Pregnant for my husband's brother

Chapter 3

Plans Unravelled

Running away hadn't come easily to Amelia-she had lain awake night after night, torn between loyalty for her family, the man she had married, and the love she had found unexpectedly with Leo-Damian's brother. But as the days wore on, and her bond with Leo grew, the prospect of remaining in such an unhappy marriage was just unbearable. That baby growing inside her was the final push in that direction. She couldn't bear the thought of her baby growing up in a world of lies and tension and loveless obligations.

One evening, she and Leo had walked the grounds of the estate in the quiet of twilight as he took her hand, his eyes filled with a resolve mirroring her own.

“We can leave," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "We'll start fresh, far away from here, where Damian can't reach us. We'll be together, Amelia-just you, me, and the baby.”

Her heart skipped a beat as she met his gaze, the promise of freedom and love in his words filling her with excitement and fear. She squeezed his hand, nodding, a smile breaking across her face as the weight of her decision was finally off her shoulders. They would leave. And soon.

---

The next day, Amelia made one final visit to her father, under the guise of a simple family check-in. Heavy with the feeling that possibly for the last time, she passed through the doors of her childhood home. She felt the weight of her father's expectations, the ambition that once forced her into this marriage, though now, even to him, she was not able to say the truth. She was terrified that he would stop at nothing, even going so far as to inform Damian, if he knew she was leaving.

Her father greeted her with open arms, as was his want, but when they sat together, he felt a detachment in her, a silent finality in the cast of her eyes that he couldn't quite grasp.

"Amelia," he said, his brow furrowing with concern, "is everything all right?”

She forced a smile, hoping he wouldn't catch the shake in her voice. "Yes, Father. Everything's fine. I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing."

He nodded, his expression softening by a fraction, but his eyes retained their seriousness as if he feared something was slipping through the net. The hour or more afterwards passed fairly easily in light interchange of conversation, until Amelia's thoughts turned to the gentle joys of these final hours with her father. And far inside her, an ache reverberated-sorrow that burrowed into the earth and remained there perhaps, with reflections of what might have been.

The moment she rose to her feet, wanting finally to go, her father clung to a tight hug with her; thus, she allowed the heating of that one last moment before walking out into the door and answering its call path into her new life.

---

The ride back to the Cross estate was silent; outside, the world was a blur of motion as Amelia's mind raced with thoughts of the future. She envisioned the life she would build with Leo, the freedom a fresh start promised, and the joy of bringing up their child together. But as she neared the estate lost in her thoughts, the slick road turned treacherous.

Blinding headlights engulfed her vision, and at the same moment, she felt the impact, the sound of metal twisting and glass shattering, filling her ears before it all faded into darkness.

---

When Amelia opened her eyes, the world was a haze of unfamiliarity: bright, sterile lights overhead, the steady beeping of machines, the muffled voices of people she couldn't place. Exhaustion weighed down her limbs, pain that was new and different in her chest, and her mind was a curious void.

A man sat beside her bed, his face handsome, yet stern; his dark eyes watched her intently. She searched his face for a flicker of recognition but found none.

"Amelia," he said softly, reaching out to take her hand. "I'm Damian. Your husband.”

The words sounded foreign to her. “Husband?” She stared at him, racking her brain for any memories of him, but it was a blank void where her past should have been. The fear in her chest rose as she tried grasping onto something, anything that felt familiar, but nothing came.

“Damian," she repeated this time in no more than a whisper. "I… I don't remember. I don't remember you… or who I am.".

A flicker of frustration, or pain, hardened his expression for a moment before he masked it, and his hand closed just a little tighter around hers, pulling him closer. "You were in an accident, Amelia. The doctor said your memory might take some time to come back. But don't you worry-I'll be here to help you through this. You're safe.”

Amelia nodded, but the void within her was terrifying. She felt like she swam in a fog, oblivious to who she was, what her past had been, or to what life she was supposed to belong.

---

In the days that followed, Damian became a constant presence by her side. He took time off from work, guiding her through the routines of her new life, showing her around the estate as if she were a guest rather than the lady of the house. He explained their history, filling in pieces of her identity that felt strangely distant. She was comforted by his steadiness, though his detached demeanor made her feel like a stranger in her skin.

Meanwhile, Leo kept his distance, silently watching from the shadows as she gazed past him without a flicker of recognition in her eyes. She remembered nothing-what they planned, what they felt, or even that she was carrying a child. And it ripped him apart, yet he couldn't tell her, not when the impact of the accident had left her so fragile.

It was evening when Leo, passing by the door of her room, heard Damian's soft, reassuring voice as he worked his way through another element of her life. In the quiet, controlled tone, he was the image of calm.

"Amelia," Damian softly said, "I know you're trying to remember. And I want you to know that, no matter what, I'll be here to support you. You're my wife, and you always will be."

Amelia's soft voice replied, "Thank you, Damian. Truly, I appreciate every little thing you have done for me."

Outside, Leo leaned against the wall, his fists clenched as he battled the urge for him to break that silence-to tell her the truth of what they'd had, what they had been planning. But how could he? Her mind was fragile, her memory barely holding on by a thread. Any revelation of their love or the child growing inside her might shatter the fragile progress she had made.

The days spiraled into weeks, and Leo was still on edge, a mixture of hope and despair gnawing at him. He knew Damian's investigation had been put on hold because of her accident, but that his brother was still suspicious of the sudden pregnancy. Damian was always so careful, watching, waiting for just one sign, and Leo knew if Amelia remembered the trut

h then this would indeed spell disaster for all of them.