The Queen's Gambit

Pregnant... And Single

Isadora sat behind her desk, the soft glow of her computer screen illuminating her tired face. Dark circles framed her eyes, a testament to the sleepless nights and endless hours she had poured into trying to save her sinking company. The numbers on the screen in front of her blurred together, each one a reminder of her failing business. Sales were plummeting, partnerships had fallen through, and investors were pulling out faster than she could make new pitches. She scrolled through the latest reports from her marketing team, her heart sinking further with each dismal statistic.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. She had worked too hard for this—she had built this company from nothing, her innovation and vision had once been celebrated. But that was before the breakup. Before Max.

It wasn’t hard to trace the downward spiral back to him. The moment he had humiliated her in front of the business elite, she had become toxic. Everyone who once wanted to collaborate with her now wanted nothing to do with her. To say her life had taken a turn for the worse was an understatement.

Isadora clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she blamed Max for everything. He had sabotaged her both personally and professionally, and now, as her company crumbled, it felt like her entire life was falling apart with it. She hadn’t left her office in days, and it showed. Her hair was unkempt, her clothes wrinkled and worn. Her headache had grown from a dull throb into a relentless pounding, and her stomach grumbled angrily—a constant reminder of the meals she had neglected.

The door creaked open, and Vivienne entered, her face lined with worry. “Isa, it’s been a week. You need to go home, eat something, rest.” She approached the desk, frowning at the stacks of papers and the sight of Isadora slouched over her laptop. “This isn’t healthy.”

“I don’t have time to rest, Vi.” Isadora’s voice was hoarse, barely masking the exhaustion. “There’s too much to do. The company is on the brink of collapse.”

“Yeah, and so are you!” Vivienne shot back, walking around the desk and standing next to her friend. “You look like you haven’t slept in days. When was the last time you ate something that wasn’t coffee?”

Isadora didn’t answer, only staring blankly at the screen in front of her. She couldn’t afford to think about her own wellbeing when her business was dying.

“Isa,” Vivienne said, her voice more insistent, “you can’t run this company on fumes. You’re pushing yourself too hard. At this rate, you’ll burn out before you even get a chance to fix things.”

“I can’t stop now, Vivienne!” Isadora snapped, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “This company is all I have left. I have to fix it. I have to—” She faltered, her voice cracking under the weight of her words. “I can’t lose everything.”

Vivienne sighed deeply, kneeling next to her friend, her voice softening. “I know you feel like everything’s falling apart, but you won’t be able to fix anything if you don’t take care of yourself first. Max isn’t worth this, Isa. You need a clear head, and you definitely don’t have that right now.”

“I don’t have a choice..” Isadora muttered, her hands shaking as she massaged her temples. The pounding in her head grew worse, blurring her vision.

“You do have a choice.” Vivienne said firmly. “And the first one you need to make is to take care of yourself. You’re running yourself into the ground, and it’s not going to help anyone—least of all your business.”

“I just… I don’t know what else to do.” Isadora whispered, her resolve crumbling. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she covered her face with her hands, her body trembling with the effort to hold herself together.

Vivienne’s frustration softened into concern as she saw her friend breaking down. “Isa… please. Go home. Shower, eat, sleep. You can come back tomorrow and think with a clearer mind. I’ll be here to help. We’ll figure this out together.”

Isadora tried to speak, but her words came out as a whimper. She got up on shaky legs, trying to gather her things. Before Vivienne could say anything else, Isadora’s body swayed, and then, in an instant, she collapsed.

“Isadora!” Vivienne shouted, rushing forward to catch her before she hit the floor. She cradled her limp body, her heart racing as panic surged through her. “Isa, hey! wake up!” She shook her gently, but there was no response. Isadora’s skin was pale, her breathing shallow.

Without wasting a moment, Vivienne grabbed her phone and called for an ambulance, her hands trembling as she gave the dispatcher the details.

Within the hour, paramedics arrived and rushed Isadora to the hospital. Vivienne paced the waiting room, her mind racing with worry and fear. She had never seen her friend so fragile, so utterly defeated. Not even when she lost her mom to cancer. She blamed Max for this too—for driving Isadora to the brink of collapse. How could someone who once claimed to love her be so cruel, so heartless?

After what felt like an eternity, a doctor approached Vivienne. He was calm but serious, his expression unreadable.

“Are you her family?” he asked.

“I’m her closest friend. Her Dad is her only living family but he’s not in the city right now.” Vivienne replied, her voice shaky. “Is she okay?”

“She’s stable now, but she’s exhausted and malnourished. She’s been neglecting her body for far too long.” the doctor explained. He hesitated, glancing down at the clipboard in his hand. “There’s something else, though. After running some tests, we discovered that she’s pregnant—just shy of her second trimester.”

Vivienne’s mouth fell open, her mind reeling. “Pregnant?”

The doctor nodded. “Almost thirteen weeks along. It seems she didn’t know—her reaction suggests it was a surprise to her as well. I’ve prescribed her a diet plan and some supplements to ensure she gets the nutrients she needs. But stress, especially in the early stages of pregnancy, can be very dangerous. She needs rest, support, and proper care.”

Vivienne nodded, barely able to process the news. “Thank you, doctor. Can I see her?”

“Yes, she’s resting now. Just keep it quiet and calm.”

Vivienne entered the hospital room, her heart pounding in her chest. There, lying on the bed, was Isadora, pale and fragile, her expression blank as she stared at the ceiling. She didn’t even acknowledge Vivienne's presence at first.

“Isa...” Vivienne began softly, sitting down beside her friend.

Isadora’s eyes slowly moved to meet hers, but there was no spark, no light left in them. Only a deep, hollow emptiness. “I didn’t know.” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I didn’t know I was pregnant.”

“I know.” Vivienne said gently, taking her hand. “You’ve been going through so much. You’ve had no time to think about anything else.”

“It’s Max’s.” Isadora murmured, her eyes glazing over. “Of course, it’s Max’s.”

Vivienne’s throat tightened. “Isa… you don’t have to figure everything out right now. Let’s focus on getting you healthy. We’ll deal with everything else later.”

But Isadora didn’t respond. She just stared ahead, her face a mask of shock and defeat. Vivienne squeezed her hand, trying to offer some comfort, but the news had hit Isadora like a wrecking ball, and it was clear she was far from processing it.

The once fierce, determined woman who had built an empire from the ground up now looked utterly lost, trapped in a nightmare she hadn’t seen coming. The weight of everything—her crumbling business, her broken heart, and now, the revelation of an unexpected pregnancy—was too much to bear.

Vivienne stayed by her side, determined not to let her face this alone. But as she watched the silent tears slip down Isadora’s cheeks, she knew this was only the beginning of a much longer battle.