Desmond understood immediately.
“If it’s a boy—”
“They’ll panic.”
“And if it’s a girl?”
“They’ll still panic.”
I sat on the edge of the bed.
“Either way, I’m done letting them decide what my body is worth.”
The following day, my OB/GYN confirmed the pregnancy.
Six weeks.
Healthy development.
Strong heartbeat.
I scanned the ultrasound and placed it inside my encrypted vault.
When I returned home, Aleric was in the living room watching financial news.
Eleanor sat beside Julian’s bassinet.
Estelle entered carrying a silver tray of fruit.
I walked over and sat down.
“Aleric.”
He looked at me with his usual boredom.
“I have something to tell you.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’m pregnant.”
The room became completely silent.
Eleanor’s hand stopped above Julian.
Estelle froze in the doorway.
The tray rattled slightly.
Aleric stared at me.
“What did you say?”
“I’m six weeks pregnant.”
His expression changed from surprise to something darker.
“The heartbeat is strong.”
I removed the ultrasound image from my bag and placed it on the coffee table.
Eleanor reacted first.
She grabbed it.
“This is impossible.”
She examined it frantically.
“This has to be fake.”
“A fake ultrasound?”
“You could have downloaded it.”
Aleric stood.
“Mother, stop.”
Then he turned toward me.
His face had become cold.
“Saraphina, do you honestly expect me to believe this?”
I stared at him.
“For five years,” he said slowly, “Estelle has been putting liquid contraceptives into your morning almond milk.”
For several seconds, I didn’t understand the words.
“What?”
“You shouldn’t be able to get pregnant.”
The room seemed to tilt.
Every morning.
The warm almond drink.
The supplements I had been told were fertility vitamins.
I turned toward Estelle.
She had gone completely white.
“Estelle?”
Her mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Her eyes moved toward Eleanor.
Eleanor looked away.
Aleric gave an impatient sigh.
“Don’t bother interrogating her.”
I looked back at him.
“I ordered it.”
My hands went cold.
“You ordered her to give me contraceptives?”
“Yes.”
“Without telling me?”
He showed no shame.
“I couldn’t risk you becoming pregnant before Julian’s position was established.”
“For five years?”
He didn’t deny it.
I stood slowly.
“You are openly admitting that?”
His expression remained calm.
“The Sterling family needed an heir.”
“And you decided that child couldn’t come from me.”
“A child from you was never part of the plan.”
I looked at the ultrasound.
“Then explain this.”
Eleanor checked the date, clinic information, and physician details again.
Her face changed.
“This looks real.”
Aleric snatched the picture from her.
Then he tore it in half.
“You’re ending the pregnancy.”
My heartbeat thundered.
“No.”
“The appointment is tomorrow.”
I stared at him.
“What appointment?”
“Sutton Place.”
He spoke as if discussing a business meeting.
“Nine in the morning.”
“You made an appointment without asking me?”
“This discussion is finished.”
“No.”
His eyes narrowed.
“That child will not become part of this family.”
I felt strangely calm.
“You secretly interfered with my reproductive choices for five years, and now you think you get to decide this too?”
“You live under my roof.”
He stepped closer.
“You eat my food. You use my money. Every card in your wallet exists because I allow it.”
He lowered his voice.
“If I decide we have a child, we have one. If I decide we don’t, we don’t.”
I stared at him.
The man I had once loved had completely disappeared.
Or perhaps he had never existed.
A short laugh escaped me.
Aleric stiffened.
“What is funny?”
“My own stupidity.”
Eleanor stood.
“Stop behaving like a hysterical child.”
I turned toward her.
“Aleric is acting for everyone’s benefit,” she said. “Julian is already an infant. This family doesn’t need more chaos.”
