The world stopped. Truly stopped this time. The air froze in my lungs, cold and sharp. Alice’s words hung in the quiet hallway, heavy and deadly.
Pregnant.
A baby.
No. It couldn't be! My mind screamed the word. This wasn't possible. Not now. Not after everything. Just moments ago, I had found my voice. I had stood tall. Astor had claimed me. And now this.
The triumphant smirk on Alice’s face was a punch to my gut. She watched me, enjoying the way my composure crumbled, piece by piece. Her eyes, usually just calculating, now held pure malice.
This was her final, cruel victory.
My legs felt like jelly, and my hands started to shake. The warmth that had spread through my chest when Astor defended me was gone, replaced by an icy dread. It felt like a trick. A terrible, elaborate trick.
