Chapter 6: Accusation

Evangeline

“I’m pregnant.”

Oh God, please… please… please…

Help me get out of this mess.

Alexander's sharp inhale reverberates through the room, his stormy eyes locking onto mine like I just delivered something worse than a death sentence. His body is stiff, his jaw clenching so hard I fear he might snap his teeth. 

I feel like a cornered animal, like a weak prey at the mercy of her predator with the way his cold eyes pin me in place. 

I’ve just told him the truth, but the disbelief etched across his face tells me he’d have had a peaceful life without knowing about this, like he wants to tell me my pregnancy has nothing to do with him. 

“Pregnant?” he repeats, each syllable dripping with venom. “With my child?”

I nod, swallowing hard. “Yes, Alexander.” My voice trembles despite my attempt to sound steady. “I. . .”

“Bullshit!” he barks, cutting me off. 

His sudden outburst sends a shiver down my spine, but I grit my teeth and hold my ground.

“You startled me,” I breathe.

Really, Evangeline? He startled you?

What the fuck is wrong with you?

Humorless laughter rumbles in his throat. It’s loud and mocking, making my chest tighten with shame. “And I’m supposed to believe this? Do you think I’m stupid, Evangeline? This is a scam. A cheap, pathetic scam. Are you trying to extort money from me?”

My jaw tightens, anger sparking in my chest, replacing the shame I feel. “This is not… It’s not a scam…” 

He shakes his head, hand raking through his perfectly styled hair, messing it up. He moves on frantic steps, pacing the room back and forth. “It’s not a scam? And you expect me to what, take your word for it… you…” he snaps, stopping to face me. “You’re a liar, Evangeline. A fraud. You wormed your way into my bed with your little act and now this? Pregnancy? Very very convenient.”

“You know that’s not true, Xander.” I say, my voice gentle even though my patience is hanging by a thread.

“Don’t fucking call me that,” he snaps. “First, you humiliate me, and now this?” he licks his lips, head still shaking with disbelief. “What do you want? A blank check? A ring?” 

His words hit like slaps. My hands ball into fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms. “I didn’t worm my way anywhere, Alexander. If I recall correctly, you invited me up that night. We made our choices.”

He laughs at me, mockingly. “Don’t make this about me, Evangeline. You knew exactly what you were doing. Women like you always do.”

I flinch, the insult slicing through me. My voice trembles with anger. “Women like me? You mean women who were paid to sleep with you because you couldn’t keep your fiancé satisfied? That kind of woman?”

His face tightens. “Careful, Evangeline.”

“No, you be careful,” I finally snap, my voice rising. “You don’t get to stand there and insult me or shame me for the choices we both made drunk or not! I’m carrying your child, that’s all that matters right now.”

“Assuming it even is mine,” he retorts, his words deliberate, calculated to wound me.

The air leaves my lungs and I stagger back a step, gasping. My chest heaves as I try to process his words, the sheer cruelty of them.

“I don’t want your money,” I say with a calm voice. “I came here to tell you the truth because you deserve to know. That’s it.”

His gaze holds a depth of resentment towards me. “The truth?” He laughs. “You wouldn’t know the truth if it hit you in the face. How convenient that you show up three months later with this little announcement.”

“Convenient?” My voice breaks, my anger and hurt becoming more prominent. “Do you think this is easy for me? To stand here and tell you that I’m carrying your child? I could’ve kept this to myself, Alexander. I could’ve walked away and never told you. But I didn’t.”

“Don’t fucking give me that,” he grits. “After everything you did to me, it would’ve been better if you disappeared with this fucking child you’re carrying.”

A chuckle leaves me instantly—a pained one, one that drags tears out of my eyes. I quickly wipe them away. And when I turn to meet his gaze again, I see regret in them, but he quickly shields it.

The room is silent for a moment, his chest heaving as he stares at me like I’ve personally attacked him. Then, without warning, he strides to the door and yells, “Maria!”

A woman appears almost immediately. “Yes, Mr. Creed?”

“Stop my lawyer from leaving,” he says sharply. “If he’s already left, get him back here. Now.”

Maria nods and disappears without a word, leaving us alone again. The silence is deafening, save for the sound of my heart pounding in my chest.

“Your lawyer?” I ask, my voice shaking. “Really, Alexander? Is that how little you think of me?”

He doesn’t answer.  His jaw is tightening as he glares at me. The seconds stretch into minutes, each one more excruciating than the last. I’m on the verge of walking out when the door opens again, and a tall man with a casual air strides in.

“What’s so urgent, Creed?” he asks, his tone light but curious. His gaze shifts to me, and his eyebrows lift slightly. “And who’s this?”

“This,” Alexander says, his voice hard, “is Evangeline. She’s here claiming to be pregnant with my child.”

The man’s eyes widen slightly before he masks his surprise. “The Evangeline?”

Alexander nods.

Wow, so they’ve discussed me before now?

“Well, that’s a twist.” He steps closer, offering me a polite nod. “I’m Carter, Alexander’s lawyer and, unfortunately, his friend.”

“Unfortunately?” Alexander snaps, his irritation clear.

Carter lifts a shoulder in a shrug. “Let’s not pretend you’re easy to deal with, Alex.” He turns to me with a softer, playful expression. “Evangeline, is it? Mind if I ask a few questions?”

I nod, grateful that this one isn’t out to get me as much as Alexander is. “Go ahead.”

“How far along are you?” he asks, his tone probing.

“Three months,” I reply. “I just found out.”

He nods thoughtfully. “And you’re sure it’s Alex’s?”

I stiffen but force myself to answer calmly. “Yes. He’s the only person I’ve been with in the past year.”

Carter glances at Alexander, whose expression remains stony. “Well, that’s a good start,” Carter says. I can tell he’s picking at his words, careful about what he says. “But Alex, you’re not exactly giving her the benefit of the doubt here.”

“Why should I?” Alexander snaps. “She’s lied before. What makes this any different?”

“Because it’s not a lie,” I say, my voice firm. “I didn’t come here to trick you or take anything from you. I came because this child deserves to have their father in their life. That’s all.”

Carter looks between us, his expression becoming professional. “You know as well as I do that accusing her without proof isn’t going to solve anything, Mr Creed. Maybe you should focus on the bigger picture here.”

Alexander scowls but doesn’t respond. I take a deep breath. Finally, a matured adult is handling this matter as it should be. 

“You can hate me all you want,” I say, my voice steady. “You can call me a liar, accuse me of whatever you want. But none of that changes the fact that I’m pregnant, and it’s yours. So, what are you going to do about it, Alexander?”

The room falls silent. Carter watches Alexander closely, like he’s trying to juggle being a friend as well as a legal advisor trying to resolve a conflict.

“We’ll get a paternity test,” Alexander says. “If it’s mine, we’ll figure out the next steps. But until then, don’t expect me to take your word for it.”

It’s not the answer I wanted, but it’s better than outright rejection. I nod. “Fine. Let’s do the test. But don’t think for a second that I’ll let you treat me like this forever, Alexander. You’re not just insulting me; you’re insulting your child.”

He rolls his eyes like the sassy spoiled brat he is without offering me a response.

“Alright,” Carter says, clapping his hands together, breaking the all-time-high tension. “Let’s all take a breath. Alex, I’ll set up the test. Evangeline, I appreciate you coming forward. For what it’s worth, I think you’re doing the right thing.”

I hiss. “Fucking cunt,” as I approach the door.

“Me?” Alexander chuckles, causing my steps to slow to a stop. “You fucking lied to me. You ought to be ashamed of yourself for what you did to me.”

“And what did I do?” I ask fiercely. “I fucked you, got on my knees and took your fucking cock down my throat and you enjoyed every bit of what we did. And I know you enjoyed it because you had no complaints then.”

“I thought you were genuine.”

“Coming from a man who fucked another woman two days to his wedding.” I chuckle. “You better be careful how you treat me, Alexander Creed, how you speak to me. Because all it’ll take to ruin whatever is left of you is a single statement from the woman you cheated on your fiance with.”

I don’t wait for a response.

I storm out the door.