?Chapter 1737:


    Alisha’s breathing grew shallow as she instinctively edged backward. She looked to William, silently pleading for him to speak up or at least to give her the benefit of the doubt. But his face remained nk, his eyes cold and unreadable. “What did you say to her?”


    Crushed beneath the weight of his stare and fully aware that Steven wasn’t bluffing, Alisha finally faltered, her voice dropping to a shaky whisper. “I went to the hospital for an examination. I’m pregnant. Ms. Russell asked me, and I told her.”


    William’s eyes widened. Disbelief shed across his face, and the two men beside him froze as well, equally stunned.


    Pregnant?


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    William shot up from his seat in a single motion. He grabbed her arm, drove her back against the wall, and closed his hand around her throat. “Alisha, don’t test my patience. I made sure you took the pills. Tell me — how could you possibly be pregnant?”


    Steven loomed over her with a hard stare. “I watched you take the medication myself. Exin how this still happened.”


    Alisha broke downpletely, tears spilling as she looked between the three men in sheer terror. “I swear I didn’t tamper with anything. I don’t understand it either. I took the medicine and did exactly what you told me. You saw it yourself.”


    Steven’s eyes were sharp. “Then exin it. What kind of stunt did you pull?”


    Jewell remained at the back, silent, turning her words over carefully in his mind. No contraceptive method was foolproof — unexpected pregnancies weren’t unheard of. What troubled him more was what they were supposed to do if she truly was carrying a child.


    Realizing none of them believed her, Alisha wed weakly at William’s arm, desperation flooding her voice. “I have the test results. They’re in my bag. I’m not lying.”


    William’s eyes flicked toward the bag. He released her abruptly, shoving her aside.


    Alisha stumbled and crashed to the floor, unable to catch herself. With trembling hands, she pulled out the report, tears dripping onto the paper. The result was unmistakable. She was pregnant.


    Steven caught sight of the storm gathering in William’s expression. He pressed his lips together, hesitated, then spoke quietly. “William…”


    This wasn’t a decision any of them could make on his behalf.


    William said nothing. Alisha clutched her sore throat and slowly pushed herself upright from the floor.


    “Mr. Briggs,” she said, “Ms. Russell doesn’t love you at all. Why won’t you let her go and free yourself too? I’m pregnant now. I’ll take responsibility and care for the baby properly. Even if you refuse to acknowledge me, that child is still yours.”


    William stared at the report in his hand, his grip tightening, his fingers trembling almost imperceptibly. He had pictured having a child — just not like this, and not with anyone other than Ste.


    Watching the fury on his face, Alisha’s heart pounded uncontrobly.


    After what felt like an eternity, William finally raised his eyes to her. “I don’t care who the father is. Since you insist the child is mine, then get rid of it.”


    Alisha fixed her eyes on William, stunned, convinced she must have heard him wrong.


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