Olivia stared at the pregnancy test in her hand, a tremor that traveled up her arm and down to her knees until they gave out, sending her slumping to the cool tile of the bathroom floor. Since that one wild night with Julian Ford, she hadn't allowed herself to think of him. Not once. She had locked the memory away, burying it in the deepest recess of her mind and throwing away the key. But a few days ago, her body had begun to betray her. When her period was more than two weeks late, a terrifying suspicion began to creep in. And today, the test had confirmed it. "Oh, my God. What am I going to do?" Her hands shook as she stared at the result, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Knock, knock. The sharp sound made her jump. Panic flared as she scrambled to hide the test behind her back, her gaze darting to the door. Her legs, however, felt like water, refusing to support her. "Sis, are you in there? Dinner’s ready. We’re all waiting for you," Chloe’s impatient voice called from the other side. "I’m coming..." ... Olivia found the family dinner unbearable. The roasted chicken and garlic potatoes, dishes she normally loved, tasted of nothing but ash in her mouth. She wanted to tell her father about the pregnancy, right then and there, and beg him to call off the engagement. Cancel tomorrow’s dinner with the Spencers. But the undisguised excitement in his voice as he spoke of the alliance with the nation’s leading medical dynasty made the words die in her throat. At this moment, prayer was all she had. She silently pleaded with him to stop talking about her future husband, Daniel Spencer. Of course, Olivia’s prayers went unanswered. A moment later, her sister’s words made her want to sink through the floor. "I'm so jealous of you, Liv..." Chloe pouted, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at Olivia. She continued, "Daniel is gorgeous, and he's one of the most respected neurosurgeons in the country. A true genius. You have no idea—in my faculty, he’s practically a god!" "Chloe's right," Alicia chimed in, looking at her stepdaughter with a proud smile. "Whenever I’m out with my friends, all they talk about is him. Every mother in the city wants him for a son-in-law. I was so thrilled when the Spencers chose you." Then Alicia turned to her own daughter. "You'd better study hard, Chloe. Maybe someday you’ll marry a brilliant doctor, too. Your daddy already promised to invest in the medical field. Right, Will?" William Hayes cleared his throat, then gave a firm nod to confirm his wife’s words. "Of course, Mom. I'm studying hard," Chloe giggled, before turning her attention back to her dessert. As her family’s excited chatter about the marriage filled the room, Olivia felt her heart grow heavier with each word. She couldn’t blame them. She’d known Daniel Spencer since they were children. He was intelligent, kind, a perfect gentleman. But as they grew up, their paths diverged. Daniel dedicated himself to his medical career while she poured her energy into the family business. When she learned Daniel had chosen her as his bride, she’d been genuinely shocked. Olivia had always assumed he would marry someone from his own world, another doctor or researcher. She was wrong. Though they hadn't yet met to discuss the engagement, she hadn't objected. At twenty-five, it was time to settle down, and she wasn't seeing anyone. But now? Now she was pregnant. How could she possibly go through with this marriage? And she wasn't just pregnant. The father of the child growing inside her belonged to the Ford family—her father's greatest enemy. How can I ever tell Dad? Olivia sighed silently, lowering her head and fighting to keep her expression neutral, to hide the storm raging in her mind. William Hayes’ gaze settled on Olivia. He watched her, his eyes narrowing as he noted the slight tremble in her fingers around her fork, the fact that she had barely touched her food. "Olivia?" His voice was calm, but carried an undercurrent of authority. "Is something wrong?" The table fell silent. Every head turned in her direction. Olivia looked up, her eyes wide, trapped in the sudden quiet. Her throat tightened, the lie too large to swallow. She couldn't do this anymore. "I can’t marry Daniel," she said, her voice soft but clear. A beat of silence hung in the air. Then Alicia blinked. "Liv, my dear, what are you saying?" "I’m saying..." Olivia took a shaky breath. "I can’t accept the marriage arrangement. I’m... I’m pregnant." The room froze. Forks paused halfway to open mouths. Chloe gasped audibly. William leaned forward, his expression hardening into an unreadable mask. "Pregnant?" Olivia gave a single, terrified nod. "Yes." "Who is the father?" William asked, his tone turning to ice. Olivia’s lips parted, but no sound emerged. She dropped her gaze to her plate, her silence stretching the tension in the room until it was taut enough to snap. "I’m not ready to talk about that," she said finally, her voice barely a whisper. Alicia pressed a hand to her chest. "Olivia, how far along?" "Four or five weeks, I think," she whispered. Chloe stared at her, stunned. "This is a joke, right, sis? You’re just pranking us, aren't you?" "I wish I were," Olivia muttered, the words thick with guilt. "But it's the truth." The silence that followed was suffocating, the air around the dining table growing colder by the second. Olivia could barely lift her head, but she could feel her father’s stare, boring into her like a physical weight. "Say his name," William Hayes commanded, his voice low and dangerous. Olivia’s lips trembled as she met his furious gaze. "I’m sorry... I can’t, Dad." "You will," he snapped, his voice cracking like a whip through the room. "Do you think you can live under my roof, spit out something like this, and not explain yourself?" "Will, please, don’t be angry..." Alicia began, reaching for his hand. He snatched it away. "Don't. Not now, Alicia." His eyes never left Olivia. "Tell me who he is. Now. Before I find out for myself." Olivia opened her mouth, but the words wouldn't come. Her heart hammered so violently she could barely draw breath. She saw the fury in her father’s eyes and recognized the ruthless man who had built an empire from nothing, who had crushed rivals for the slightest offense. If she said Julian Ford’s name... If she even whispered it... Her father wouldn’t just ruin him. He would destroy him. And then, perhaps, he would destroy her for bringing such shame upon his family. "I... I can’t tell you," she whispered. "Please, just respect my decision, Dad. I’m an adult, not a teenager!" William slammed his fist on the table, the sharp crack making everyone flinch. "Then I'll give you choices, since you seem to need them spelled out for you!" He rose slowly to his feet, his large frame towering over them all, radiating an authority no one dared to question. "You want to act like an adult? Fine. Then listen like one. You have two paths, Olivia." Olivia’s breath hitched, her gaze locked on her father's unforgiving face. "One," he began, each word a deliberate, final blow. "You go to the doctor, you get rid of that little demon inside you, and you go forward with your engagement to Daniel Spencer. We will save your future, your name, and your place in this family." Alicia gasped, words failing her as she stared at her husband in disbelief. "Will, how could you..." Chloe was just as shocked, her face pale. A sharp pain lanced through Olivia’s chest. She couldn't believe her father would say such a thing. Her hands clenched into fists beneath the table as he continued. "Two," he said, his voice devoid of all warmth. "You keep it. And you walk out of this house with nothing. You will no longer be Olivia Hayes. You will have no family. No inheritance. No help. Just you, and your shame." "Will!" Alicia cried, her voice trembling. "She’s our daughter! Please..." "She made her choice," William growled. "Now I’m making mine." Olivia couldn't move. Her limbs felt as though they had turned to stone. Her mouth was completely dry. Beside her, Chloe sat frozen, tears welling in her wide, frightened eyes. "You have until after dinner with the Spencers tomorrow," William said coldly, already turning his back on her. "Make your choice." And with that, he walked out of the room, leaving Olivia alone in a house that no longer felt like a home.

Chapter 2: A Secret Began to Grow