Orlena's POV

I had just six months left until the end of my six year contract marriage with Brent Caldwell, the billionaire I agreed to marry under the condition that there would be no love or pregnancy.

"Congratulations Mrs Caldwell," the doctor's gentle voice echoed in her warm office.

"You're 7 weeks pregnant." She said, handing me the white envelope that contained the words that had just crashed my world.

I blinked at her, confused. Pregnant?

That was not possible.

"So, for something like this, couples usually prefer to get the news together," she added, pushing the results closer.

My fingers felt cold as I picked it up. My eyes moved over the words, and my chest tightened.

Positive. The word boldly mocking me.

"Wh...what?" I swallowed, my throat dry. "How can I be pregnant? My tubes are blocked." I blurted out, panic twisting my guts.

I looked up at her, hoping she would say it was a mistake, but she only watched me calmly. I felt hopeless even before she could say anything.

"That does not make it completely impossible, Mrs Caldwell," she said. "Your results are clear, and your symptoms match. You are pregnant."

I couldn't even argue.

I knew how good she was at her job. She had taken care of my father before we moved him, and she had never been wrong.

So it was real. The reality slowly settled in, creeping up my spine.

I slowly stood up, my legs trembling, my fingers tightening around the paper that suddenly felt heavier than it should.

What was I supposed to do now?

I... I would lose everything promised to me at the end of the six years of marriage.

I had worked so hard and endured everything from Brent's family who hated that he had chosen a peasant like me as his wife.

Everything I endured would mean nothing.

My father... how was I supposed to take care of him? My father still needed me, and even after six years of treatment, nothing had really changed.

The day he was diagnosed with lung cancer still felt fresh in my head.

I remembered how everything fell apart so quickly, how I couldn't think straight anymore.

Then Brent showed up, looking for a wife. It sounded ridiculous but I was too desperate and depressed to care.

He had lost his sister three months earlier during childbirth, and with his family out of the question, he needed someone to care for the baby.

So he offered me a contract marriage. I didn't hesitate. I said yes. He needed someone to raise his nephew, and I needed the money for my father's surgery.

He made one thing clear, no children.

I agreed easily because I believed it would never be a problem. My fallopian tubes were blocked, and after the ectopic pregnancy I had as a teenager, I had been told getting pregnant again would be almost impossible.

So everything worked out.

At least I thought it did. But now... just at the end of that marriage, I was pregnant?

A shaky breath left my lips as panic made my body tremble.

Brent.

He was going to be furious.

I told him it was impossible. I promised him there was no way this could happen.

And now...

I had already broken one rule by falling for him, even if I kept it to myself. Now I had broken the most important one.

I pressed my lips together, my mind racing. How was I supposed to hide something like this?

How was I supposed to act normal when everything was about to fall apart?

I walked out of the office barely hearing the nurse call after me. The hallway felt longer than usual, my steps unsteady as I held onto my bag tightly. By the time I got outside, the air hit my face but it did nothing to calm me down.

I finally made it to my car and got in, my head dropping against the steering wheel as my grip on it tightened. I stayed like that for a few seconds, just breathing, trying to think, but nothing made sense.

"Think, Orlena... just think," I muttered to myself, my voice barely above a whisper.

Should I tell him?

My chest tightened immediately at the thought. I could already picture the cold, distant, and disappointed look on his face.

No...

I shut my eyes tightly. I couldn't tell him.

But what other choice did I have?

I let out a frustrated breath and finally started the car, pulling out of the hospital parking lot.

The drive home felt like a blur, my thoughts running over each other, my fingers tightening around the wheel every few seconds.

By the time I got home, my head was already pounding again.

I stepped out of the car and walked inside, not expecting to see anyone in the living room at that time of the day, but the moment I stepped in, I froze slightly.

My mother in law was seated comfortably, filing her nails like she didn't have a care in the world, and Cassandra Brent's younger sister was standing nearby.

Of course.

I should have known I wouldn't get any peace.

The moment Cassandra saw me, she walked straight to the door, blocking my way before I could even take another step inside.

"Where are you coming from?" she asked, folding her arms.

I didn't respond. I didn't have the energy for this. All I wanted was to go upstairs and lock myself in my room.

"I asked you something," she said again, her voice sharper this time. "I asked you for Brent's black card and you dared to ignore me?"

I closed my eyes for a second, taking a slow breath.

"I wasn't feeling well," I said, my voice low. "If you need anything, call your brother."

She let out a short laugh, looking me up and down. "Look at you, acting all proud in this house when your marriage to my brother is just a contract."

My head snapped up at that.

For a second, I just stared at her.

What did she just say?

My chest tightened as a cold feeling settled in toes.

How did she know?

My fingers curled slightly at my side. Did Brent tell them?

Was that why they were acting like this?

Was it because the marriage was almost over and he didn't see any reason to keep it a secret anymore?

If that was the case... then what did that make me now?

I swallowed hard, forcing my expression to stay neutral even though my thoughts were running wild.

Before I could say anything, my mother in law spoke up without even looking at me.

"It's better you start preparing yourself to leave soon," she said calmly, still focused on her nails. "Joan is back."

My heart skipped.

Joan?

My eyes widened slightly as I looked at her.

Joan...

The woman Brent loved.

The one who left six years ago to pursue her career. The one he never stopped talking to, not even after our marriage.

So it was finally happening.

Even though I had always known this day would come, I prepared for it all this time...yet, hearing it like that still made my chest tighten painfully.

I had no right to feel this way. I knew that. I agreed to everything from the beginning.

But I still fell for him anyway.

Hopelessly.

Brent was everything I had ever wanted in a man, even with how distant he could be. The few moments we spent together, the rare times he actually spoke to me without that cold tone, I held onto all of it.

It meant more to me than it ever should have.

I forced myself to move past Cassandra and headed upstairs, not trusting myself to say anything without giving away how I felt.

I had barely taken a few steps when I heard the front door open again.

My heart jumped before I could stop it.

And then I heard his voice.

"Mom."

I froze.

Slowly, I turned around.

Brent stood at the entrance, looking exactly the same as always, his neatly styled dark hair in place, broad shoulders filling out his suit, his calm face and steady eyes giving nothing away, like nothing ever touched him.

And beside him...

My breath caught in my throat.

Joan.

She stood next to him like she belonged there, her hand lightly holding his arm, her smile soft as she looked around the house.

They looked... perfect together.

My chest tightened painfully as I stood there, unable to move, my fingers gripping the railing.

This was his world.

And I had never really been a part of it, I was never meant to from the onset.

Orlena's POV

I couldn't stand the situation anymore and I just turned to continue what I was doing, even though my hands didn't feel steady and my chest still felt tight.

There was a bigger issue in my life now, something I could not ignore no matter how much I wanted to, and I needed to find a solution to it before everything got out of control.

"Orlena."

Brent's voice stopped me dead in my tracks.

I froze for a second, my back still facing him, my fingers tightening slightly where they hung by my side.

What is it you want to say? You have never said my name out loud like this since we met, Brent...

I slowly turned to face him, and the moment I did, I saw the bright smile on his face. I had never seen before in all the years I had spent with him.

But it wasn't for me.

It was directed at Joan.

My chest tightened but I kept my face straight, forcing myself to listen.

"Joan will be staying here for the next few months," he said.

That was it.

No explanation, no discussion, nothing else added to it. His tone made it clear it was already decided.

I nodded slightly, even though my throat felt dry. Of course, I wasn't in a position to ask anything or refuse. I never was.

He had already made up his mind, and all he needed was for me to hear it.

I turned again, taking a step away, but just then my alarm rang, the sharp sound cutting through the quiet and making me flinch a little.

I pulled out my phone and glanced at the screen.

Time to pick up Eli.

My fingers tightened slightly around the phone as I took a deep breath, lifting my hand to wipe at my cheek when I felt the dampness there. I didn't even know when the tears slipped out.

Get yourself together.

I turned and started heading toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Brent asked.

I paused, looking back at him.

"To pick up Eli from school," I said.

He didn't hesitate. "I'll go. With Joan. You should rest."

My eyes widened slightly before I could stop it.

What? He had never done that before.

Even when he had the time, he never went alone. He always went with me, and when he was busy, I was the one who went.

Eli was used to me, he always waited for me, always ran to me the moment he saw me, holding my hand like he didn't want to let go.

He didn't like strangers, and even with Brent, he still preferred when I was there.

And now...

Now he was going with Joan?

Just like that?

My fingers curled slightly as the thought settled in. Was this how it was going to be now?

Was he already replacing me before the time even came? Filling my place with the woman he actually wanted?

I pressed my lips together, trying to keep my expression normal, but my head had already started to throb again, and a sudden wave of nausea rose from my stomach without warning.

Not now please...

I swallowed hard, trying to push it down, but it only got worse.

"I..." I tried to say something, but my voice came out wrong.

Another wave hit me, stronger this time.

I didn't wait.

I turned quickly and rushed upstairs, my steps uneven as I held onto the railing for a second before forcing myself forward.

I could hear Cassandra's voice behind me, saying something I didn't catch, but I didn't stop.

I barely made it to my room before I pushed the door open and hurried straight to the bathroom.

My bag slipped from my hand on the way, hitting the floor with a dull sound as everything spilled out, but I didn't stop to look.

I bent over the sink, gripping the edge tightly as my body jerked forward.

The nausea came fast and hard, leaving me weak as I tried to catch my breath between it.

"God..." I muttered under my breath, my voice shaking.

It took a moment before it passed, and when it finally did, I stayed there, breathing slowly, my chest rising and falling as I tried to steady myself.

I lifted my head and looked at my reflection.

I looked terrible.

My face was pale, my lips dry, and my eyes looked tired, like I hadn't slept in days.

I turned on the tap and splashed water on my face, letting it run down as I tried to calm myself.

This is getting worse.

I wiped my face slowly and stepped out of the bathroom, my movements slower now, my body still feeling weak.

But the moment I walked into the room, Brent was there.

My breath caught.

He stood near the bed, his attention focused downward, and it took me only a second to realize what he was looking at.

My bag.

Everything I had dropped earlier was still scattered across the floor.

My heart skipped.

No...

I took a step forward, but my feet slowed when I saw it in his hand.

The paper.

The test result.

My chest tightened so suddenly it felt like something was pressing down on it.

For a moment, I couldn't move.

"Are you not well?" he asked, his voice calm as he looked at the paper.

Color drained from my face as I stood there, unable to move, unable to think, my eyes fixed on the paper in his hand.

Orlena's POV

He would snap at any moment now, I could feel it coming, and my hand tightened at my side as I stood there, watching him.

"Why is this here?"

He finally looked up at me, his brows pulled together as he held the paper in his hand.

"How is this here? You realize how important this is?" he said, his voice low but sharp.

I blinked at him, confused, my heart still racing from everything that had just happened.

What?

What was he talking about?

That was not the question I expected.

He should have been asking why that paper said I was seven weeks pregnant.

Why was he asking about something else?

Before I could say anything, he took a few long strides toward me, stopping right in front of me as he stretched the paper in my direction.

"Look at it," he said.

My fingers moved slowly as I took it from him, my eyes dropping to the paper, and the moment I saw it clearly, my breath caught.

The contract.

Our marriage contract.

I stared at it for a second, my mind going blank.

How did this get here?

I was sure I hadn't touched it after it was signed. I had kept it in a safe place, somewhere no one could find it, somewhere I didn't even look at anymore because I didn't want to keep reminding myself what this marriage really was.

My fingers tightened slightly around the paper as I lifted my head, my gaze moving around the room slowly.

Everything looked... messy.

My bag was still on the floor, things scattered everywhere, my drawer slightly open, my clothes not the way I left them.

I froze for a second as it finally settled in.

Someone had been here.

My chest tightened immediately.

"No... no, I didn't keep this here," I said quickly, shaking my head as I looked back at him. "I swear, I didn't. My room... it wasn't like this. Someone came in here."

My voice came out faster than I expected, my thoughts rushing over each other as I tried to explain.

"I left everything arranged, I didn't..." I stopped, looking around again, my fingers curling slightly around the paper.

"Someone went through my things."

He didn't say anything immediately.

He just watched me.

That calm look on his face again.

Before I could say anything else, the door pushed open without a knock.

Cassandra walked in like she owned the place, her eyes moving around the room briefly before landing on us.

"Oh, what's going on here,?" she said casually.

My head turned to her immediately.

"You did this?" I asked before I could stop myself.

She shrugged, not even trying to deny it. "I was looking for Brent's black card. You didn't answer me earlier, remember?"

My fingers tightened.

"So you decided to go through my room?" I asked, my voice lower now.

She rolled her eyes like I was the one being unreasonable. "Relax. It's not like you have anything worth hiding."

My chest tightened at that, but I didn't respond.

She stepped further into the room, her gaze shifting to Brent as a small smile formed on her lips.

"Oh... and I saw that too," she added, nodding slightly toward the paper in my hand.

I felt my stomach twist.

"Honestly, Brent," she continued, folding her arms, "if you needed a wife, we could have found someone better. You didn't have to settle for someone like her."

Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit, but I kept my face straight.

"But anyway," she went on, her tone turning lighter, almost amused, "it will all be over in six months."

My mother in law's voice came from behind her as she stepped into the room as well.

"I still don't understand what you were thinking," she said, her eyes moving over me briefly before she looked at Brent. "Paying her such a huge amount just for looking after Eli? For what exactly?"

Her tone carried clear disapproval, and she didn't even try to hide it.

"A nanny with less pay would have done the job just fine," she added.

I swallowed hard, my throat feeling tight as I slowly turned my head to look at Brent.

He stood there, expressionless, his face giving nothing away.

That smile from earlier was gone, completely gone, like it was never there in the first place.

"This was my decision," he said finally, his voice calm. "There's no need to make a scene out of it."

He paused for a second before adding, "It will be ending in six months anyway."

The words still cut deep hearing it from him.

My fingers tightened at my side as I stood there.

For a second, the thought crossed my mind again.

Should I tell him?

Should I just say it now and get it over with?

I looked at him, my lips parting slightly, but then I stopped myself.

No. It will be better to leave quietly...I don't know how I'm going to handle my father's treatment but I have to go.

I just need to work a few months to pay for his medication, he's no longer in a life threatening situation after all.

He was the only reason I agreed to this, so I should see it to the end for his sake.

I lowered my gaze slightly, keeping quiet.

It was better this way.

For now, I should keep the pregnancy to myself...he was already prepared for the end of this marriage.

"Where is Joan?" Brent asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

Cassandra turned to him immediately. "She's in the car, waiting for you."

He frowned slightly. "My car is locked. My keys are here."

"Oh," she said casually. "She took the key to the red car."

I looked up at that, my brows pulling together.

"The red car?" I repeated before I could stop myself. "That was my car."

Cassandra let out a small laugh. "When you came into this marriage, did you come with any property?"

"Enough," Brent said firmly.

The room went quiet immediately.

He glanced at both of them, his expression unreadable. "There's no need to keep this going."

Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked toward the door, motioning for them to leave.

Cassandra sighed but followed, and my mother in law gave me one last look before turning away as well.

The room felt quieter the moment they left.

Too quiet.

Brent paused at the door for a second, then looked back at me.

"Get some rest," he said.

Then he walked out, closing the door behind him.

I stood there for a moment, still holding the paper in my hand, my thoughts running over each other.

If the divorce paper is what's here, where is the test result? My mind flew back to the car, I had left it somewhere in the car.

I gasped recalling Cassandra just said Joan was going to the car.