Aida POV:
Drake looked at the pregnancy test. His face was a mask of cold fury. He clenched his jaw.
"Aida, I tolerated your presence for three years. I paid for your mother' s treatment. Now you try this?"
His voice was a low growl. It was filled with such contempt. It stung worse than any physical blow.
"You disgust me."
I felt a surge of raw anger. My voice rose. I fought to be heard.
"I am not pregnant! That paper is fake!"
I fumbled in my purse. I needed my medical report. I had just had a full check-up. It would prove I was not pregnant. My fingers trembled.
"I have my actual medical reports right here! I came for my mother' s pre-op check-up."
I pulled out a stack of papers. They were for my mother. But mine were in there too. I found my recent full physical, complete with a gynecological exam.
Drake scoffed. He snatched the papers from my hand. He crumpled them without looking.
"More excuses? Aida, your mother' s check-up is just a convenient cover for your schemes."
He stepped closer. His shadow loomed over me. His presence was intimidating. His eyes bore into mine.
"How did you even manage it? Did you steal a sample? Did you get a doctor to help you with some twisted scheme to get pregnant?"
My chest tightened. A bitter taste filled my mouth. He thought I was that desperate. My anger mixed with a deep sadness.
"Steal a sample? Are you insane?"
The words flew out. I remembered something. He had asked me to do something.
"You asked me to take your sperm samples to the lab for fertility testing a few months ago. You wanted to check your own fertility. I was alone, but the nurse watched me hand them over. They sealed the containers. It was all procedural."
I looked at him, disbelief etched on my face.
"There was no opportunity for me to 'steal' anything! You can check the lab records, the surveillance footage. They log every sample, every person who handles it."
Caroline' s face, which had been smug, briefly faltered. Her eyes darted away. Then she recovered. She put her hand on Drake' s arm. Her voice was soft.
"Drake, darling, she' s just trying to confuse you. She probably bribed the lab technician. Maybe even the doctor for her own check-up."
Drake glared at me. His contempt deepened.
"You would stoop to anything, wouldn' t you? Just to climb up. To secure your place in my life."
My body shook with rage. My voice was strained.
"No! That' s not true! I never wanted to climb anywhere! Our agreement was a contract. For money. For my mother' s life. Nothing more!"
I needed him to understand. I needed him to see the truth.
"You asked me to act as your fiancée. I did. I never pretended to want your love. I never pretended to want to replace Caroline."
My voice cracked. My eyes burned.
"The contract ends in two weeks. Why would I fake a pregnancy now? Why would I try to tie you down when I' m about to be free of you?"
His face remained unmoved. He looked at me as if I were a stranger. A cold, calculating stranger.
