Burning The Creed Empire

Renee’s POV

The doctor’s smile was warm as he slid the ultrasound printout across the desk. “Congratulations, Mrs. Creed. You’re pregnant. Three weeks along.”

A knot twisted in my stomach, equal parts joy and terror. I forced a smile. “Thank you, Doctor.”

“Rest is crucial in these early weeks,” he added as I stood. I nodded, clutching the paper like a secret I wasn’t ready to share.

The morning sickness I’d blamed on endless overtime wasn’t stress after all. It was this tiny life growing inside me.

Outside, Draven waited in the car, eyes locked on his iPad, fingers tapping out commands. He didn’t glance up as I slid into the back seat beside him. I cleared my throat, the words “I’m pregnant” lodging in my throat like glass.

He still didn’t look.

“Draven, I need to…”

“You really picked now to fall apart?” His voice cut sharp. “Do you have any idea what your little collapse has done to the timeline? One day costs us millions.”

The fragile courage I’d scraped together shattered. My fingers dug into the edge of the printout, creasing it. “I…”

“The project’s already behind. We can’t afford this.” His tone thundered, veins standing out on his neck.

I bowed my head, swallowing the announcement. The past week had been hell, his grandfather’s funeral, the endless arrangements, cleaning up his grief in silence while my own body rebelled. I’d fainted in the boardroom, been rushed to the hospital. He hadn’t even stepped inside.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, not sure what for. Peace, maybe. Anything to ease the storm in him.

He exhaled, softer now. “If you’re well enough, get back to work tomorrow. The company needs you.”

Relief flickered. Maybe he still cared, in his way.

His phone rang. He glanced at the screen, jaw tightening. “I told you the files are on the server! The project manager handled them last week!”

I shrank against the leather seat, invisible again. My gaze drifted to the passenger seat: a sleek gift box from my favorite jeweler, the one I’d mentioned loving their new diamond collection.

Heat crept into my cheeks. He’d remembered. Maybe tonight, at home, he’d give it to me. A quiet apology. A moment alone. I’d take anything.

He slammed the phone down. “See what your absence does? The team’s falling apart.”

Guilt flooded me. “I’ll be back tomorrow,” I said quietly.

“Good.” He leaned back. “Let’s go home.”

My heart lifted. Home. A bath, rest, and maybe, just maybe, a necklace and his arms around me.

The dizziness faded at the thought. I even smiled, small and hopeful, like a cherry blossom in winter.

But the moment we stepped into the Creed mansion, the smile faded.

My mother-in-law sat rigid on the sofa, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. “So this is how you spend your time? Faking illness to skip work?”

I froze. “I didn’t fake…”

“This house is filthy while the ‘woman of the house’ plays sick.” She waved a dismissive hand. “And look at you, dragging yourself down here like you own the place, when you should’ve been up and ready to welcome Linda properly.”

My mouth fell open. Linda? Draven’s stepsister. The name landed like a stone I hadn’t seen coming. How had no one told me she was returning today? She’d been abroad for years, studying, traveling, living a life I only heard about in passing. Yet here I was, being ordered to scrub floors and cook dinner for her arrival like some last-minute servant. No warning. No mention from Draven. Just another reminder that in this family, I was the last to know anything.

I looked from Draven who was silent, staring at his phone, to his mother. The words stuck in my throat.

“We have staff…” I tried again, voice small.

She exploded. “How dare you talk back? You’ve grown spoiled. No wonder there’s still no child for my son. When you finally manage one, we’ll probably be banned from the house!”

Draven’s voice cracked like a whip. “Enough. I’ve had a long day. I don’t want Linda walking into drama.”

His mother hissed, but he stood, heading for the stairs.

I fled upward, tears burning. In the bathroom, I let them fall, until exhaustion pulled me under on the bed.

Laughter, loud and mechanical, drifted up hours later. Waking me up.

It was evening already. Linda was here.

Draven hadn’t bothered to wake me. Left out again.

I dragged myself downstairs to greet her. Courtesy, at least.

The smile died on my lips the moment I saw her.

Around her neck gleamed the diamond necklace, the exact one from the box in the car. The empty gift box lay discarded on the sofa beside her.

I blinked, hoping I was seeing wrong. But it stayed.

He hadn’t bought it for me.

He’d bought it for her.