Chapter 5: Pregnant

Ria stood outside the door of her father's mansion, her heart thundering in her chest. Her lips were dry, her fingers trembling as she gripped the doorknob. The night before felt like a hazy nightmare—one she desperately wished to wake from. Her heart was pounding as dread settled in her chest. She knew what awaited her inside. She knew Olivia wouldn’t let it go easily.

Drawing a shaky breath, Ria pushed the door open.She barely had time to close the door behind her when a hot, stinging slap landed on her cheek. The force sent her staggering back, her hand instinctively flying up to her burning face..

“How dare you!” Her father's voice thundered, his face flushed with rage. “Is this what you’ve reduced yourself to? Betraying your own sister?”

“Dad, I—”

“Don’t you dare call me that!” he snapped, pointing an accusing finger at her. “I leave this house for one business trip, and this is what I come back to? Shame! Absolute shame!”

Across the room, Olivia sat in her mother’s arms, her face buried in Mrs. Carter’s shoulder as muffled sobs filled the air. But the moment Olivia spotted Ria, she sprang up, her tear-streaked face contorted with heartbreak and righteous indignation.

“Why, Ria?” Olivia cried, her voice trembling as she staggered toward her. “Why would you do this to me? We had an agreement, didn’t we? Adrian was supposed to be mine! You promised me, Ria!”

“I didn’t—” Ria began, her voice shaking.

“You didn’t what?” Olivia cut her off, her voice rising. “You didn’t betray me? You didn’t sneak behind my back and sleep with the man you knew I loved?” She sobbed again, her hands covering her face in exaggerated despair. “How could you, Ria? I trusted you. I thought you cared about my feelings”

“That’s enough, Olivia,” Mrs. Carter said softly, though her cold gaze was fixed on Ria. “Your father and I will handle this.”

“No, Mom,” Olivia insisted, her voice cracking as she turned back to Ria. “She needs to understand what she’s done! Do you know how humiliating this is for me? Adrian was supposed to propose to me, and now…now I don’t even know what to think!”

“Olivia, I didn’t mean—”

“You didn’t mean to?” Olivia interjected, her eyes narrowing. “Was it an accident, then? Did you just happen to end up in his bed? Or did you plan this all along, Ria? Is that it? No wonder you willingly agreed to tag along.”

“That’s not true!” Ria pleaded, her voice breaking as she tried to explain.

“Enough!” Mr. Carter barked, silencing the room. He turned his piercing glare to Ria. “I don’t want to hear another word from you. You’ve already disgraced this family enough.

“But Dad—”

“You have no excuse!” he roared. “Your sister has always been kind to you, always putting you first, and this is how you repay her? You disgust me.”

Mrs. Carter stood, placing a protective arm around Olivia. “We’ve always tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, Ria,” she said coldly. “But this…this is unforgivable. Olivia is heartbroken, and you’ve caused nothing but pain to this family.”

Ria’s legs felt weak, her vision blurring with unshed tears. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

“Enough!” her father barked, silencing her. “I should have known better. You’ve been a thorn in this family’s side since the day your mother died. She gave her life for you, and this is how you repay her? By dragging this family’s name through the mud?”

Those words hit harder than the slap. Ria’s breath caught in her throat, her chest tightening as she stared at him in disbelief.

“I’ve tried to tolerate you, hoping you’d change,” he continued, his voice heavy with disdain. His face darkened with rage, and for a moment, Ria thought he might strike her again. “If your mother were alive to see the kind of person you’ve become, she would have wished you were the one who died that day instead.”

Ria staggered back as if he had physically struck her again. Her lips quivered, but she bit down on them to keep from crying. The words hit her harder than any slap ever could. Her throat tightened, and she felt tears pricking her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her break.

“You don’t mean that,” she whispered.

Her father’s eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Olivia spoke up, her voice trembling with false innocence.

“Please stop,” she pleaded, wiping her tear-streaked face. “Dad, please let's not talk about her late mother. It was an accident, I'm sure Ria never meant for it to happen. You know how guilty Ria feels about that incident, she was just a child. ”

“Oh, Olivia,” her mother cooed, pulling her into a hug. “You’re still defending her despite what she did to you. She doesn't deserve it.”

“You see that?” Her father asked, pointing at her, his fingers trembling from anger. “That's how a sister and a daughter should behave”

Ria opened her mouth to speak, but her father’s raised hand silenced her again. “Get out of my sight,” he said through gritted teeth. “I can’t stand to look at you right now.”

Her heart shattered at the cold finality in his tone.

Without another word, she turned on her heel and bolted up the stairs.

As soon as she slammed her bedroom door shut, Ria collapsed onto the bed. Hot tears streamed down her face, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop them. Her father’s words echoed in her mind, cutting deeper with every repetition.

The exhaustion from last night’s events finally overtook her, and she drifted into a restless sleep.

Weeks Later

The nausea had started small, but it grew worse with each passing day accompanied by fatigue. Ria had tried to ignore it, ruling it out as stress, but when she nearly fainted in the shower, she knew she couldn’t put it off any longer.

At the hospital, she sat nervously as Dr. Mira entered the room with a bright smile.

“Ria Carter, congratulations,” the doctor said, her voice warm.

Ria blinked, confused. “Why are you congratulating me?”

“You’re three weeks pregnant,” Dr. Mira announced.

The words hit Ria like a freight train. Her hands instinctively moved to her flat stomach, disbelief written all over her face.

“Pregnant?” she whispered.

“Yes,” the doctor confirmed. “You’re going to be a mother.”

Ria stared at the floor, her emotions swirling. Was this a blessing or a curse? Olivia won't like this. Should she tell Adrian? Would he even care? The thought of facing him again made her stomach churn, but she knew she had to do it. For their child.

As she left the hospital, clutching the test results, she made up her mind. He deserved to know.

At the Blake Mansion

The housekeeper eyed her suspiciously but eventually went to fetch Adrian.

When Adrian appeared at the top of the staircase, Ria’s heart skipped a beat. But the coldness in his gaze as he walked down crushed her hopes.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded, his voice sharp. “Didn’t I warn you to stay away from me?”

Ria swallowed, forcing herself to stay calm. “I need to talk to you.”

“I don’t have time for this.”

“I’m pregnant,” she blurted out, cutting him off.

Adrian froze, his expression unreadable. Slowly, he descended the stairs, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the test results she handed him.

When he looked up, his face was twisted with anger. “And what does this have to do with me?”

Ria’s heart sank. "You’re the father.”

Adrian let out a bitter laugh, throwing the paper at her feet. "Do you think I’m stupid? That bastard in your womb can never be mine.”

The words hit like a slap. "Adrian—"

"Get out," he barked, his voice rising. "If you don’t leave now, I’ll throw you out myself."

"You will do no such thing," a deep, authoritative voice interrupted.

Both Ria and Adrian turned to see an older man descending the staircase.

Ria stared at the man approaching them. His presence was commanding, his expression unreadable. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his salt-and-pepper hair neatly styled. His sharp suit only added to his air of authority. His imposing figure and sharp, icy gaze commanded the room.

"Father," Adrian muttered, his confidence faltering.

Ria wiped her tears as she realized who he was. Adrian’s father approached her, his face stern but unreadable. “I’ve been listening for a while now,” he said. “And I’ve heard enough.”

Adrian opened his mouth to protest, but his father silenced him with a sharp glare. “If what she says is true, then you will take responsibility.”

Ria blinked, stunned. For the first time in a long while, she felt like someone was standing up for her.

But little did she know, this was only the beginning of a new nightmare.