Chapter 8: Her Secret, His Fury
711 Words
Lexi stared at the white stick in her hand, sitting motionless on the bathroom floor.
Two lines.
Positive.
Her stomach twisted—not from morning sickness, but from shock. Her hands trembled as she placed the pregnancy test on the counter, backing away as it might explode.
This wasn’t part of the deal.
They had rules. Boundaries. A contract.
No feelings. No strings. No children.
Hours passed before she could even breathe normally. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall, the silence broken only by the storm that had rolled in outside.
She knew she had to tell him.
But how do you tell a man who doesn’t believe in love that you’re carrying his child?
Alexander returned late that night, his jaw tight, his shirt rumpled—a clear sign something had gone wrong at the office.
“You’re still awake?” he asked, shrugging off his jacket.
“Yeah,” she said softly. “We need to talk.”
“Can it wait until morning?”
“No. It really can’t.”
He glanced over, sensing something unusual in her tone.
“What’s going on?”
Lexi stood, heart hammering.
“I—”
Her phone buzzed. She glanced down, confused.
A photo. A message.
Do you know who your husband was really with tonight?
Attached was a grainy image. Alexander. At dinner. With a woman.
Blonde. Elegant. Smiling.
Lexi froze.
“What is this?” she asked, holding up the phone.
Alexander’s face darkened when he saw the photo.
“Where did you get that?”
“Answer the question.”
“It’s none of your business.”
That did it. Something snapped.
“None of my business? You’re my husband—at least on paper. Don’t I deserve honesty?”
“You knew what this was, Lexi. You wanted an arrangement. Not a relationship.”
“You’re right,” she said bitterly. “But I didn’t expect you to lie.”
“I didn’t lie,” he shot back. That meeting was about a merger. She’s a board member.”
“Funny, it didn’t look like business.”
“Maybe because you’re looking for reasons to be mad.”
“And maybe you’re looking for reasons to push me away!”
He stepped closer, eyes blazing.
“What do you want from me, Lexi? A confession? An apology? You knew exactly who I was before this started.”
“No,” she whispered. “I didn’t.”
He stared at her, breathing hard.
“If you have something to say, just say it.”
“I’m pregnant.”
Silence crashed between them.
He blinked.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
He stepped back like she’d slapped him.
“That’s not possible.”
“Well, it happened.”
“You said you were on birth control.”
“I was! I am! But nothing is 100%—you know that!”
He paced, running a hand through his hair.
“This changes everything.”
“You think I don’t know that?! I’m the one carrying it!”
He stopped, turning to her, face unreadable.
“Are you sure it’s mine?”
Her breath caught.
The room spun.
“You didn’t just say that.”
“Lexi—”
“You think I’ve been with someone else? After all this? After everything?”
“I didn’t mean—”
“Yes, you did. And now I know exactly what you think of me.”
Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
“I’m done,” she said quietly.
“Lexi—wait—”
“No. I can’t do this. I won’t.”
She turned and walked toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Somewhere I don’t feel like a mistake.”
And then she was gone.
Alexander stood in silence, her words echoing in his mind.
Somewhere I don’t feel like a mistake.
He looked at the photo again, the one that triggered it all. His fists clenched.
He hadn’t lied—but he hadn’t been fully honest either. Not with her. Not with himself.
And now?
He might have lost the only woman who ever made him feel anything.
- Writer
