Engaged To One, Claimed By The Other

The Quiet Storm

One week later the nausea hit me like a truck.

The Blackwell family was gathered at the estate again, Sunday lunch this time, nothing big, just the usual faces around the long table on the terrace. Sunlight bounced off the water in the pool. Victoria had set out fresh flowers and chilled wine. Richard was telling old stories about his first deals. Elliot sat next to me, hand resting on my knee under the table like it belonged there.

I tried to smile and nod. I tried to eat the salad on my plate. But halfway through Richard’s story my stomach flipped hard. Sweat broke out on my forehead. The smell of grilled fish suddenly made my mouth water in the wrong way.

I pushed my chair back fast. “Excuse me.”

Elliot looked up. “You okay?”

“Fine,” I said. “Just need the bathroom.”

I walked inside quick, past the living room, down the hall, into the guest bathroom on the first floor. I locked the door. Bent over the sink. And threw up everything I had eaten.

My hands shook on the cold ceramic sink. I rinsed my mouth. Looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes were glassy. My skin looked dull. This wasn’t normal. It had been happening for days now, little waves in the morning, dizziness at work, food tasting wrong. I kept telling myself it was stress. The dinner last week. Kade’s knee against mine. His voice in my ear. The way I couldn’t stop thinking about him even when Elliot was inside me.

But this felt different. Deeper. Wrong.

I splashed water on my face. Took slow breaths. Fixed my hair. Walked back out.

Elliot was waiting in the hallway. He stepped close, voice low. “What’s going on? You look pale.”

“It’s nothing serious,” I said. “Just stress. Work’s been crazy.”

He frowned. Touched my cheek. “You sure? We can go see a doctor. Get checked.”

“No.” I shook my head fast. “Really. I’m okay. I just need rest.”

He studied my face. Then he leaned in and kissed me, soft, gentle, the way he always did when he wanted to fix something. “If you say so.”

I kissed him back. Made it look real. But inside my chest felt tight. My mind was screaming.

What if it wasn’t stress?

We went back to the table. I sat. Smiled. Pushed food around my plate. Everyone talked. Laughed. I nodded when I was supposed to. But the nausea sat low in my belly like a stone.

After lunch I made an excuse. “I’m not feeling great. Think I’ll head home and rest.”

Elliot stood up right away. “I’ll drive you.”

“No,” I said. “Stay. Enjoy the family. I’ll take an Uber. I just need to lie down.”

He hesitated. Then nodded. “Text me when you get home, okay?”

“I will.”

I hugged Victoria. Kissed Richard on the cheek. Avoided Kade’s eyes completely. Walked out to the driveway. Called a car.

On the way home I told the driver to stop at a small pharmacy two streets from my building. I went inside alone. Heart pounding. Picked up a pregnancy test, the cheapest one, plain box, nothing fancy. Paid cash. Stuffed it in my purse like it was burning my hand.

The Uber dropped me off. I walked up the stairs slow. Unlocked the door. Locked it behind me. The apartment was quiet. Too quiet.

I went straight to the bathroom. Sat on the edge of the tub. Opened the box with shaking fingers. Read the instructions even though I already knew them.

Peed on the stick. Set it on the counter. Waited.

Two minutes felt like two hours.

I stared at the wall. Counted cracks in the tile. Tried not to think.

Then I looked.

Two lines.

Positive.

The room blurred.

I grabbed the sink to steady myself. My breath came short and fast. Positive. The word kept repeating in my head like it didn’t belong to me.

I sank to the floor. Back against the tub. Knees pulled up.

How many weeks? I tried to count backward. The fight with Elliot. The night I left. The lounge. The penthouse. Kade’s mouth on me. His body inside me. The heat of it, stupid, reckless, gone in the moment.

Then Elliot the next night. Gentle. Safe. Familiar.

It could be either of them.

But deep down I knew.

The timing. The way my body felt different. The way Kade had looked at me last week when he said “or something else.” Like he already suspected.

If it was Kade’s…

Elliot would never forgive me. The whole family would hate me. Victoria would see me as trash. Richard would look at me with disappointment. Dylan would be furious. Jenna would say I told you so.

And Kade…

What would Kade do?

I pressed my forehead to my knees. Tears came hot and quiet.

I was pregnant.

With a baby that might belong to the wrong brother.

And I had no idea what to do next.