Game of Ambition

So what’s the plan?

The next day, Lya woke up with a burning sense of shame in her chest. The memory of kissing Tristan hit her immediately, and she covered her face with her hands, feeling stupid. What had she been thinking?

After a few minutes, she decided to leave the room and, guided by the faint sound of papers and the tapping of a keyboard, she reached the study. Tristan was already working, hunched over his desk with his eyes fixed on some documents.

Lya stood at the threshold for a moment, taking a deep breath before raising her hand and softly knocking on the door.

—Tristan…

He looked up with an impassive expression, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed his discomfort.

—I just wanted to say that I’m sorry about what happened last night —she murmured, feeling a lump in her throat—. I know I caught you completely off guard, and that wasn’t my intention.

He averted his gaze, running a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh.

—Lya, I didn’t bring you here for that.

The silence between them grew heavy. Lya lowered her head, feeling even more foolish. But there was something she still didn’t understand.

—I just don’t get why —she pointed out.

Tristan sighed, exhausted.

—I already told you, it’s not about s*x. I could have that with anyone. Besides, you’re pregnant. Give me some credit for that.

—Then… why are you helping me? —she asked in a low voice, searching his eyes.

Tristan remained silent. His jaw tensed, and for a moment, he seemed to be struggling internally. Finally, in a defeated tone, he answered:

—Because I’ve been through it.

Lya frowned, confused.

—I had a younger sister. She was sweet and naive —he continued, his voice turning rough—. She got involved with Alexander. It was a secret… no one knew about their relationship until she got pregnant, and by then, it was too late. She was blinded by being with a man like him. But he… forced her to get an abortion.

A shiver ran down Lya’s spine.

—It destroyed her. She couldn’t bear what she had done. She longed to be a mother, to have a traditional family. She was truly in love with him, believed in his promises to leave his wife —Tristan whispered, his gaze lost in a distant point—. No matter how much I tried to help her, I couldn’t save her. She chose to end her life.

Lya covered her mouth with her hand, feeling the weight of his words.

—When it happened… I wanted to go after Alexander —he continued bitterly—. And then I found out it wasn’t the first time he had done it.

He leaned over the desk and picked up a photo frame, handing it to Lya. She took it with trembling hands and looked at the picture.

In the photograph, Tristan was smiling beside a beautiful young woman with dark hair and radiant eyes.

—She was my sister —he whispered.

Lya felt a tight knot in her chest. Suddenly, everything made sense. All of Tristan’s resentment, his coldness, and his determination had a reason. Alexander hadn’t just taken someone he loved… he had condemned him to carry that loss forever.

Tristan held Lya’s gaze intensely, as if he were about to reveal the key to everything.

—You are the hope, Lya —he said gravely.

She blinked, confused.

—What do you mean?

Tristan took a deep breath before continuing.

—Your baby… —he paused, making sure she was listening—. Has Alexander’s blood. And that changes everything.

A shiver ran down Lya’s spine.

—How… how does that matter?

Tristan narrowed his eyes.

—Because for years, there have been rumors in high society that Alexander is incapable of having children —his voice turned colder—. But here you are, pregnant. You are proof that all those speculations are true and, even worse for him, that he has been with other women outside of his marriage.

Lya felt like the air was leaving her lungs.

—I… I don’t understand…

—Katherine’s family won’t tolerate it —Tristan stated, crossing his arms—. They have protected their daughter’s image at all costs and kept her marriage to Alexander as a symbol of power. But if it’s confirmed that he not only cheated on her but is actually able to have children and never gave her one… they will try to destroy him.

Lya’s legs trembled.

—Are you saying that… my baby could be Alexander’s downfall?

Tristan nodded slowly.

—Exactly. That’s why we can’t let him find you, Lya. Not just for your safety, but because this is the only chance to make him pay for everything he’s done.

Lya placed a hand on her belly, feeling the weight of a truth she had never considered. Until that moment, her only fear had been escaping from Alexander… but now she understood that her child was much more than a reason for being pursued.

It was the key to destroying him.

Lya swallowed hard and, still processing the magnitude of what Tristan had just told her, murmured:

—So what’s the plan? What do we do now?

Tristan watched her for a moment before standing up. He approached her and firmly placed both hands on her shoulders.

—First, you need to rest —he said in a calm but authoritative voice—. Your pregnancy is high-risk, and if something happens to you, all of this will have been for nothing.

Lya wanted to protest, but he anticipated her.

—Have you eaten?

She looked away, not answering.

Tristan frowned, but before he could say anything else, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out without thinking, but his expression hardened as soon as he saw the name on the screen.

Katherine.

The air in the room seemed to thicken. Lya saw it too, and a chill ran down her spine.

Tristan sighed, ran a hand over his face, and then looked at Lya.

—I have to take this —he said in a tone that left no room for argument.

Lya nodded nervously as he took a few steps away and slid his finger across the screen to answer the call.