Chapter Five: The Unraveling
549 Words
The city never truly slept, but tonight the penthouse felt suffocatingly quiet. Alina sat at the window ledge, tracing the glowing skyline with tired eyes. Her secret was growing, demanding more of her with every passing day, yet she had no one to confide in. Not really.
The pregnancy was no longer just hers—it belonged to Damien now, too, whether he accepted it or not.
---
The morning started with a familiar buzz—Lexa’s curt message lighting up her phone.
Lexa:
“Photoshoot at noon. Evening gala is mandatory. Prepare accordingly.”
Alina groaned softly. The exhaustion was beginning to seep into her bones, but there was no room for weakness here.
When the car arrived, Damien was already waiting, his dark eyes assessing her like a calculating king surveying his queen.
“You look tired,” he said, voice low.
“I’m managing.”
“Good. We can’t afford any missteps.”
Alina nodded, swallowing her resentment. This marriage was a business arrangement, but sometimes it felt like a cage.
—
At the photoshoot, the cameras flashed relentlessly. Alina tried to channel confidence, but a wave of nausea suddenly overtook her. She barely made it to the bathroom before she was sick.
Lexa appeared moments later, concern masked by professionalism.
“You need to slow down. This charade isn’t worth your health.”
Alina wiped her mouth, forcing a smile. “I don’t have a choice.”
---
Later that evening, the gala was in full swing. Alina and Damien entered hand-in-hand, the world watching.
Conversations buzzed around them—some curious, others openly hostile.
Elaine Roth appeared like a shadow from the past, her icy gaze slicing through the room.
“Your little secret won’t save you forever,” Elaine whispered to Damien as they passed.
Damien’s jaw clenched but he said nothing.
---
In the privacy of the penthouse, tensions finally boiled over.
“Why are you doing this?” Alina demanded, eyes blazing. “Why risk everything for me?”
Damien paced, frustration evident. “Because I don’t want to lose you. Even if you’re not ‘mine.’”
Alina stared, heart pounding. Was this the real Damien beneath the billionaire facade?
Before she could answer, her phone rang. It was Leo’s doctor with urgent news.
—
The surgery was complicated but successful. Relief washed over Alina like a tidal wave, but it was short-lived.
The news of her pregnancy was leaking.
Rumors began swirling in the media—speculation about a scandal within Cross Holdings.
Damien’s world tightened. Board members demanded answers. Investors grew restless.
---
In a tense board meeting, Damien confronted the whispering executives.
“This marriage is a business strategy,” he declared, voice cold. “But this family will not be compromised by rumors.”
Alina sat beside him, determined to face the storm together.
---
But not everyone was convinced. Elaine plotted in shadows, seeking to exploit the scandal to her advantage.
Alina realized survival meant more than keeping secrets—it meant fighting for her place in this ruthless world.
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That night, Damien found her on the rooftop, the city lights like distant stars.
“We’re in de
eper than we thought,” he said.
Alina nodded, resolve hardening. “Then we fight.”
- Writer
