Pregnant By My Billionaire Enemy

“Tell me you didn’t just tank a ninety-million-dollar acquisition because of a gut feeling, Miss Hayes.” Sebastian Thorne didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to. At the head of the glass conference table, the CEO of Thorne Enterprises stood perfectly still, his tailored suit immaculate, his blue eyes locked on Clara. Around the table, twelve senior executives suddenly became fascinated by their notes. Nobody crossed Sebastian Thorne. He was brilliant, ruthless, and immovable. But Clara had spent twenty-two days at the firm, and she hadn’t taken the job to become a rubber stamp. “I didn’t tank it because of a gut feeling,” Clara said, rising to meet his gaze. Her heart hammered against her ribs, but her voice remained steady. “I stopped it because the underwriting data is fraudulent. Your financial team is projecting a thirty percent revenue increase, but the compliance reports from last week show an eight percent market decline. Someone doctored the presentation behind you, Mr. Thorne.” A heavy silence fell over the room. Sebastian’s posture hardened. He took one slow step toward her. “You have been in this building for less than a month, and you are accusing my executive board of corporate sabotage?” His voice was dangerously calm. “Think very carefully before you continue.” “I don’t need to think about it when I have the paper trail.” Clara slid a red-lined breakdown across the glass table. It stopped directly in front of him. “The data was manipulated from within the compliance department. Proceed with this acquisition, and Thorne Enterprises could take a fifty-million-dollar hit by the third quarter.” Sebastian stared at the documents. Then his gaze sharpened. “Meeting dismissed.” The executives practically scrambled from their chairs. “Clear the room. Now.” Within moments, the boardroom emptied, leaving only Sebastian and Clara behind. Clara gathered her tablet, intending to leave with everyone else. She had barely taken a step when Sebastian’s hand shot out and caught her wrist. “Not you.” His grip was firm, but Clara refused to flinch. He moved closer, his expression unreadable. “You’ve challenged me twice in three weeks, Clara. Confidence turns into arrogance very quickly.” “So does absolute authority,” she replied, meeting his stare. A quiet, humorless laugh escaped him. “You really don’t know when to bow, do you?” “I wasn’t hired to bow.” For a moment, something flickered in Sebastian’s eyes. Annoyance. Respect. Maybe both. He released her and snatched the report from the table. His eyes moved quickly across the figures, comparing the numbers with the raw data. Then he stopped. His expression changed. Hidden inside the faulty financial code was a digital watermark. Sebastian recognized it immediately.His father’s defunct holding company. The emblem hadn’t been used in fifteen years. His jaw tightened. “Get out,” he said. Clara frowned. “What?” “Leave it alone, Clara. Do not investigate this again.” “Someone is bleeding your company dry.” “I said leave it.” Clara gathered her things and walked toward the doors, her chest tight with anger. The moment the glass doors shut behind her, Sebastian’s personal phone vibrated. It was his head of security. “Sir, we have a network breach,” the chief said, his voice strained. “We just cracked the encrypted employee hiring logs.” “What did you find?” “Clara Hayes didn’t apply for this position.” Sebastian went completely still. “What?” “Her profile was forced into our HR system by an external, high-level hack.” “Trace the origin.” “We did, sir.” The chief hesitated. “And there’s something else. Clara Hayes is a fake identity. Her real name is Clara Vance.” Sebastian’s blood ran cold. “Vance?” “She’s the biological daughter of Daniel Vance, your father’s former business partner. The same Daniel Vance who took the blame for the 2011 hedge fund collapse before disappearing with forty million dollars.” Sebastian stared at the closed glass doors. Clara Vance. The daughter of the man who had supposedly destroyed his family. She had somehow entered his company, accessed sensitive financial information, and challenged him over an acquisition. But why? “Keep digging,” Sebastian ordered. “Sir, there’s more.” Before the chief could continue, an unknown number appeared on Sebastian’s screen. He ended the call and answered. “Who is this?” A heavily distorted voice laughed softly. “You think Clara Vance is here to ruin you, Sebastian?” Sebastian’s eyes hardened. “Identify yourself.” “You’re looking in the wrong direction. Look closer at the 2011 liquidation files.” Sebastian said nothing. “Daniel Vance didn’t steal your family’s fortune,” the voice continued. “Your father used Daniel as the fall guy.” Sebastian’s face tightened. “Clara isn’t here for corporate espionage. She’s here for the truth.” The caller paused. “And she’s already ahead of you.” The line went dead. Across the executive floor, Clara sat alone in her office, her hands shaking as she stared at her phone. The screen lit up. An encrypted message appeared from an unknown sender. He knows who your father is. Get out of the building now. Clara’s breath caught. She grabbed her purse and rushed toward the door. But the moment she opened it, she froze. Sebastian stood directly outside. He was blocking her exit. “Going somewhere?” Clara tightened her grip on her purse. “I have somewhere to be.” “Interesting,” he said. “Because I have questions.” Before he could say anything else, Clara’s stomach twisted violently. She gasped. The nausea came without warning. Dropping her bag, she stumbled past him and rushed into the private bathroom. Sebastian followed. Clara gripped the porcelain sink, struggling to steady herself. “Save the performance, Clara.” She turned slowly. “Or should I call you Miss Vance?” Sebastian moved closer, his anger unmistakable. “I know exactly who you are. I know who your father was, and I know what he supposedly did to my family.” Clara wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “You don’t know anything about my father.” “Then tell me why you’re here.” “My father died in a rented room with nothing to his name,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “He didn’t steal your family’s money.” Sebastian stared at her. “Then why did you come here?” “You’re right about one thing.” She slowly placed a hand over her stomach. “This is going to destroy you.” Sebastian frowned. “What are you talking about?” Clara took a shaky breath. “Six hours ago, I took a pregnancy test.” His expression changed. She held his gaze. “It was positive.” Sebastian went silent. Clara’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m pregnant.” His eyes widened. “And the child…” She swallowed hard. “…is yours.” For the first time since Clara had met him, Sebastian Thorne looked completely stunned. Neither of them spoke.