Chapter 5

Atlas glared at me, his anger burning hot and unwavering.

But he didn’t see the redness blooming across my cheek, the sharp sting left behind by Ivy’s slap.

I lifted my head, meeting his gaze with a calm, almost eerie stillness.

“The one who should be apologizing isn’t me,” I said quietly. “It’s Ivy,”

His brows furrowed, irritation flickering in his eyes, but I continued before he could interrupt.

“She brought up my father, Atlas. Don’t you think you owe me an apology for what happened back then?”

For a split second, something flickered across his face–something unreadable. Then it was gone.

“If it weren’t for me, your father would have died even sooner,” he said, his voice cold with certainty. “Celeste, I promised your father I’d take care of you for the rest of my life. But that promise came with a condition–you wouldn’t hurt Ivy.”

I stared at him, and then laughed. A quiet, hollow sound. How foolish of me to think, even for a moment, that he

might finally see me.

Just as the edges of my vision darkened, the room tilted violently, and then–nothing.

When I woke up, the sterile scent of disinfectant filled my nose. A nurse stood by my bedside, gently removing the

IV from my arm.

“Congratulations,” she said with a kind smile. “You’re pregnant.”

My breath caught.

“You need to be extra careful,” she continued. “Your body is weak–you can’t afford too much stress. Try to rest, eat well, and keep your emotions stable.”

instinctively drifted to my stomach. For five years, I had

And now, at the worst possible moment, life had given

*Buzz.*

vibrated against the hospital sheets: Atlas.

was

fine as long as

06:50

Love, Seven

68.7%

Chapter 5

message

I’ll

from my lips. I turned off my

returned, her expression hesitant. “Miss Laurent, the doctor has scheduled another test.

me.”

her. But instead of leading me toward the examination

frowned. Something felt wrong. A familiar voice confirmed my suspicion. “I heard you’re pregnant.”

Ivy Monroe standing behind me, her arms crossed, an unmistakable smirk playing at the

“You’re more

I said nothing.

a cat playing with its prey. “Do you know why you

instinctively against my stomach, an invisible chill creeping up my

dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. “Because I

child.”

seemed to slow around me.

skin. “Every morning, when he handed you your vitamins, he was actually giving you birth control.”

to see

I met her gaze, my voice eerily

as if my

stepped past her, reaching for the door, but I didn’t make it. A sudden force slammed into my

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