A scanned medical report filled the screen—clear black text on white paper.
Marie Valenti
Pregnancy Confirmation
Gestational Age: 9 weeks
Estimated Due Date: October 15
The room went quiet. Too quiet. Eyes flickering.
Then a voice note played, everyone could tell whose voice it was—Claret’s voice, sharp, angry, unmistakable.
“How could you be so stupid, Marie? Pregnant by a married man you barely know? Do you want to ruin this family? Ruin everything I’ve built? You will marry Din Moretti, and you will keep your mouth shut. No one finds out. Not a single soul. Do you understand me?”
The voice cut off.
Gasps ripped through the hall. Someone screamed, gossip rose. Champagne glasses slipped from hands. Crashed on the floor.
Marie’s body went stiff in Din’s arms. Her face drained of
