Ch-6

In his penthouse office at Duggle Global Tech, the city skyline along Randolph Avenue stretched beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathed in golden hues as dusk settled in.

The view reeked of success—his success.

Ryan Knight leaned back in his leather chair, tossing a stress ball from hand to hand. He was in a good mood.

A victorious mood.

Across from him, Sebastian Storm—his best friend since junior high and now his lawyer—sat with an amused smirk, one leg lazily crossed over the other.

“So let me get this straight…” Sebastian said, rubbing his jaw. “Adina—the same girl who dumped you six years ago—just so happened to get accidentally inseminated with your sperm, and instead of walking away, you actually want her to keep the baby?”

Ryan flicked the stress ball in the air, catching it with ease. “You make it sound ridiculous when you say it like that.”

Sebastian leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His eyes gleamed—part disbelief, part wicked amusement. “Oh, it’s ridiculous, my friend.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “God, she’s married!”

The stress ball stilled in Ryan’s grip. His jaw tightened. “And?” His voice carried an edge.

Sebastian blinked. Then let out a low whistle. “Damn. Her breaking up with you still stings even six years after. Doesn’t it?”

For a little while, Ryan didn’t answer.

Then, his lips curled into a slow, bitter smirk.

“I’m not hurt, Sebastian. Just… amused.”

He exhaled, fingers tightening around the stress ball in his hand. “Adina always had this perfect little life planned. Everything controlled. Everything calculated. No mistakes.”

His voice dipped, cold. “And now? She’ll be raising my child while married to another man.”

He scoffed. “Talk about karma.”

Sebastian arched an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Karma?”

Ryan let out a sharp breath, rolling the stress ball in his palm. “Yes, karma. I mean, remember how she didn’t even try to fight for us, Seb? Six years ago, she accused me without listening to a damn thing I had to say. And then—” His voice tightened.

“Three days after breaking up with me, she announced her engagement.” His grip on the ball turned rigid. “And she married her childhood friend, Eric Harrington. On my damn birthday.”

Sebastian hummed, nodding slowly. “Yeah, I remember. You went nuclear after that.” He shot him a knowing look.

“Turned all that heartbreak into billions. Built an empire. Started dating supermodels.” He leaned back, studying Ryan.

“...And, let’s be real—the breakup was probably the best thing that ever happened to you.”

Ryan chuckles softly. He didn't say anything.

“And honestly… anyone would have concluded the same way she did, if they found their girlfriend or boyfriend in that situation she found you…”

He paused before adding, “So just let it go man…I mean, why go through heaven and hell just to make sure she gives birth to your child?”

Ryan’s fingers stilled on the stress ball.

His mind drifted—back to that night.

The night Vanessa King visited his office.

------

Six weeks Ago…

Ryan Knight wasn’t easily shaken.

But as he sat in his office, staring at Vanessa King, he felt like the ground beneath him had tilted.

This was Adina’s grandmother. The co- owner of The King’s Group. A woman as ruthless as she was calculated—terrifyingly deliberate in every move she made.

And right now, she was sitting across from him, her presence imposing, her gaze calm—too calm for what she had just asked of him.

Ryan swallowed, his voice uncharacteristically unsteady.

“I—I don’t get it.” His fingers curled into a fist against his desk. “Adina is your only grandchild. Why the hell would you do this to her?”

His pulse hammered as he searched Vanessa’s face, but she remained unreadable.

“You—do you understand what you’re asking?” His voice sharpened. 

“What this would do to her marriage with Eric? I mean, no man would accept this. No husband would stand by while his wife carried—” his jaw clenched, “not just another man’s child, but her ex-boyfriend’s. Whether it happened through IVF or sex…” He exhaled sharply.

“You’d destroy her marriage, Mrs. King.”

Vanessa tilted her head, a slow, knowing smile curving her lips.

Her eyes gleamed.

“That,” she said smoothly, “is exactly the point.”

Ryan’s breath stalled.

His first instinct was to laugh as he assumed she was joking.

But one look at her face told him otherwise.

She was dead serious.

His chest rose and fell slowly as he processed her words. “But… why? You were glad she married Eric and not me six years ago, so why do you want to tear them apart in such a—?”

Vanessa lifted a hand, cutting him off.

“You don’t need to know why, and I certainly don’t need a lecture on morality.” She crossed her legs elegantly, her tone deceptively calm. “All I need is your sperm, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

She leaned in slightly, her voice turning silky. “And besides…” A slow smile curled on her lips. “Nobody will know the mix-up was intentional.”

Ryan swallowed, his throat dry. Hesitation flickered in his eyes.

His voice came out rough. “But if she terminates it? If—by chance—she gets pregnant with my child and decides to get rid of it to avoid problems with Eric, what happens then?”

Vanessa exhaled, shaking her head. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you this much… but since I need you on board, I will.”

She leaned back, drumming her fingers against the armrest.

“Adina has fertility issues. That’s why she went through IVF in the first place. And if you give your sperm, and she happens to conceive your child…” Vanessa’s voice softened, turning almost deadly.

“...Let’s just say the pregnancy won’t be so easy for her to terminate. She’ll hesitate. She’ll struggle. She’ll wonder… what if this is her only chance to ever become a mother?”

Ryan’s gaze darkened. “With all due respect, ma’am, you do know your granddaughter is fucking stubborn. She’s obsessed with her perfect little life—no mistakes. No scandals. What if she still goes through with terminating it?”

Vanessa smirked.

“That’s where we come in.”

A heavy silence stretched between them.

“If the insemination is successful and she gets pregnant, then both of us must ensure that she keeps the child.”

Ryan leaned forward, hands clasped together. “And what makes you so sure I’ll agree to this?”

Vanessa’s smirk widened.

“Because I know you, Ryan.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

“Because deep down, you want revenge.”

Ryan’s fingers twitched.

Vanessa’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “She ended things with you. Accused you without listening. And then married the one man you always feared she’d leave you for.”

Ryan’s jaw clenched.

The air in the room thickened, suffocating.

She was right.

He didn’t need to deny it.

Vanessa exhaled, still smirking.

“So, Ryan…” She lifted a perfectly manicured hand.

“I’m giving you a golden opportunity.”

Her head tilted slightly, voice almost teasing.

“An open door to step in… and destroy my granddaughter’s marriage.”

Her smile deepened.

“What do you say?”

---------

Present

---------

Ryan blinked, shaking himself from the memory.

Sebastian watched him carefully. “Ryan?” His voice was sharp, sensing that he had zoned out. “That was quite a deep thought.”

Ryan let out a low chuckle. “Just thinking about why this is so important to me..”

His expression darkened. “As for justifying her reaction to what happened between us… If it were me, I wouldn’t have reacted the way she did. Yeah, I’d be angry, but I would have at least listened—for the sake of the love we supposedly had.” His jaw clenched.

"One more thing—I didn’t become who I am today because of what happened six years ago. My life was already mapped out. The breakup has nothing to do with whatever I’ve achieved for myself so far...”

His fingers curled into a fist.

“But if that breakup did one thing for me, it made me realize how ruthless a woman’s heart can be.” His voice turned cold. “Despite all the love Adina professed, she was cheating on me with Eric.”

Sebastian gaped at him. “Jesus Christ, dude! How do you just arrive at that conclusion? You never mentioned it then. Did you catch them red-handed?”

Ryan’s lips curled in disdain. “I didn’t have to. What she did after she broke up with me was proof enough. She was only playing with me all the years we dated. When she was ready to marry Eric, she looked for a reason to accuse me and then discarded me like I meant nothing to her..”

Sebastian exhaled, rubbing his jaw. “And now that fate has thrown you this… unexpected plot twist, are you trying to rewrite the ending between you two? Hoping for a second chance at love?”

Ryan didn’t respond at first.

He turned toward the window, watching as the city glowed beneath him. His fingers tightened around the stress ball. Then, with a bitter scoff, he said,

“No, Seb. I’m not gunning for a second chance at love with Adina.”

His voice was calm. Controlled.

“I want revenge.”

Sebastian arched his brow. “Revenge?” His tone was incredulous.

Ryan’s lips curled into a devilish smirk. “Yes. Revenge. And I’m going to get it.”

Sebastian studied him for a long moment before shaking his head.

“Dude… you’re starting to sound like a psycho ex. Like, full-blown obsessed with a woman who moved on six freaking years ago.”

Ryan exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. “You’re annoying.”

Sebastian grinned. “And you’re in denial.”

Ryan huffed. “Whatever. Can we get to business?” He waved his hand dismissively. “Enough of this psychoanalysis bullshit.”

Sebastian exhaled, shaking his head. “Alright, man. Whatever you say… But are you sure she’s actually coming tomorrow? For whatever shitstorm contract you’re planning to have me draft?”

Ryan’s lips curled into a devilish smirk. “Oh, she’ll come. She won’t have a choice.”

He tossed the stress ball onto the desk and leaned back, his expression shifting.

The amusement vanished.

His gaze darkened. “First you’ll draft an agreement. A legal document outlining my do’s and don’ts while she carries my child.”

Sebastian frowned. “Do’s and don’ts?”

Ryan nodded. “I want control. Over everything.” His voice was firm. “Her diet. Her health. What she can and can’t do.”

Sebastian let out a low whistle. “Damn. You really don’t trust her, do you?”

Ryan ignored him. “Second—” His fingers drummed against the desk. “Figure out what it’ll take for the child to legally take my last name.”

Sebastian leaned back, studying him. “And if she refuses?”

Ryan’s expression darkened.

“Then we force it.”

Sebastian’s brows shot up. “Legally?”

Ryan’s smirk was razor-sharp. “Well, if she proves stubborn, we can also let the media and public do the work for us.”

Sebastian let out a long, exaggerated sigh. “Wow, you’re really about to strong-arm a pregnant woman.”

Ryan smirked. “She’s carrying my child. What else do you suppose I do?”

Sebastian shook his head. “Man, remind me never to piss you off.”

Ryan chuckled, grabbing a pen and tapping it against his palm. “Smart choice.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes and pulled out his laptop. “Fine. Let’s draft this damn document.”