Chapter 1

"Andy Linden. 12 weeks pregnant. Positive."

I stared at that line on my medical report, convinced my eyes were playing tricks on me.

I was a freshman who had just started at a private university in the city last week.

The university required all incoming students to undergo a physical exam at a designated hospital, supposedly as part of a smart healthcare partnership. That morning, all I'd done was have some blood drawn and get an ultrasound.

In the afternoon, I'd been informed that I was three months pregnant and had to immediately pay for prenatal tests and pregnancy management.

"Ma'am, there must be a mistake on the report, right?" I clutched the report as I stood at the payment window.

I continued in a perplexed tone, "I'm a guy, and I'm single. I've never even dated anyone. How could I possibly be pregnant?"

The nurse behind the counter was applying lipstick. She impatiently snatched the report from my hand.

"Can't you read? Your HCG levels are abnormally high, and the ultrasound shows a gestational sac in your uterus. Under the terms of the university's healthcare agreement, students with early-stage pregnancies have to pay four thousand dollars for prenatal testing and 15 thousand dollars for pregnancy management. Card or cash?"

I almost choked from shock. "What gestational sac? I'm a man! The only thing in my stomach is the chicken and vegetables I had for lunch!"

The nurse finally looked up. However, she looked at me as if I were a student trying to argue my way out of trouble.

She said impatiently, "Young lady, I've seen plenty of students pretending they weren't pregnant. You're the first one I've seen pretending to be a guy. The test results are right here. If you can't keep your legs closed, don't stand here pretending you're innocent."

My ears burned with anger, and my whole body trembled. I'd always had somewhat feminine features. I'd also been growing my hair out because I wanted a shaggy wolf cut.

People had mistaken me for a girl before, but being accused of being pregnant was a first.

I reasoned with her, saying, "You made a mistake. If you don't believe me, run the tests again. Don't you think I'd know whether I'm pregnant?"

The nurse's expression darkened as she slapped the report down on the counter. "I've seen plenty of students like you. You lie without batting an eye. Then, when your belly starts showing, you'll come back crying. You want another test? Fine. It's 1,250 dollars. Card or cash?"

1,250 dollars!

That was my entire monthly living allowance. Spending a month's worth of living expenses just to prove I wasn't pregnant was absurd.

I kept my voice low and forced the words out through clenched teeth. "I'm not joking, ma'am. There's no way I'm pregnant. I have class this afternoon. I don't have time to argue with you."

The nurse crossed her arms and smirked, her voice turning shrill. "Who's arguing with you?"

She tapped the report with one finger, emphasizing every word. "You, Andy Linden, are 12 weeks pregnant. It's positive. You hid an early pregnancy when you enrolled. The physical exam exposed what you've been up to, and now you have the nerve to stand here and make a scene?"

She shot me a sideways glance, her eyes sweeping over my lower abdomen before she let out a quiet laugh.

Several people waiting to pay turned around and stared at me judgmentally.

"Kids these days are so free-spirited. She just got into university, and she's already sleeping around."

"Look at her. She probably doesn't even know who the father is."

"Exactly. What's with the innocent act?"

Their whispers burrowed into my ears. My clenched fists trembled with rage. A surge of anger rushed through me.

I pulled out my phone and paid the 1,250 dollars to have another physical exam. There was no way a hospital this big could fail to determine that I was a man.

Soon, the new report was in my hands.

"12 weeks pregnant. Positive."

As I stared at those words, my mind went completely blank.

It wasn't a misdiagnosis. They'd done it on purpose!

They knew I wasn't pregnant, but they were deliberately leveling this accusation at me so that they could extort money from me. My hands shook so badly that I could barely keep hold of the report.

I stormed into the examination center. The glass door rattled loudly as I shoved it open, and I slammed the report onto the doctor's desk.

I seethed, "You did this on purpose! I'm a man. How could I possibly be pregnant?"

Michael Little looked up from his computer and pushed his glasses higher on his nose. "Ma'am, our equipment just passed its annual inspection, and our procedures are standardized according to state requirements. There is no way the test results could be wrong.

"You're young and inexperienced. Early pregnancy symptoms aren't always obvious, so it's perfectly normal not to notice them yourself."

He paused, his eyes sweeping over my face. There was a trace of amused exasperation in his voice.

He went on, "Besides, you're a young woman. Why are you pretending to be a man? The sex you listed when you registered for the physical is clearly recorded in the hospital system. If there's been any misunderstanding, it's because you weren't honest with us. I'd advise you to pay the fees as soon as possible. It'll be better for both you and the baby."

"I'm not pregnant! Why should I pay anything?" I shouted in fury.

Michael leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "You're refusing to pay? Fine. The university regulations are very clear. Any pregnant student who refuses to pay the pregnancy management fee will be expelled from the university.

"After all, if something happens, the university can't be held responsible. Think carefully. Are you going to pay, or are you going to leave the university?"

I froze.

So the university and the hospital were in on it together.