Chapter 7: Then Get Pregnant With His Child

The woman looked to be in her early twenties, but the moment she spotted me on the stairs, her expression darkened and she rushed straight toward me.

“Hey, you! How dare you?” She grabbed my wrist and yanked me down the stairs. “You’ve been pretending to be my best friend this whole time!”

“I... I didn’t—”

“You didn’t what?” she cut me off, her eyes flashing with anger. “I don’t even blame you, where did my brother even find this trash?”

This was Celeste, Kealan’s younger sister.

“Celeste, I didn’t pretend to be anything,” I snapped back, refusing to let her walk all over me. “You treated me like Valentina, and I just played along.”

Valentina stepped up beside Celeste, her eyes swollen and red from crying. “Celeste, you can’t blame her. It was my fault. If I hadn’t had that accident, she wouldn’t even be here.”

“No, she leaves this house today! And no one is going to stop me from throwing her out!”

“I’ve had enough drama for one day.” I jerked my hand free from Celeste’s grip. “I’m tired I need a good rest, I’m going upstairs.”

I turned back toward the steps, but her voice chased after me. “Don't you dare! Once my brother gets back, I’ll make sure you’re kicked out on the street!”

My mind was spinning from all the chaos. Suddenly, Miles’s words echoed in my head. Why did he ask about Nicole? Is something wrong?

I pulled out my phone, scrolled through my contacts, and tapped Nicole’s number. It didn't even ring twice before she picked up.

“Hello? Geez, Catherine, you finally called me back, I was going to call you tomorrow if you didn't reach out like you said you would.”

“Nicole, is something wrong?” I couldn't hide the suspicion in my voice.

“What? No, nothing’s wrong. Everything’s fine with me, why are you suddenly asking?” She sounded completely bewildered. After three years of silence, my first question was if something was wrong.

“No, it’s nothing. Just a stupid question. All this stress is getting to my head.” I ran my hand through my hair, messing up the neat style.

“Can we meet up Catherine? You can’t say no. Meet me in thirty minutes at the coffee shop near the junction.” Before I could even think of an excuse, Nicole hung up.

“Does she always have to be so bossy?” I fell back onto the bed with a sigh. “I’ll just rest here for a minute...”

I arrived at the small cafe around two in the afternoon and spotted Nicole sitting at a table near the back.

She hadn’t changed much over the last three years. The moment her eyes met mine, she hurried over and wrapped me in a tight hug.

“Catherine, you look so different! How have you been? How’s Miles?”

“We should sit down first,” I said softly.

She led me over to the table and immediately ordered two coffees. But as soon as the waitress walked away, her smile faded, replaced by an intense, hurt look.

“So tell me... why did you leave like that?” Her voice trembled with anger and betrayal.

“Miles was diagnosed with low grade cardiac sarcoma, Nicole I had to leave.”

“I didn’t know! You could have told me, we would have figured it out together!”

I knew Nicole meant every word, but intention wasn't enough. It wasn't a matter of who would stand by whom, neither of us had a single dime to our names.

“I’m sorry, Nicole. I didn’t have any money. Miles needed immediate surgery, and I couldn’t drag you down with me.”

Nicole reached across the table and squeezed my hand tightly. “I understand, Catherine. I really do. But we still could have figured something out.” She stood up, grabbed her chair, and dragged it right beside mine. “How is Miles doing now?”

“I got married, Nicole.” My voice cracked, tears stinging my eyes as I fought not to break down in public. “And I’m getting a divorce soon. My life is a complete mess, and I’m done pretending everything is fine. I’m not okay, Nicole. I’m really not.”

I burst into tears right there in the middle of the cafe.

Nicole pulled me close, holding me as I sobbed into her shoulder. “What do you mean? When did you get married?” she asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.

I wiped my wet cheeks with the handkerchief she handed me, my skin burning hot. “It’s a long story. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Well, I want to talk about it. Catherine, I know we haven’t been close...” She reached out, gently wiping away another tear as she forced a sad smile. “What am I even saying? We aren’t close anymore.”

“That’s not what I mean, I just don’t want to burden you or make you worry about me.”

“I’m your best friend, Even if we grew apart, it’s my right to worry about you. I get to decide that. And if you really don’t want me around, I’ll just leave.” Nicole pushed her chair back and stood up, but I grabbed her hand before she could step away.

“I’m sorry... I’m being stupid,” I choked out. “I’m lying to everyone, and now I’m pushing my only friend away.”

Nicole sat right back down and pulled her chair even closer. “Then tell me what’s going on.”

Fresh tears welled up in my eyes. “I’m lying to my only family member, and I don’t even know what to say about my husband.”

I finally poured everything out, telling her every single thing that had happened over the last three years.

“Come here,” she murmured, pulling me into a long, tight hug. “You are the bravest person I know.” She gently patted my head until my breathing slowed down.

She pulled back slightly to look me in the eye. “But... do you love your husband?”

I froze. It was as if the noise of the cafe completely faded away, leaving me lost in my own thoughts.

“Does it even matter?” I asked, feeling a sharp, tightening pain in my chest. “It’s clear he loves Valentina.”

“It does matter, Catherine. Do you love him?”

Images of the years I had spent by his side living as Valentina flashed through my mind.

“He’s Kealan Blackwood,” I whispered softly. “No one could stay around him and not fall in love with him.”

Nicole looked at me with dead seriousness.

“Then get pregnant with his child.”