Pregnant
1620 Words
Ria stood outside the door of her father’s mansion, her heart pounding as dread settled in her chest. She knew what awaited her inside. Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open, stepping into the living room.
She barely had time to close the door behind her when a hot, stinging slap landed on her cheek. The force sent her staggering back, her hand instinctively flying up to her burning face.
“You shameless child! He roared, pointing a trembling finger at her. How could you do something so disgraceful?” her father’s voice thundered, shaking the walls of the living room. He stood in front of her, breathing heavily, his face contorted with disgust.
Still clutching her cheek, Ria turned slowly. Olivia was huddled by her mother’s side, tears streaming down her face, her frail sobs filling the room. She looked heartbroken and vulnerable, the perfect victim.
"I can’t believe this, Ria," Olivia cried, her voice trembling. "I trusted you. You begged me to let you come along. You said you just wanted to spend time with me, and now you’ve done this. How could you betray me like this?!”
Ria's stomach churned. Anger bubbled inside her, threatening to spill over. When Olivia had stolen Adrian, no one had said a word. Not one of them had stood up for her. But now that Olivia played the victim, they all rallied around her like she was some precious gem, even her father had to rush back from his business trip.
“I was only trying to be a good sister. How could I have known she had ulterior motives? She... she seduced Adrian!” Olivia wailed
Ria’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What? That’s not true!” she shouted, looking desperately between the three of them. But Olivia’s tears and shaking frame seemed to have already convinced everyone.
“Don’t you dare lie!” Olivia's mother hissed, stepping forward. “You have always been jealous of Olivia! You couldn’t stand seeing her happy, so you decided to take her fiancé for yourself. Have you no shame? After everything we have done for you!”
"Done for me? How ironic" Ria’s voice came out in a whisper, loud enough for her hearing alone. Her throat tightened.
"Are you even going to defend yourself?!" her father roared, his face red with anger.
"Defend herself?" Olivia sniffled, her voice dripping with mock pain. "What is there to defend? She knew Adrian was my fiancé, but she still—" She broke into sobs, burying her face into her mother’s shoulder.
“Stop pretending to be the victim here, Olivia”
“How dare you talk to her like that?” Olivia's mother interjected, stepping protectively in front of Olivia. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Ria. “You’re so consumed by jealousy that you would stoop this low? Haven’t you caused enough trouble for this family already?”
Ria’s heart clenched. Of course, her stepmother would jump to Olivia’s defense. She always had.
“Jealousy?” Ria repeated, her voice bitter. “You mean the jealousy Olivia felt when she took the man that was supposed to be mine?”
“Enough!” her father barked, silencing her. “I should have known better. You’ve been a thorn in this family’s side since the day your mother died. She gave her life for you, and this is how you repay her? By dragging this family’s name through the mud?”
Those words hit harder than the slap. Ria’s breath caught in her throat, her chest tightening as she stared at him in disbelief.
“I’ve tried to tolerate you, hoping you’d change,” he continued, his voice heavy with disdain. His face darkened with rage, and for a moment, Ria thought he might strike her again. “If your mother were alive to see the kind of person you’ve become, she would have wished she let you die that day.”
Ria staggered back as if he had physically struck her again. Her lips quivered, but she bit down on them to keep from crying. The words hit her harder than any slap ever could. Her throat tightened, and she felt tears pricking her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her break.
“You don’t mean that,” she whispered.
Her father’s eyes narrowed, but before he could respond, Olivia spoke up, her voice trembling with false innocence.
“Please stop,” she pleaded, wiping her tear-streaked face. “Dad, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have gone to the party. If I had stayed home, none of this would have happened.”
“Oh, Olivia,” her mother cooed, pulling her into a hug. “You’ve done nothing wrong. Don’t blame yourself for her mistakes.”
Ria felt like screaming. How could they not see through Olivia’s act?
Ria opened her mouth to retort, but her father’s raised hand silenced her again. “Get out of my sight,” he said through gritted teeth. “I can’t stand to look at you right now.”
Her heart shattered at the cold finality in his tone.
Ria looked around the room, searching for a shred of sympathy, of understanding, but there was none. Her father’s face was contorted with disgust, her stepmother’s with disdain, and Olivia wore a mask of betrayal that only deepened the dagger in her chest. Without another word, she turned on her heel and bolted up the stairs.
As soon as she slammed her bedroom door shut, Ria collapsed onto the bed. Hot tears streamed down her face, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop them. Her father’s words echoed in her mind, cutting deeper with every repetition.
She clutched her pillow tightly, her body trembling with anger and hurt. They all treated her like an outcast, a burden, a mistake. She had hoped—prayed—that Adrian would come take her away from this nightmare. But even he had turned his back on her, leaving her to drown in the misery she called home.
"Knight..." she whispered into the dark. "Please, come back to your senses.”
The exhaustion from the night’s events finally overtook her, and she drifted into a restless sleep.
Weeks Later
The nausea had started small, but it grew worse with each passing day accompanied by fatigue. Ria had tried to ignore it, ruling it out as stress, but when she nearly fainted in the shower, she knew she couldn’t put it off any longer.
At the hospital, she sat nervously as Dr. Mira entered the room with a bright smile.
“Ria Carter, congratulations,” the doctor said, her voice warm.
Ria blinked, confused. “Why are you congratulating me?”
“You’re three weeks pregnant,” Dr. Mira announced.
The words hit Ria like a freight train. Her hands instinctively moved to her flat stomach, disbelief written all over her face.
“Pregnant?” she whispered.
“Yes,” the doctor confirmed. “You’re going to be a mother.”
Ria stared at the floor, her emotions swirling. Was this a blessing or a curse? Should she tell Adrian? Would he even care? The thought of facing him again made her stomach churn, but she knew she had to do it. For their child.
As she left the hospital, clutching the test results, she made up her mind. He had to know.
At the Blake Mansion
The housekeeper eyed her suspiciously but eventually went to fetch Adrian.
When Adrian appeared at the top of the staircase, Ria’s heart skipped a beat. But the coldness in his gaze as he walked down crushed her hopes.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded, his voice sharp. “Didn’t I warn you to stay away from me?”
Ria swallowed, forcing herself to stay calm. “I need to talk to you.”
“I don’t have time for this.”
“I’m pregnant,” she blurted out, cutting him off.
Adrian froze, his expression unreadable. Slowly, he descended the stairs, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the test results she handed him.
When he looked up, his face was twisted with anger. “And what does this have to do with me?”
Ria’s heart sank. "You’re the father.”
Adrian let out a bitter laugh, throwing the paper at her feet. "Do you think I’m stupid? That bastard in your womb can never be mine.”
The words hit like a slap. "Adrian—"
"Get out," he barked, his voice rising. "If you don’t leave now, I’ll throw you out myself."
"You will do no such thing," a deep, authoritative voice interrupted.
Both Ria and Adrian turned to see an older man descending the staircase.
Ria stared at the man approaching them. His presence was commanding, his expression unreadable. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his salt-and-pepper hair neatly styled. His sharp suit only added to his air of authority. His imposing figure and sharp, icy gaze commanded the room.
"Father," Adrian muttered, his confidence faltering.
Ria wiped her tears as she realized who he was. Adrian’s father approached her, his face stern but unreadable. “I’ve been listening for a while now,” he said. “And I’ve heard enough.”
Adrian opened his mouth to protest, but his father silenced him with a sharp glare. “If what she says is true, then you will take responsibility.”
Ria blinked, stunned. For the first time in a long while, she felt like someone was standing up for her.
But little did she know, this was only the beginning of a new nightmare.
- Writer
