Legally Bound: Pregnant with my Rival's Baby

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The harsh fluorescent light of my bathroom seemed to mock me as I stared, disbelieving, at the little plastic stick in my hand. Two pink lines. Clear as day. Undeniable.

Pregnant.

The word echoed in my mind, each repetition bringing a fresh wave of panic. This couldn't be happening. Not to me. Not now. Not with...

Derek.

I closed my eyes, memories of that night flooding back. The heat of his touch, the intensity in his grey eyes, the way he'd made me feel things I'd never felt before. And now, this.

My hand instinctively went to my still-flat stomach. A baby. Derek Hawthorne's baby. The universe had a sick sense of humor.

I sank to the cold tile floor, my mind racing. What was I going to do? My career was just taking off. I was in the middle of the biggest case of my life. And the father of my child was my opposing counsel, a man I was supposed to hate.

A man I did hate. Didn't I?

The shrill ring of my phone cut through my spiraling thoughts. I glanced at the screen: Lily. My sister. The only person I could think of who might understand.

With shaking hands, I answered the call. "Lily?"

"Soph!" My sister's cheerful voice filled the line. "I was just calling to see if you wanted to grab dinner tonight. There's this new fusion place in Brooklyn that's supposed to be amazing."

"Lily," I said again, my voice cracking. "I... I need you."

There was a pause, then Lily's tone shifted from excited to concerned. "Sophia? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Can you come over? Please? I... I need to talk to you."

"I'm on my way," Lily said without hesitation. "Don't move. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

As I waited for Lily to arrive, I paced my apartment, alternating between bouts of near-hysteria and moments of eerie calm. This was fine. Everything was fine. I was just pregnant with my rival's baby in the middle of a high-stakes legal battle. Totally normal.

The knock at my door came sooner than I expected. I opened it to find Lily, her vibrant blue hair a stark contrast to her worried expression.

"Sophia?" she said, stepping inside and immediately pulling me into a hug. "What's going on? You're scaring me."

I clung to her for a moment, drawing strength from my little sister's presence. Then, wordlessly, I led her to the bathroom and handed her the pregnancy test.

Lily's eyes widened as she looked from the test to me and back again. "Oh, Soph," she breathed. "Is this... are you..."

I nodded, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "I'm pregnant, Lily."

My sister guided me to the living room, sitting me down on the couch. "Okay," she said, her voice calm and steady. "Let's talk this through. First things first - who's the father?"

I closed my eyes, bracing myself for her reaction. "Derek Hawthorne."

"Derek Haw- wait, isn't that the guy you're up against in that big merger case?" Lily's voice rose an octave. "Sophia Chen, did you sleep with opposing counsel?"

Despite everything, I felt a laugh bubble up in my throat. It came out sounding more like a sob. "It was just one night," I said weakly. "We were... clearing the air."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Must have been some air."

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "This is a disaster, Lily. What am I going to do?"

My sister was quiet for a moment, then I felt her hand on my shoulder. "Well, first, we're going to breathe. In and out. Come on, do it with me."

I followed her lead, taking deep breaths until the panic receded a bit.

"Good," Lily said. "Now, let's break this down. Have you told Derek yet?"

The thought sent a fresh wave of anxiety through me. "God, no. I just found out myself. I can't... I don't know how to tell him."

Lily nodded. "Okay, we'll come back to that. Next question - do you want to keep it?"

I froze. The thought hadn't even occurred to me yet. Did I want this baby? Could I be a mother? Images flashed through my mind - a little girl with Derek's grey eyes, a boy with my dark hair and determination.

"I... I think I do," I said softly, surprising myself. "I know the timing is terrible, and it complicates everything, but... yes. I want to keep it."

Lily squeezed my hand. "Then that's what we'll focus on. Everything else - your job, the case, Derek - we'll figure it out. You're not alone in this, Soph."

I felt tears spill over, overwhelmed by my sister's unwavering support. "What would I do without you, Lil?"

She grinned, pulling me into another hug. "Crash and burn, obviously. Now, let's order some food and start making a plan."

As Lily bustled around my kitchen, ordering my favorite comfort foods and making tea, I found myself lost in thought. How would Derek react to the news? Would he want to be involved? Did I want him to be involved?

The memory of our night together rose unbidden. The tenderness in his touch, the way he'd looked at me like I was the only woman in the world. For a moment, I allowed myself to imagine a future where we were more than rivals. Where we were partners, parents, maybe even...

I shook my head, banishing the thought. This was Derek Hawthorne. The man who'd made it clear that our night together meant nothing. The man I was supposed to be fighting tooth and nail in this merger case.

And yet...

"Earth to Sophia," Lily's voice cut through my reverie. "Where'd you go just now?"

I blinked, focusing on my sister. "Nowhere. Just... thinking."

Lily's eyes narrowed. "About Derek?"

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "No. Well, yes, but not like that. I was just wondering how he'll react."

"Mm-hmm," Lily hummed, clearly unconvinced. "And how do you want him to react?"

The question caught me off guard. How did I want Derek to react? Part of me wanted him to be as shocked and terrified as I was. But another part, a part I was trying desperately to ignore, hoped for something else. Something more.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I guess I just... I don't want to do this alone."

Lily's expression softened. "You won't be alone, Soph. No matter what Derek does or doesn't do, you've got me. And Mom and Dad, once we tell them. Though maybe we save that particular bombshell for later."

I groaned at the thought of telling our parents. "Oh God, they're going to freak out."

"Probably," Lily agreed cheerfully. "But they'll come around. You're their golden child, after all. The successful lawyer. I'm the one who gave them grey hairs with my 'artsy phase'."

I laughed, grateful for my sister's ability to lighten even the darkest mood. "Your artsy phase? Lily, you own a gallery. I think we're well past 'phase'."

As we settled in with our food, Lily helping me make lists and research prenatal care, I felt a sense of calm settling over me. This wasn't how I'd planned things, not by a long shot. But maybe, just maybe, it could work out.

There was just one major hurdle left to clear: telling Derek.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine. How would he react? Would he be angry? Supportive? Would he want to be involved, or would he walk away?

And why did the thought of him walking away make my chest ache in a way I wasn't ready to examine too closely?

As if sensing my thoughts, Lily placed a hand on my arm. "Hey," she said softly. "One step at a time, okay? We'll figure out how to tell Derek. And whatever happens, I've got your back."

I nodded, grateful beyond words for my sister's support. "Thanks, Lil. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Lily grinned, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Well, for starters, you probably wouldn't be in this mess. I seem to remember warning you about mixing business with pleasure."

I groaned, throwing a pillow at her. "Not helping, Lily!"

As we dissolved into laughter, I felt some of the tension ease from my shoulders. This situation was far from ideal, but I wasn't alone. And maybe, just maybe, everything would work out.

But first, I had to face Derek. The thought of those intense grey eyes, of telling him this news that would change both our lives forever, sent a flutter through my stomach that had nothing to do with morning sickness.

Tomorrow. I'd tell him tomorrow. And then... well, then we'd see what kind of man Derek Hawthorne really was.