Bound by Scandal

The Confirmation

The pharmacy was too bright, too sterile.

Ava walked beside Liam, her arms wrapped around herself like a shield. She could feel the weight of his presence, the way his suit brushed against her sleeve with every step. He didn’t touch her. Didn’t speak. But the tension between them was a living thing, crackling like static.

They stopped in front of the pregnancy tests. Ava reached for the same brand as before, but Liam’s hand shot out, grabbing a different box. “This one. It’s more accurate.”

She didn’t argue. Didn’t have the energy. She let him pay, let him guide her back to his car with a hand at the small of her back—possessive, even in public.

The ride to his penthouse was silent. Ava stared out the window, city blurring past. She should’ve been thinking about the test, about the life growing inside her. But all she could focus on was the man beside her, his jaw clenched, his fingers drumming against his thighs.

The elevator ride up was worse. The confined space, the way his cologne wrapped around her, the memory of his hands on her body—it was too much. She pressed herself against the far wall, as if the extra inch of space could protect her.

The penthouse was just as she remembered—cold marble, sleek furniture, the kind of place that belonged in a magazine. Liam led her to the bathroom, his movements clipped. “Take the test. I’ll be outside.”

Ava locked the door behind her, her hands shaking as she tore open the box. The instructions mocked her. Pee on the stick. Wait three minutes. As if it were that simple.

She followed the steps mechanically, her mind racing. When she set the test on the sink, she didn’t wait. Didn’t breathe. Just stared at the white stick like it held the key to her future.

The knock at the door made her jump.

“Ava.” Liam’s voice was low, urgent. “Open the door.”

She didn’t move. Couldn’t.

“Ava,” he repeated, sharper this time. “Now.”

She turned the lock, stepping back as he pushed the door open. His gaze went straight to the test on the sink. Two lines. Positive.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Then Liam picked up the test, his expression unreadable. “You’re sure this isn’t a mistake?”

Ava’s throat tightened. “I’m sure.”

He set the test down, his movements careful. Controlled. “Then we need to talk.”

She followed him into the living room, her legs unsteady. Liam poured two glasses of water, his back to her. “Sit.”

Ava perched on the edge of the couch, her fingers twisting in her skirt. “Liam, I—“

“You’re carrying my child.” He turned, his gray eyes stormy. “That changes everything.”

She swallowed. “I know.”

“Do you?” He set a glass in front of her, untouched. “Because from where I’m standing, it seems like you’re still pretending this is just about you.”

Ava’s spine stiffened. “That’s not fair.”

“No?” Liam’s voice was cold. “You slept with me. You got pregnant. And you were just going to disappear?”

“I was going to tell you!” she snapped. “I just needed time to—“

“To what?” he cut in. “To decide if you were keeping it? To figure out how much you could bleed me for?”

Ava flinched. “I would never—“

“You don’t know me,” he said, his voice dropping. “And I don’t know you. But I do know one thing.” He leaned in, his gaze boring into hers. “That child is mine. And I protect what’s mine.”

Ava’s breath hitched. “What are you saying?”

Liam straightened, his expression settling into something hard. Determined. “I’m saying we’re getting married.”

The words hung between them, heavy and irreversible.

Ava’s laugh was sharp, disbelieving. “You’re insane.”

“No.” His voice was calm. Final. “I’m practical. You’re carrying my heir. That makes you mine. And I don’t let go of what belongs to me.”

Ava stood, her hands clenched. “I’m not a thing, Liam. I’m not some asset you can just—“

“Sit. Down.” His voice cut through hers, a whip-crack of authority.

Ava’s chest heaved. But she didn’t sit.

Liam’s jaw tightened. “You want to do this the hard way? Fine.” He pulled out his phone, his fingers flying over the screen. “I’ll have my lawyer draw up the papers. Custody. Visitation. Child support.” His eyes lifted to hers, cold and unyielding. “You’ll sign them. Or you’ll marry me. Your choice.”

Ava’s vision blurred. “You can’t just—“

“I can.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a growl. “And I will.”

She should’ve walked out. Should’ve told him to go to hell.

But the look in his eyes stopped her. This wasn’t a negotiation. It was a war. And Liam Carter didn’t lose.