The house felt more unfamiliar than ever. Its walls—once witnesses to laughter and dreams shared with Ronan—now stood cold, as if they no longer recognized their owner. I sat on the sofa, gently rubbing my still-flat stomach.
My baby…
Tears streamed down my cheeks, unstoppable. But they weren’t tears of regret. I loved this child—regardless of who the father was.
The front door slammed open. Footsteps rushed inside.
“Sierra!” Ronan’s voice echoed through the house, laced with panic. “You weren’t answering my calls. I was worried!”
I turned slowly to face him. “Worried? After what I saw at the office? You still dare to worry about me, Ronan?”
Ronan stopped in front of me, his face pale. “Sierra, I can explain. Rowena... she—”
“Don’t say her name.” My voice was cold, distant. “I trusted both of you. And you repaid me with the cruelest betrayal.”
Ronan looked down, silent.
“You know, Ronan, the most painful thing in this world is being betrayed by the ones I thought would never hurt me.” I stared at him through blurred vision, tears clouding my eyes.
“I was wrong. I regret everything. But we can fix this. You’re pregnant now. This could be a new beginning for us, right?”
I looked down. “Ronan. This baby is not yours.”
His face froze. “What do you mean, Sierra?”
I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “I just came from the hospital. They admitted they made a mistake. The sperm used for the insemination... wasn’t yours.”
Ronan stood still, his eyes wide.
“If it’s not mine… then whose sperm was it?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
“Caelan Duskborne,” I said firmly.
He staggered back as if slapped by reality. “You’re joking…”
“Unfortunately, I’m not.”
Silence fell between us. Ronan looked furious, as though he might explode.
“So now… you’re carrying another man’s child?” he asked. I didn’t answer. “Or maybe... you never went through with the insemination at all. Did you cheat on me with Caelan behind my back?”
His accusation stunned me.
“Are you insane? You’re the one who cheated, and now you’re accusing me of something so outrageous?” I fired back, equally furious.
“Then how could this kind of mistake happen? We went to the hospital together, we had the tests done together, and I gave the sample directly. How could the donor sample have been switched?” Ronan demanded.
“How should I know!” I snapped, glaring at him.
“Abort it!”
“What?” My eyes widened in shock at his words.
“Abort the baby, Sierra. The child inside you isn’t mine. And if you truly have nothing going on with Caelan Duskborne, then prove it—by getting rid of it now!”
I was speechless.
“What did you just say?” I stood frozen, his words echoing like a bomb in my mind. “You... what did you just say to me?”
“Abort it, Sierra,” he repeated coldly. “That baby isn’t mine. And if you want to save this marriage, that’s the only option—”
My hand slapped him across the face before he could finish his sentence.
He stopped speaking. His head turned with the impact. Slowly, he looked back at me, eyes filled with disbelief.
Tears rolled down my face, but not from weakness. From fury. From the pain of knowing that the man I once loved with all my heart had become a cold stranger.
“Listen,” I said, voice trembling. “Yes, I might be carrying another man’s child. But it wasn’t from cheating. It was a hospital error. I never chose Caelan. But when this reality came… I accepted it. Because this child is still a blessing, still a life… still a part of me. This child is mine!”
“He’s not my blood,” he hissed, his eyes burning with rage.
“And you lost your right to say that the moment you broke our marriage vows first,” I snapped back. “You ruined everything with Rowena. Don’t forget who the real traitor is here.”
Ronan clenched his fists. But he didn’t say a word.
“I won’t abort this baby,” I said, firm but quiet. “I’ll take care of everything. If you want to leave, go. But don’t expect me to bow to your cruel, heartless demand.”
“So this is your decision?”
I nodded. “Yes!”
He took a deep breath, clearly trying to suppress his rage. “Then… we’re done.”
I stared straight at him. “We were already done, Ronan. The moment you chose to destroy the trust I gave you.”
He said nothing. Then turned and walked away—no goodbye, no glance back. And there I stood, in the middle of the living room, breath caught, hand still resting on my belly.
“Goodbye, Ronan. I will never forgive you.”
I’m sorry, baby…
Mommy will protect you, no matter what.
I’m not alone anymore. There’s life inside me. And that life deserves to grow with love, not lies.
***
My steps trembled as I descended the stairs, a small suitcase in my right hand, my purse and pregnancy documents in the other.
Each step felt like swallowing down memories—the way Ronan used to hold my hand while we walked down these very stairs on the day we first moved in. How he once carried me in his arms when I had leg cramps during the early months of our marriage.
All of that... felt like a lie now.
Ronan was still standing in the living room, his eyes red. But I didn’t care anymore.
I thought he had already left when he said our relationship was over. Yet he was still here. Maybe he had come back, or maybe he never left.
I didn’t know, and I didn’t want to.
Right now, I just needed to leave—and leave everything connected to him behind.
“Sierra… please don’t go,” he said, voice hoarse. “We can talk. We can figure things out…”
I paused at the doorway, my back still turned to him. “Talk to your conscience. If you still have one.”
He raised a hand as if to stop me. “I know I’m an asshole… but Sierra, please, don’t go. I need you.”
I turned slightly, just enough for him to see the tears in my eyes.
“I don’t know what it is you need from me, Ronan. But whatever it is, it’s too late. I can forgive all your mistakes. But not betrayal—especially not with my best friend.”
And then I opened the door.
The night wind greeted me. Cold. Piercing. But somehow, it felt more honest than the house behind me. At least the night air hadn’t betrayed me.
As I stepped outside, my legs felt weak. But I couldn’t fall. Not now.
I called for a taxi.
My hands trembled as I opened the car door, but I held back the tears.
There was no space left for weakness.
“To the nearest hotel, please,” I said quietly.
“Yes, ma’am,” the driver replied.
The car pulled away, distancing me from the house I once called home.
Now it was just an empty shell.
I leaned back and closed my eyes. But Ronan’s voice still echoed in my ears.
“Sierra, I’m begging you!”
And that’s when I broke.
I sobbed—hard.
So hard, the taxi driver glanced at me in surprise.
I wasn’t crying because I’d lost Ronan.
I was crying because I felt stupid—for mourning memories that he had already destroyed.
***
My phone buzzed softly on the table.
Unknown Number.
I hesitated. My heart immediately sped up.
Usually, I would ignore it.
But something compelled my finger to press the green button.
“Hello?” I said cautiously.
A male voice answered. Calm. Too calm—like someone used to speaking to people afraid of him.
“Good evening. Am I speaking with Mrs. Sierra?”
“Yes, this is she. I’m sorry—who is this?”
“My name is Aeron. I’m Mr. Caelan Duskborne’s personal assistant.”
That name froze me.
Even just hearing it from someone else’s mouth sent chills down my spine.
“What do you want?” I asked, trying to sound firm.
“Mr. Caelan would like to meet with you in person. There are important matters he wishes to discuss regarding—”
He paused.
“—the sperm donation and your pregnancy.”
I stood up from the sofa, my heart racing.
“No. I’m not interested in meeting him.”
“It would be wise to reconsider,” he replied. His voice remained flat, but I could feel the pressure in every word. “This meeting is important—for your own good.”
“What do you mean for my own good? I don’t know him, and I don’t want to be involved with him any further.”
“If you’re uncooperative,” he said, his tone dropping slightly, “we’ll still meet you. Anytime. Anywhere. And it may not be as pleasant as if you come willingly.”
My blood turned to ice.
“Are you threatening me?” I whispered.
“This isn’t a threat, ma’am. It’s an agreement.”
Silence. My breath was shallow, uneven.
Part of me wanted to throw the phone and forget this conversation ever happened.
But deep down… I knew.
They weren’t bluffing.
And I was carrying the child of the most powerful man in the city.
“…Fine,” I said finally. “When and where?”
“I’ll send the details by text. We will pick you up—politely.”
Click.
The call ended.
I stared at the phone in my trembling hand.
It felt like I’d just opened a door into a world I should have never touched.
I gently cradled my still-flat belly.
“It’s okay, baby… Mommy won’t let anyone take you away.”
***
Aksara