Chapter 5. BACK TO THE CONTRACTS

Nina picked up a few spoonfuls of her food, but her stomach churned with discomfort. Her face had already turned pale, and Richard noticed immediately.

“Are you okay, Nina?” he asked gently.

“Yes… I just feel a little warm in my stomach. I need to step out for a moment,” she replied, seizing the excuse to leave the table.

A few minutes later, Ethan excused himself as well. He was shown the way to the restroom but he spotted Nina on the hallway. He quickly caught up to her and dragged her to a quieter corner. 

"Nina’s cheeks flushed. Realizing what he was about to say, she quickly spoke first to diffuse the rising tension between them."

 “I’m really sorry for dragging you into my mess. I didn’t know you were my sister’s fiancé.”

Ethan ran a hand over his head, clearly uneasy. “We can just keep this between us,” he said softly. “No one has to know.”

Nina nodded, avoiding his gaze. She was clearly embarrassed—not only had she cheated on Joseph, but it was also with her sister’s fiancé. It was a messy affair that should never be spoken of. Yet Ethan didn’t let go. He still held her, his eyes locked on hers.

She raised her voice, a little sharper this time, “Ethan… you can let go now.”

Oh, i’m sorry, he said, releasing her hands 

“I… I’ll leave first,” I said, stepping back.

Minutes later, Ethan rejoined, taking his seat, but their eyes kept locking each other. Each glance made her heart beat faster. Is he crazy? Why is he staring at me like that? she wondered, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks.

Just as the tension seemed unbearable, her phone buzzed loudly. Everyone’s attention turned to her. She smiled, flashing a bright, effortless grin.

“It’s Joseph, my Fiance!” she announced, standing up to go her pick call outside.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Oh… you have a fiancé?” he asked, voice low but curious.

“Yes,” Nina said while working away quickly. 

His name is “Joseph….Joseph Brown, heir to the Brown International Conglomerate.” Evelyn said with a big smile, thinking Ethan might be impressed.

Ethan’s expression darkened immediately. The Browns were not just any family—they had long been key players in the city’s business world. A few months ago, they had caused the Voss family significant losses during the Manhattan tech market downturn.

Richard, noticing the shift in Ethan’s mood, quickly nudged his wife.

 “Relax, they’re not even in a serious relationship,” he said, trying to ease the tension. 

Clara, sitting across the room, narrowed her eyes. She became scared Ethan might reconsider their engagement knowing Nina was involved with Joseph, a member of a rival business family. He could even want to cut ties with the Brookes altogether. Panic made her mind race, and she began plotting ways to ruin Nina’s relationship with Joseph, desperate to protect her own future with Ethan.

Meanwhile, Ethan’s mind was elsewhere. He realized Joseph wasn't just his business rival but a heart rival. Ever since the passionate night with Nina, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Even though he was engaged to Clara, a part of his heart and desire belonged to Nina.

 ……….

A few months later, Nina woke up burning with a high fever. Her head pounded, and her stomach churned violently as she staggered toward the bathroom. Panic gripped her as a sudden thought hit—she hadn’t seen her period yet.

Her hands shook as she grabbed a pregnancy test from the drawer. Every second felt like an eternity as she followed the instructions, her heart hammering in her chest. Finally, she looked down.

Two pink lines stared back at her.

Her body went rigid. “No… no, this can’t be…” she whispered, voice trembling. Oh no…“Not… not for Ethan. Not… for my sister's fiancé.”

A wave of shock, fear, and disbelief crashed over her, leaving her frozen in the harsh bathroom light, her mind racing with everything that could happen next.

The knock on the door startled Nina. “Nina!” Clara called from the other side.

Nina clutched the pregnancy test behind her back, trying to hide it, and stepped out. Her hands were shaking so badly that it was clear something was wrong.

Clara’s eyes narrowed as she studied her. “What are you hiding behind your back?” she asked sharply.

Nina froze, panic rising. “What do you want? If you’re not looking for anything, please… just leave me alone,” she muttered, her voice trembling.

But Clara didn’t move. She stepped closer, and Nina accidentally nudged the pregnancy test—it slipped from her hands and hit the floor.

Clara bent down, picked it up, and her eyes widened in shock. “Oh… you’re pregnant?!” she screamed.

Nina’s chest tightened, and tears welled up in her eyes. She didn’t even know how to deny it.

Clara’s eyes narrowed, a dark grin playing on her lips. “Ah… too bad. You’re carrying a bastard in your belly,” she said slowly, letting each word sink in.

Nina froze, her heart pounding. “My… my child is not… a bastard,” she stammered, fear and anger mixing in her voice.

Clara’s smirk only grew darker. “Oh, I’m sure this child is not for Joseph,” she said, the words slicing through the air like a knife.

Nina’s eyes widened, and panic set in. She could barely stand, her legs trembling.

Clara leaned closer, her voice cold and sharp. “Some random guy knocked you up. Too bad you have a fiancé. And now you’re stuck with this… mess.”

“Please… keep this between us!” Nina begged, desperation in her voice.

Clara scoffed, pushing past her. “Are you kidding me? There’s no ‘between us.’ This is all you. Your mess. Your problem.”

Before Nina could respond, Clara stormed downstairs, calling their parents' names at the top of her lungs.

“Dad! Mom! Nina’s pregnant!” Clara shouted, loud enough for everyone in the house to hear.

“What?!” Richard and Evelyn screamed in unison.

Nina froze in her room, clutching something to steady herself. She hadn’t expected her scandal to spread this fast… at least, not like this. She hadn’t even processed the situation fully.

“Nina! Get down here, now, you little—slut!” her father’s voice echoed from downstairs.

She dragged herself downstairs, sobbing, unable to meet her parents’ eyes.

“Oh my God… I can’t believe this is happening,” her mother said sharply, hands on her hips. “How dare you let Joseph knock you up without paying your bride price? Did you give yourself away that easily?”

Clara, standing nearby, let out a dark laugh. “Honestly… it could’ve been better if it was Joseph. Some random guy knocked her up.”

All eyes turned sharply toward Nina, and everyone gasped in shock, their gazes filled with disgust.