Chapter 5

_Danica’s POV_

Two days had passed since Eden made his outrageous offer. Two days since I walked away from $100 million and a contract that would have stolen my child from me.

I thought I had made the right choice. I thought refusing him was the brave thing to do.

But as I stepped onto campus that morning, I realized just how wrong I was.

The moment I walked through the university gates, I felt it. Eyes. Everywhere. Students huddled in groups, their phones out, their voices dropping to whispers as I passed. Some didn’t even bother to hide their stares. They pointed. They laughed. They judged.

My heart pounded in my chest as I clutched my bag tighter and kept my head down. What was happening? Why was everyone looking at me like I had committed some terrible crime?

“Did you hear? She’s pregnant.”

“I heard it was some random guy. She doesn’t even know who the father is.”

“How shameful. And she’s supposed to be a Laurent? What a disgrace.”

The whispers followed me like a dark cloud. My hands trembled. My vision blurred with tears I refused to let fall.

I rushed toward my first class, desperate to escape their cruel words, but before I could reach the building, my phone buzzed.

It was a message from the Vice-chancellor’s office.

*Miss Laurent, please report to my office immediately.*

My stomach dropped. This couldn’t be good.

Twenty minutes later, I sat across from Vice-chancellor Declan, a stern-looking woman in her sixties with silver hair pulled back into a tight bun. Her expression was cold and unforgiving.

“Miss Laurent,” she began, folding her hands on the desk. “I’m sure you’re aware of why you’ve been called here.”

I swallowed hard. “No, ma’am. I don’t.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing me. “The news of your pregnancy has been reported to the university administration. We have strict policies regarding student conduct, and I’m afraid this situation violates those policies.”

My blood ran cold. “What? How did you even find out?”

“That’s irrelevant,” she said dismissively. “What matters is that you are unmarried and pregnant, which reflects poorly on this institution. Effective immediately, you are required to drop out.”

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “No, please. You can’t do this. I’ve worked so hard to be here. This degree is everything to me.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Laurent, but the decision has been made. You have until the end of the week to collect your belongings and settle any outstanding matters with the registrar’s office.”

Tears streamed down my face as I stood up, my legs weak beneath me. “This isn’t fair.”

“Life rarely is,” she replied coldly.

I stumbled out of her office, my world crumbling around me. How did they find out? Who could have possibly reported this?

I pulled out my phone with shaking hands and called the only person I could trust. Freya.

“Dani? What’s wrong?” Her voice was filled with concern the moment she answered.

“Freya, I need to see you. Now.”

We met at a quiet café near campus. The moment I sat down, I broke. I told her everything. The Vice-chancellor. The expulsion. The humiliation.

Freya’s face darkened with anger. “This has to be your stepmother’s doing. Who else would be cruel enough to do this to you?”

“Celeste,” I whispered, the name tasting bitter on my tongue. “But how? How did she manage to spread this so quickly?”

“She probably paid someone to leak the story,” Freya said bitterly. “You know how she is. She’ll do anything to destroy you.”

I buried my face in my hands and sobbed. “What am I going to do, Freya? I have nothing. No school. No future. And now everyone knows.”

Freya reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “You still have options, Dani. What about that Eden guy? Didn’t you say he offered to marry you?”

I pulled my hand away. “It’s a contract marriage, Freya. He wants to take my baby away after a year. I can’t do that.” Yes, I’d told Freya the moment I left Eden. I needed someone to share it with, and who better than my best friend.

“I know it’s not ideal,” she said gently. “But maybe it’s better than this. At least you’d have some security. Some protection.”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. I just don’t know.”

When I returned home later that evening, I was ready to confront Celeste. I needed answers. I needed her to admit what she had done.

But when I stormed into the mansion, demanding to see her, one of the housekeepers informed me that she had left the country.

“She’s in South Africa, miss. Attending a wedding. She won’t be back for another week.”

Of course. She had run away like the coward she was, leaving me to deal with the mess she had created.

I screamed in frustration and locked myself in my room. I cried until I had no more tears left.

The next morning, I was woken by a sharp knock on my door.

“Miss Danica, your father has summoned you to his office. Immediately.”

My heart sank. I knew this was coming. My father rarely called me to his office unless he was angry.

I dragged myself out of bed, changed into something decent, and made my way downstairs. My hands trembled as I stood outside his office door. I took a deep breath and knocked.

“Come in,” his deep voice called from inside.

I pushed the door open and froze.

Sitting across from my father, looking every bit as powerful and untouchable as the first time I saw him, was Eden.

He was dressed in a perfectly tailored navy suit, his dark hair slicked back, his sharp jawline catching the morning light. He looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine.

Drop dead gorgeous didn’t even begin to describe him.

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

But then I remembered. The contract. The cold, heartless offer. The plan to take my child.

My jaw tightened. “What are you doing here?”

Eden didn’t flinch. He simply looked at me with those unreadable eyes. “I’m here to marry you, Miss Laurent.”

“I already told you no,” I said firmly.

My father slammed his hand on the desk, making me jump. “Danica! Show some respect!”

I turned to him, shocked. “Dad…”

“Mr. Cross has graciously offered to marry you,” my father said coldly. “You should be grateful.”

“Grateful?” I repeated in disbelief. “He doesn’t want me. He wants….”

“Enough!” my father roared. “You will marry him. End of discussion.”

Eden stood up smoothly, adjusting his cufflinks. “I’ll leave you two to talk.” He glanced at me briefly before walking toward the door. “I’ll be in touch, Miss Laurent. The child is mine, after all.”

The moment he left, my father turned on me with fury in his eyes.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” he hissed. “You’ve embarrassed this family. You’ve ruined our reputation. And now, the father of the child who is willing to take responsibility and save us from this disaster, you dare refuse him?”

“Dad, please…”

“If you let this opportunity slip away, Danica, I will never forgive you,” he said coldly. “The Cross Firm is one of the most powerful in the world. A partnership with them could elevate this family beyond anything we’ve ever dreamed. But if you ruin this for me, if you cost me this chance, I will abandon you. Do you understand me? You will be nothing to me.”