Chapter 5
950 Words
Early the next morning, the doorbell rang and woke Winnie.
She opened the door and saw Andy standing outside in a sharply tailored suit. He held out a lunch box. "During pregnancy, breakfast is especially important."
Winnie let out a cold laugh. "You are really in a hurry to harm my baby."
She knew Andy too well. He would do anything to reach his goal.
She had felt it before. She would not fall for it again.
Andy took a deep breath, like he had made a serious choice. He looked her in the eyes and spoke clearly. "This is my child. I will take responsibility. If you..."
"Your child? Andy, how can you be so sure it is yours?"
Before she could finish, Stanley's angry voice came from behind Andy. A woman in a chef's uniform stood beside him.
Stanley looked at Winnie. "Takeaway food is not healthy. I got you a nutritionist."
Andy's face darkened at once. "You do not need to interfere. I will take care of her."
Stanley gave a light smile. "Andy, admit it. You are getting attached."
"Still, this baby is mine."
Andy did not let him finish. He grabbed Stanley by the collar. "Watch your mouth. She is my girlfriend. The child will only be mine."
"Your girlfriend? We both slept with her, did we not?"
"Stanley." Andy's voice exploded in warning. He looked furious now, veins standing out on his forehead.
Stanley met his stare. "Why are you so angry? You were the one who wanted her to abort it."
The words turned the tension into open conflict.
Winnie frowned at the fight at her door.
"If you are going to fight, do it somewhere else. I need to rest."
She turned and tried to close the door.
Andy and Stanley suddenly moved together.
Andy blocked the door and held out the lunch box again. "Winnie, you are pregnant. You must eat breakfast."
Stanley stepped forward. "Anything you want, the nutritionist can make it."
Winnie crossed her arms and looked at them coldly, as if it were all a joke.
"Not done playing yet? Andy, Stanley, this game ended half a year ago. Yesterday, you dragged me to that test and tried to get rid of my baby. Now you act like devoted lovers? I already did what you wanted. Can you leave me alone?"
Her eyes were empty and cold.
Stanley's chest tightened. "Winnie..."
She looked at them like strangers. "Please stop disturbing my rest."
She moved to close the door again.
Andy spoke. "Winnie, you did not come back just for the funeral, did you? You also want to rebuild your career here, right?"
Winnie became alert at once. "What are you trying to say?"
Andy stayed calm. "You know what I mean. Do you really think you can work in the exhibition industry without running into Sawyer Group?"
Sawyer Group controlled the exhibition industry at home and had strong international influence. Winnie had only built her career overseas because she avoided Andy's reach. Now that he knew where she was, escape would not be easy.
"Then come in."
Winnie stepped aside and let them enter.
Her lowered eyes stayed full of doubt.
She could not understand them. One moment they wanted to abort the baby. Next they called her a gold digger. Now they acted like this.
Breakfast passed in heavy silence.
Winnie ate carefully. She feared anything might harm her baby.
Nothing happened.
She thought this strange attention would end after one day.
She was wrong.
The next day, they came again.
Winnie finally lost patience. She blocked the door. "Are you done yet? The test results come out tomorrow. I will go with both of you. If the baby is yours, I will terminate it. Is that enough?"
At the mention of the results, both Andy and Stanley froze.
Their faces tightened. They swallowed at the same time.
Stanley had stayed up all night reading everything he found about Winnie overseas.
His confidence began to shake. Had they misunderstood her?
Her life abroad did not look like a gold digger chasing money.
Andy also had not slept. Winnie's cold eyes kept replaying in his mind.
Had he been wrong about her?
Did she actually like him? Was she meant to belong to him only?
Neither of them answered.
Winnie sighed. "If you are not going to speak, move aside."
Today was her first day at work. She had finally secured a top position at a leading planning company with her overseas achievements. She could not be late because of them.
They stepped aside reluctantly, careful not to stress her.
Andy kept staring at her.
Stanley stepped forward. "Winnie, I will drive you."
Winnie ignored him and got into a taxi without looking back.
She had not forgotten why she returned.
One reason was to send Leo off properly. The other was to rebuild her career at home with everything she had earned overseas.
Her onboarding went smoothly. The fear she carried since returning finally eased a little.
At night, the past still returned in her dreams.
She dreamed again of graduation night.
The big screen showed her private videos with different men.
Teachers and classmates cursed her. Leo looked at her with disappointment.
She could not breathe.
She tried to explain, but no sound came out.
The screen grew larger and closer until it seemed to fall toward her.
Winnie screamed and woke up.
Darkness filled the room. Only her heavy breathing remained.
Her phone suddenly rang with a video call.
Winnie turned to it. When she saw the name on the screen, fear faded a little.
She let out a slow breath and answered the call.
- Writer
