Chapter 3
The soft blue glow of my laptop screen illuminated my face as I stared at the email I'd spent hours crafting. The cursor blinked patiently beside my father's email address—one I hadn't used in years.
*Dear Dad,*
*I know it's been a long time, and I'm sorry for that. I miss you and Mom more than I can say. Things with Alex aren't what I thought they were. I'm pregnant, and I'm scared. I need...*
My finger hovered over the send button, trembling slightly. What would he think of me now? The daughter who'd chosen a man over her family, returning only when everything fell apart? The shame burned hot in my chest, mingling with desperation. Before I could change my mind again, I clicked delete instead of send, watching the words disappear like they'd never existed.
I closed the laptop and pressed my palms against my eyes, willing away the tears. No. I would fix this myself. Alex loved me—he had to. He'd proposed to me, chosen me. This baby would bring us back together.
With renewed determination, I threw myself into planning a perfect evening. I spent the afternoon at Dean & DeLuca selecting his favorite foods, then arranged our dining room with candles and the Baccarat crystal we'd received as an engagement gift. The table glowed warmly, intimate and inviting—the perfect setting to tell him about our child.
At 7:30, my phone chimed with a text.
*Working late. Don't wait up. -A*
My hands shook as I called him, something I rarely dared to do when he was working.
"Alex, please. I've made dinner. It's important."
His sigh crackled through the speaker. "Savannah, I'm in the middle of something with Madison. It's a crucial meeting about the Westfield acquisition."
"At 7:30 at night?" My voice cracked.
"This is why I didn't want to call," he said, his tone hardening. "I don't need the interrogation."
The line went dead. I blew out the candles one by one, watching the smoke curl upward as the room darkened around me.
---
"Your blood pressure is concerning me, Ms. Turner," Dr. Levine said, removing the cuff from my arm. Her kind eyes studied my face. "Are you experiencing significant stress?"
I forced a smile. "Just wedding planning. It's a lot."
She didn't look convinced. "Stress can be dangerous for both you and the baby at this stage. I'd like you to consider some lifestyle changes—perhaps postpone major decisions until after the first trimester?"
I nodded absently, my attention caught by movement outside the clinic window. Across the street, at the outdoor seating of a trendy bistro, sat Alex and Madison. She threw her head back in laughter at something he said, her hand resting on his arm. He was smiling—that rare, genuine smile I'd seen so seldom lately.
"Ms. Turner?" Dr. Levine's voice seemed to come from far away. "Did you hear what I said about reducing stress?"
A tear slid down my cheek before I could stop it. "I'm trying," I whispered.
---
The Morgan family's Upper East Side townhouse always made me feel small, with its soaring ceilings and museum-quality art. Today, seated across from Mrs. Morgan in the formal sitting room, I felt microscopic.
"Tea?" she offered, her diamond bracelet catching the light as she poured from a silver pot.
"Thank you," I murmured, accepting the delicate cup.
"I wanted us to have a proper chat, just the two of us." Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "After all, you'll be family soon."
The hope that flickered in my chest died when she slid a thick document across the mahogany coffee table.
"A prenuptial agreement," she explained. "Standard procedure for the Morgan family."
My fingers trembled as I flipped through the pages. The terms were brutal—I would walk away with nothing if the marriage ended, regardless of circumstances or duration.
"This seems...severe," I managed.
Mrs. Morgan's smile tightened. "Alexander has a position to maintain. Madison's family understands these matters—her pedigree requires no such protection."
The casual mention of Madison's name wasn't accidental. Nothing Mrs. Morgan did ever was.
"Madison?" I echoed.
"Oh, did I say Madison?" She waved her hand dismissively. "Force of habit, I suppose. They were together for so long."
I stared at the document, at the line awaiting my signature. My child—our child—deserved security. But would signing this trap me further, or free me to make the choice I knew I needed to make?
Mrs. Morgan extended an elegant fountain pen. "We're all waiting, dear."
With a hand that no longer shook, I signed my name, sealing a future that was rapidly crumbling before my eyes.
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