Natalie’s POV


    I stared at Debbie gotten out of the main door, feeling little duzzy and my stomach sick.


    Once Debbie left the house, I put the phone on my ear, heading towards the stairs and asked, “What do you think?”


    Daniel’s voice came husky and hoursh after the long silence, “She’s absolutely up to something!”


    I felt the sickness rising in my stomach, nearly throwing up right there on the stairs. I managed to mumble, “I’ll talk to youter,” and hung up the phone before rushing to my bedroom toilet.


    I emptied my stomach and, after finishing, stared at my pale face in the mirror. Suspicion reflected in my gaze as the question flowed through my mind: could it be that I…


    I unlocked my phone screen and checked the app I use to track my period dates. It was more than two monthste! My suspicion grew even stronger.


    Without further dy, I stormed downstairs.


    “Miss Natalie! Do you need something?” Laura asked just before I opened the main door.


    “No, no. I’m just going to the pharmacy,” I replied.


    She followed me to the main entrance and said, “Oh, do you want me to send the driver?”


    “No need!” I said, waiving my hand in refusal.


    My phone started vibrating-it was a call from Rafael. I ignored it and went straight to the garage. Unable to find my previous car key, I started the engine of the Bugatti and headed to the nearest pharmacy.


    After fifteen minutes, I was standing in the bathroom, staring at the pregnancy test in my hand. The two pink lines were stark and unyielding.


    I covered my mouth to suppress a loud scream and thought, “This can’t be happening. No, no, no…”


    I sank to the bathroom floor, my breathing in shallow, ragged gasps.


    How could this happen? We were careful. I thought we were careful enough.


    What am I going to do?


    The question reverberated through my mind, echoing off the walls of my growing panic. This wasn’t supposed to happen.


    Not now.


    Not like this.


    My thoughts shed to Rafael. I can’t be pregnant from my stepbrother-my secret husband. What would people say?


    The thought of society’s reaction brought a fresh wave of anxiety crashing over me, especially after the nightclub incident. People will be judging me for good.


    And… What about Rafael? Is he going to be angry? Frustrated? What if he med me? I took contraceptive pills regrly, I didn’t miss one!


    Our first night, we didn’t use protection. I was a virgin and didn’t think this could happen from the first time. After that night I started taking the pills.


    I hugged my knees to my chest, rocking slightly as I tried to calm the storm inside me.


    How would we keep this secret now?


    The delicate bnce we had maintained suddenly felt like it was teetering on the edge of a precipice.


    If our Grandma and Tobi found out…


    “Ahkk…” I screamed in frustration.


    The implications were too painful to even consider.


    And the baby…


    I ced a trembling hand on my stomach, the reality of the life growing inside me sinking in.


    I’m not ready for this.


    We’re not ready for this.


    The future seemed to stretch out before me, a vast, uncertain expanse filled with more questions than answers.


    What would happen?


    How is it even possible to hide a baby, a pregnant belly?


    Abortion is out of the question, not an option, and impossible.


    The other option was … facing theunity.


    Everything I’d worked on to hide my rtionship with him… It all seemed to hang in the bnce now, the weight of my new reality pressing down on me.


    I can’t do this.


    I didn’t even know how to start dealing with this.


    Tears blurred my vision, my chest tightening with the sobs I was trying to hold back.


    Why now?


    Why us?


    The helplessness of it all stung, a bitter taste in the back of my throat.


    We were struggling with all of this so-called ve and master rtionship to figure things out. How were we supposed to handle a baby on top of everything else?


    I had to talk to him. He had to know.


    The thought of confronting Rafael filled me with dread.


    What if he didn’t want this baby?


    What if he wanted…


    I couldn’t even finish the thought.


    The possibilities were too overwhelming, too terrifying.


    But I had to figure this out.


    I had to.


    I took a deep, shaky breath, trying to summon some semnce of calm.


    One step at a time, Natalie.


    One step at a time.


    Maybe I should call Rafael and brainstorm a solution with him. I shook my head, refusing to entertain the thought. What if he forced me to have an abortion?


    I stood up from the bathroom floor and headed straight to my bed. I threw myself onto it with a thud. Suddenly, I realized I shouldn’t do that. I ced my hand on my belly protectively, then fell asleep.


    I don’t know how long I slept, but it must have been a while. Suddenly, I heard a loudmotion, as if someone was arguing. I slipped my feet into my slippers and headed straight to the source of the sound. When I reached the stairs, my eyes widened.


    Rafael and Daniel were holding each other’s shirt cors.


    But why?


    “You bastard! You didn’t know how to protect her. You don’t deserve her in this family! How could you give them the chance to film her in that state?” Daniel growled.


    They were moving all around the entrance hall, hitting each other’s faces.


    “It’s none of your business, you fucker,” Rafael roared back, then rammed his head into Daniel’s like bulls butting horns.


    I screamed when they fell to the ground, covering my mouth in shock. They were acting like cavemen.


    “What the hell is happening here?” I eximed.


    The two men nced in my direction for a second, then resumed their fight.


    I hurried downstairs. “What are you two crazies doing?” I asked, but they ignored me and continued hitting each other.


    “Stop this craziness, now!” I roared.


    “You! Stay out of this,” Rafael roared furiously, without sparing me a nce.


    “Yeah, stay out of this,” Daniel echoed.


    I frowned.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    What the hell was happening between these two hooligans?


    They fell to the ground once again, this time with a resounding crash as they shattered the coffee table into countless pieces.


    All the domestic staff peered cautiously from behind partially opened doors, their curious eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before them.


    “I shouted furiously, ‘You two are acting shamelessly!''”


    “Yes, you’re acting shamelessly bying here to take a girl who didn’t want you on a date,” Rafael snarled, throwing a punch towards Daniel, but thetter dodged it skillfully.


    “She told me everything; you don’t have any rtionship with her,” Rafael added, aiming to provoke him further.


    Danielughed, devoid of amusement, and dered, “I’ll tell you what my rtionship with her…”