Chapter 005

Playing With Fire

Sisi's POV

"You ended up in messing everything up!" I hissed furiously into the phone, pacing the length of my bedroom. My hands shook greatly, though not with fear, but with fury.

The incompetent man on the other end, some low level lackey who couldn't bring himself to even get a simple task right, stammered. "I...I swear, Miss Sisi, the instructions you gave were dully followed. The room was exactly..."

"Wrong!" I snapped at him, cutting him off. "You ended in putting her in the wrong room! Do you know what exactly what you've done? Do you even understand the disaster you've caused for me and my family,?"

He tried his best to explain, but I wasn't having it talk more of listening anymore. Slamming the phone down, I furiously turned to face the mirror. My reflection shockingly glared back furiously at me, the unsatisfied image of a woman wronged, not really by fate, but by avoidable incompetence.

There was a sharp and annoying knock at the door before it opened wide. Mom barged in line she owned the room, her face set in that usual mix of frustration and expectation.

"Sisi, what's really going on? What's all the shouting I was hearing downstairs about?" she demanded.

I jumped onto the bed in my usual dramatical nature, covering my now pale face with a pillow. "What's exactly is going on? Oh, I don't have any idea, Mom. Maybe the fact that instead of how expected her to be damaged beyond repair, your precious Amara for no reason just got a marriage proposal from Damian freaking Kane family!"

Mom immediately froze mid step, her hand tightening the moment she placed it on the doorknob. "Damian... Kane? As in..."

"As in the Damian Kane we all know. The ruthless and untouchable billionaire. Yes, that's him," I spat out, sitting up abruptly. "She had her way and spent the night with him, and now he's playing the knight in shining armor, offering to marry her instead of punishing her!"

Mom sat down dejectedly on the edge of the bed, her perfectly manicured nails now tapping furiously against her thigh. "That... that wasn't the plan initially."

"No kidding!" I said, throwing my hands up. "She was according to the plan supposed to end up with some nobody, humiliated beyond repair, not... not surprisingly upgraded to the best man!"

The room became very quiet for a moment, both of us confused and stewing in the absurdity of the situation.

"Well," Mom finally found her voice to start, breaking the silence, "you'll have to do everything possible to fix it."

"Fix what exactly?" I repeated, staring intensely at her in disbelief. "How exactly do you come up with the suggestion I fix that? You should be aware that Damian isn't some pushover, Mom. He's...of all I know, very intimidating."

Mom raised an eyebrow, clearly disappointed in me. "You're not truly afraid of him, or are you?"

"No!" I shot back quickly, too quickly that it blew my cover. "But I'm not also stupid either. I did my research, only to realize that men like Damian don't play games. They just go ahead to destroy you if you cross them."

"Then don't attempt crossing him," she said, her voice reduced to an instend, bearing a calm demeanour and calculating. "You should outsmart him, by giving him the impression that you're on his side. Ensure to turn the situation to your advantage."

"How do I do that?" I asked anxiously, narrowing my eyes.

Mom stood up from where she sat, walked over to the window, her gaze distant. "Damian may be ruthless and powerful, but don't forget that he's still a man. And men like him also have weaknesses. Find his immediately, and use it."

I chewed on my lip, my mom had succeeded in igniting the wheels in my mind to spin. Maybe Mom was right. Maybe Damian also had weaknesses. And if I could do my assignment well, and find them, I could not only succeed in destroying Amara's new source of happiness but also put myself exactly where I rightfully deserved to be: in the spotlight.

But first, all I need now is to play my card well.

Later that same evening, as I wandered around the house, I sighted Amara sitting alone in the garden, her shoulders somehow hunched, staring blankly at the flowers. She looked somewhat miserable, which from my plan should have excited me, but instead, it annoyed me.

"What exactly is the matter, sis?" I asked sweetly, leaving my path and stepping onto the stone path. "You look like a child whose friend stole her favorite candy."

Amara froze the moment I said that but didn't turn to look at me. "Go away this minute, Sisi. I'm not in the mood to exchange words with you."

"Oh, come on big sis," I said, making myself comfortable by sitting down beside her. "I just cared much, grew worried because I didn't see you, and decided to check on you. After all, you've had... quite the eventful day."

Her head snapped toward me, her eyes blazing. "What do you want, Sisi?"

I smiled innocently. "Nothing much! I just think it's really funny, that's all. It wasn't long since you got engaged to Victor, the perfect couple everyone praised, and now suddenly you're Damian Kane's damsel in distress, that's Cinderella in making. Quite the unexpected plot twist, don't you think?"

Amara's jaw tightened like she could tear me into two if allowed, but I cared less. "If you've come here just to gloat, don't bother. I already figured out exactly what kind of person you are."

I feigned hurt, displaying my hand with perfectly manicured nails on my chest. "Wow. That's really harsh. And here I was thinking we were sisters."

"Sisters don't go far as stabbing each other in the back," she shot back, and standing abruptly before she could finish the sentence.

I stood too, there was no need staying there anymore, my smile fading. "Maybe not, and I understand. But sisters weren't also supposed to waste opportunities, especially the golden ones. You had the perfect man in Victor, every woman's dream, and you let it all go to waste. Now, for no reason,cyou're being handed Damian on a silver platter, and what? You're going to say no again?"

Amara maintained a steady gaze, then looked away, her lips pressed tightly.

"You're a big fo*l, Amara," I dropped without minding how it would affect her, my voice dropping to a whisper. "And fo*ls don't deserve happy endings."

With that, I turned not looking back to see her reaction, them walked away, my mind already racing with the next steps in my plan. If Amara thought I was supporting her, that this was over, she had no idea what was coming her way.

Chapter 006

The Shocking Pregnancy

Amara's POV

I stared unbelievably at the test in my hand, the two pink lines fo*lishly glaring back at me like a dead verdict.

Pregnancy?

I could hardly gather strength to breathe, my chest tightening beyond my imagination as the reality glared at me. How had I managed to get here? How had everything concerning my life turned upside down so quickly?

I had succeeded in chasing Damian away, the man who might have been the father. I had told him to leave, instructed him never to come close to me, that it was a mistake, that it couldn't happen between us. I couldn't bring myself into getting more involved with him. But right now... this? I was of all things, carrying his child, and I had no idea what to do next from here.

The room felt like I was alien, and it was closing in on me. I sank dejectedly on the bed, holding my suddenly heavy head in my hands. I didn't desire to be a single mother. I couldn't do that. My life wasn't even stable to even give me room to figure out who I was, let alone raise a child on my own.

And then there was my betrothed; Victor. After everything that had transpired during the engagement party, the distance created between us, he had called off the engagement. He hadn't even made any effort to find out what happened from me. He had just walked away like he was waiting for the moment to do so.

I felt a tear generously slip down my cheek. He hadn't wanted me from the beginning.

I wiped it away quickly, furious at myself for even remembering someone like him in my thoughts. But still, deep down, a part of me wondered if there would ever be a chance to make things right between us.

But what exactly was I supposed to do now?

The doorbell immediately rang, helping to pull me out of my thoughts. I glanced toward the direction of the wall clock. It was already late for visitation. Who could possibly be at the door?

I opened it, and surprisingly, there stood Victor, his familiar face full of tension and something else I couldn't quite place my hand on.

"Amara," he said too softly, almost hesitantly. "Can we sit and talk?"

I blinked, totally bewildered and stunned for a second at his coming. The man who had wasted no time in calling off the engagement just few days ago was standing in front of me like nothing ever happened.

"Talk about what exactly?" I managed to say, not trusting my voice as it shook slightly.

The Victor that I know to be arrogant, shifted uncomfortably on his chair. "About... us."

I crossed my arms, not understanding the drama going on, and still trying to hold myself together. "Us?"

He nodded, confirming what I heard was right, and stepping into the room without waiting for an invitation. "Look, Amara, I know things really escalated and went south, but I've been thinking a lot about it. I don't really want to walk away from whatever we had in the past. I was totally wrong. I was being stupid for not trusting you. You're the one I want for me, and I... I messed up."

I stood frozen for few seconds, trying to process everything he just vomited with his mouth. Victor, the man who had thrown me aside like a trash without looking back, now wanted to fix things. He wanted to make things right and get back together.

"Why now?" I asked, almost bitterly. "Why come back after everything that has happened?"

Victor looked down, unable to answer, guilt flashing in his eyes. "I was really scared, Amara. I thought you did that because you didn't want me anymore. But I realize now that I was totally wrong. I was afraid of losing you, but instead, I ended up pushing you away."

I felt a heavy pang in my chest, but I shoved it aside quickly. "Victor, we can't possibly pick up from where we left off. Things are very much complicated now."

He reached out, carefully taking a few step closer. "I know, but we can always do our best and figure it out. But that would be together. I love you, Amara. I always have and won't stop."

I swallowed very hard, my heart racing uncontrollably. He loved me. But did I also love him? Could I pay blind eyes and go back to the life we had planned together, knowing what had happened between us and Damian?

Victor's voice softened which was unlike him, his eyes pleading with me to take him back. "Amara, please. Don't pay me back by shutting me out. I know I really messed up, but I am here to make it right. I want us to come together and be a family."

Family?

That word hit me really hard, harder than I expected. My mind flashed back to the pregnancy test I just carried out, the growing realization that I was about to be a mother. A part of me confused, the other pushing to scream, to tell him everything. But I couldn't bring myself into doing that. I didn't wish to complicate things more than they already were.

I stepped back so that he would come more closer, shaking my head. "Victor, I... I don't know."

He seemed to read my hesitation might be because of another trouble. "Please, Amara, just give me this last chance. Let me prove to you that I can be the man you need."

I stared at him, my heart torn, not knowing what to decide. This wasn't how I had imagined things to be for me. I had always wanted stability, I dreamed of certainty, but now all I felt was confusion.

"I don't have a clue of what to say, Victor," I whispered, but almost not low as intended, my voice trembling.

He moved forward, reaching to hold my hand. "Just assure me you'll give us a chance."

I opened my mouth to talk, but nothing came out, not even a word. The weight surrounding my new secret was too much. How will I start telling him now? How could I even bring him to the understanding or explain the mess I was in?

Instead of complicating things further, I gave him a small, uncertain nod. "I... I'll definitely think about it."

Victor smiled victoriously, relief washing over him as I watched. "That's all I needed this moment, Amara."

I watched him leave quietly as he came, the door clicking softly behind him indicating he was no more in the house. My heart felt heavy, because of the lifetime decision I was yet to make.

I still hadn't found my voice to tell him about the pregnancy. And I wasn't sure I could do that anytime soon. How's this going to end for me? What if he finds out or my family does? Will Damian accept his responsibility since I rejected him?