Pregnant for my Fake Fiancée

Chapter 1 The Pregnancy Test Rain poured heavily across the city, turning the streets into rivers of blurred lights and restless shadows. Thunder rumbled somewhere above as Amelia Hart stood outside the small pharmacy, clutching the thin fabric of her coat tightly around herself. Her breathing was uneven. Inside her handbag sat the one thing she had spent the entire day trying not to think about. A pregnancy test. Amelia closed her eyes briefly before pushing the pharmacy door open. Warm air hit her face immediately, carrying the scent of medicine and antiseptic. A tired-looking cashier glanced up at her from behind the counter. “Can I help you?” Amelia hesitated. Her throat suddenly felt dry. “I… I need another test,” she whispered softly. The woman nodded without interest and pointed toward a shelf near the back. Amelia walked there slowly, her heartbeat loud in her ears. This was ridiculous. The first test had to be wrong. There was no way she could be pregnant. Not now. Not when her life was already falling apart. She grabbed another box with trembling fingers and quickly paid before rushing back outside into the cold rain. The city looked lonely tonight. Cars moved through the wet streets while strangers hurried past beneath umbrellas, too busy to notice the girl silently falling apart in the middle of the storm. Amelia finally reached her tiny apartment building thirty minutes later. Her shoes were soaked, and strands of wet dark hair clung to her cheeks as she climbed the stairs to the third floor. The moment she stepped inside her apartment, exhaustion crashed into her. The room was small and simple. A worn couch sat near the window, piles of unpaid hospital bills covered the tiny table, and the weak hum of the old refrigerator filled the silence. Amelia dropped her bag carefully. Her eyes immediately landed on one of the hospital letters. FINAL NOTICE. She looked away quickly. Her mother’s condition had gotten worse over the past few months, and every treatment cost more money than Amelia could afford. She had worked extra shifts, skipped meals, sold some of her belongings… yet it still wasn’t enough. That was why she accepted Richard Bash’s offer in the first place. A fake engagement. Six months pretending to be the billionaire’s fiancée in exchange for enough money to save her mother’s life. At first, it sounded simple. Cold. Business-like. But nothing about Richard Bash was simple. Amelia swallowed hard as memories of him filled her mind. His sharp gray eyes. His deep voice. The way he looked at her sometimes when he thought she wasn’t paying attention. And worst of all… That night. The one night they broke every rule in the contract. Amelia quickly pushed the thoughts away and entered the bathroom. The bright white light above the mirror almost hurt her eyes. Her hands shook as she opened the small box. “No,” she whispered to herself repeatedly. “No, no, no…” Minutes later, the test rested on the edge of the sink while Amelia stood frozen in place. Waiting. Praying. Outside, thunder cracked loudly across the sky. She stared at the tiny screen. One line. Then another slowly appeared. Amelia stopped breathing. Two pink lines. Positive. Her knees nearly gave out beneath her. “Oh my God…” She grabbed the sink for support, staring at the test like it might suddenly change if she looked hard enough. Pregnant. She was pregnant. Tears immediately filled her eyes. How was this possible? Richard could never know. Panic spread through her chest. Their relationship was fake. The contract had rules. Strict rules. No emotional attachment. No intimacy. No complications. But one moment of weakness had destroyed everything. Amelia pressed both hands against her mouth as fear consumed her completely. What would Richard say? Would he think she planned this? Would he accuse her of trying to trap him? The thought alone made her stomach twist painfully. A sudden knock echoed through the apartment. Amelia jumped violently. Another knock followed—harder this time. Her heartbeat accelerated. Nobody visited her this late. Slowly, she stepped out of the bathroom and moved toward the front door. Before she could reach it, the door suddenly opened. Amelia gasped. Richard Bash stepped inside like the storm itself had followed him. He wore an expensive black suit beneath a long dark coat, rainwater dripping from his broad shoulders onto the floor. His sharp jaw was tense, and his silver-gray eyes searched the room instantly before locking onto her. The air changed immediately. Everything always changed when Richard entered a room. Power. Danger. Control. He carried all of it effortlessly. “Richard…” Amelia whispered shakily. His expression remained unreadable. “I called you six times.” Amelia realized her phone was still buried somewhere inside her bag. “I didn’t hear it.” Richard stepped closer slowly, his gaze narrowing. “You disappeared from dinner tonight.” “I wasn’t feeling well.” Something flickered briefly across his face. Concern. But it vanished almost immediately. Then his eyes moved downward. Straight to the object still clutched tightly in her hand. The pregnancy test. Silence filled the apartment. Amelia felt her entire body go cold. Richard stared at the test for several long seconds without moving. The tension in the room became unbearable. Then finally, very slowly, he lifted his eyes back to hers. His voice when he spoke was low and dangerously calm. “Tell me something, Amelia.” She could barely breathe. Richard took another step closer until she could smell the rain and expensive cologne surrounding him. His jaw tightened. “Is that mine?” Amelia’s lips parted, but no words came out. Because suddenly… She realized her answer could change both of their lives forever.