SALMON AND NEW RED DRESS

Nandy Jordan did not let me leave the mansion until I ate salmon.

"Eat, Linda. Pregnant women need protein. And you need to learn how to sit at my table if you are carrying my grandchild."

She said grandchild like share certificate. She cut salmon, put it on my plate, watched me chew. Dawn had left table. Vanelly kept taking photos of me crying. Luke stood behind my chair, hand on my shoulder, not letting anyone else touch me.

I chewed salmon I could not taste. Two pink lines still on white marble floor where Luke dropped them. No one picked them up. Like evidence.

After lunch, Dawn found me in pantry. He grabbed my arms. First time in six months he touched me hard.

"Linda, tell me it is not true," he whispered, eyes red. "Tell me you are still pure. We can still marry. I can be father. I need you as image. If you leave me, my mother will take my shares."

I looked at my fiancé. My perfect-image fiancé who never touched me.

"Dawn. Are you gay?"

He let go like I slapped him.

"Who told you — did Luke tell you —"

"Your iPad. London. Blonde man. Your shirt."

He sat on floor among Nandy's truffle oil. CEO of Discovery Enterprise, perfect suit, on floor.

"Yes," he whispered. "Since 15. My mother knows. If I come out, she gives everything to Luke and Vanelly. She gave me you, Linda. Perfect Oxford wife image. You never asked why I don't touch you."

I knelt. I held his soft hands. I was not angry. He was groomed like me.

"Dawn, I was virgin for 25 years. I waited. But you never wanted me. I was starved. I went to Billionaire Club in red."

"I know," he cried. "Luke told me six weeks ago he slept with a virgin in red dress on his desk. He felt guilty. He did not know it was you until today. Until blood."

Pantry door opened.

Luke. Grey eyes cold.

"Board meeting tomorrow 9 AM, 14th floor," Luke said to me, not to Dawn. "You are moving out of Sea Point tonight. My driver is outside."

"I am still his fiancée until —" I started.

"You are not his fiancée while carrying my heir," Luke said. Voice low, billionaire claim that makes readers pay. "Take off his ring."

I looked down. Small diamond, R80k, perfect image ring. I took it off. Put it in Dawn's palm.

Dawn closed fist and sobbed.

"I used you as image. Sorry."

"I forgive you," I whispered. "But I cannot be your image anymore. I am carrying your brother's baby."

Luke grabbed my wrist and pulled me up. Possessive.

Sea Point condo. 7 PM. Same condo Dawn bought for me as image. White sheets he never slept in. Closet full of white shirts.

I packed one bag. White shirts I left. Pearls I left. Lamborghini pink ribbon key I left on counter. I kept only ripped red Zara dress, because that was night I stopped being image.

Luke's Maybach outside. Driver black suit.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"My Cliff House. Lion's Head. Opposite Nandy's mansion. Glass. No mother."

Cliff House. All glass, black steel, infinity pool that drops into Atlantic. No pink shorts. No salmon. No painting where I am not included.

He carried my bag inside. Inside smelled like him — sea, whisky, money.

One bedroom. One huge bed.

"You sleep here," he said. "I sleep guest room until you tell me you want me here."

He put hand on my flat stomach. Big hand, hot, over his white shirt I was still wearing.

"Is it mine?" he whispered.

"I was virgin until you," I whispered. "Only you."

He closed eyes. Breathed.

"Then it is mine. My heir. Nandy cannot touch you here."

My phone buzzed.

_N. JORDAN: BOARD MEETING 14TH FLOOR 9 AM TOMORROW. BRING BLOOD RESULTS. BRING PINK TEST. BRING VIRGIN STORY. OR I WILL BRING LAWYERS AND TAKE YOUR BABY AS CRANSTON PROPERTY. YOU ARE EAST LONDON GIRL, YOU HAVE NO MONEY FOR LAWYERS. I DO. — NANDY_

I showed Luke.

He read, jaw stone.

"She will not take my heir," he said. "Tomorrow 9 AM, you walk into 14th floor not as Dawn's image. You walk as mother of my child. In red. Not white."

He opened closet. Inside, new red dress. Not Zara R499. Designer red, tight, backless, price tag R25k still on. He bought it today, after seeing two pink lines.

"I bought it after I took your virginity. Felt guilty. Never gave it. Now I give it."

I held red dress, 6 weeks pregnant, ex-fiancé crying in pantry, mother-in-law threatening to take my baby as property.

And Luke Bryan Cranston knelt, put his head on my stomach where his heir is, and said:

"Stay with me, Miss Long. Be my wife, but this time for real. Because I want you, not your image.

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