not making any sense. Why are you panicking like this?”

My body trembled and sweat breaking out on my forehead. The words poured out uncontrollably. “Because I know! I planned it from the beginning! I wanted Elias to get fucked by a man! I paid you to arrange it so he would get raped and pregnant! That’s why I told you to take your time with him! I wanted everyone to see what a dirty slut he is. I wanted Father and the investors and shareholders to hate him, to throw him out like the trash he is!”

There was a long silence on the other end.

The hitman finally spoke, sounding genuinely confused. “Pregnant…? Fred, how the fuck can a man get pregnant?”

“I don’t know!” I yelled, voice rising hysterically. “But he will! He has to! That’s why Father has always hated him deep down. That’s why he wanted to get rid of him too, but he couldn’t kill his wife’s offspring. I was trying to help! I was trying to make it happen so we could finally be free of him!”

“Fred… you’re losing your mind,” the hitman said slowly. “I think you need to—”

A loud, furious scream suddenly shook the entire room.

“FRED, YOU BASTARD! HOW DARE YOU!”

I whipped around, heart slamming against my ribs.

Elias stood at the open door of my bedroom, face pale with shock and rage, eyes wide with horror. He had heard everything.