“You’re right, Tiffany. Alice is real. She has more integrity and strength than anyone in this room, especially you.” The room went silent. A public defense from a man as guarded as Nick Sullivan was a shock to everyone. Tiffany turned pale, humiliated.
On the drive home, Alice thanked him. “You didn’t have to do that.” “Yes, I did,” he said, watching the road. “No one talks to you like that.” The words warmed her heart, even though she was still afraid to let her guard down. Something was changing, and Nick realized his “revenge” had turned into something far more complicated and far more real.
Alice sat in her room, staring at the pregnancy test. Two pink lines. Her world shifted in an instant. All she could think was: *A baby.* She felt a mix of pure terror and a sudden, fierce love for the life inside her. In the middle of this “fake” marriage, this news was a bombshell. She had no idea how Nick—a man who lived by schedules and logic—would react.
She feared he’d see it as a complication or a trick to get to his money. That evening, Nick found her in the garden. She was pale and quiet. “Is something wrong?” he asked, sensing the shift. Alice took a breath and looked him in the eye. “We need to talk. I’m pregnant.” The words hit Nick like a physical blow.
His face went through a dozen emotions: shock, confusion, and something else she couldn’t read. “Are you sure?” was all he could say. “Very sure,” Alice said, her hands instinctively covering her stomach. The silence stretched. Nick started pacing the garden path, trying to process this. This wasn’t in the contract. “What now?” he asked, stopping in front of her.
“I’m keeping the baby,” Alice said firmly. “And I’m not asking you for anything. Don’t think this is some plan to get your estate.” Nick felt a sting at her words. “Don’t be ridiculous. This is my child too, and I take care of my own.” There was a steel in his voice that actually made her feel better. Over the next few days, Nick tried to wrap his head around being a father, realizing his priorities were shifting fast.
The grudge against Tiffany suddenly felt small and petty. But Tiffany wasn’t done. Hearing rumors about Alice’s condition, she decided to strike again. At a charity auction, she cornered Nick with a smirk. “Congratulations, Daddy! Alice is smarter than I thought. Quite the timing, don’t you think?” Nick felt his temper flare.
“Watch your mouth, Tiffany. You’re out of line.” “I’m just impressed by her strategy,” she continued. “A baby is a great way to renegotiate a contract.” Nick didn’t give her the satisfaction of a response, but he was fuming. He knew she was trying to plant doubt, but it wasn’t working. When he got home, he told Alice about the encounter.
“She knows,” he said shortly. Alice sighed. “Of course she does. She’ll try to make our lives miserable.” “She won’t succeed,” Nick said, sitting down beside her. Alice looked at him and saw a resolve she hadn’t seen before. Despite the mess they were in, she felt like she wasn’t fighting alone anymore. The pregnancy had become the moment of truth that forced them both to see each other for real.
On a gray Tuesday morning, Nick got a text from Tiffany asking to meet. He knew it was likely a trap, but her message about “settling things once and for all” made him go. He needed to close this chapter so he could move forward. They met at a quiet bistro downtown. Nick arrived early, trying to keep his composure.
Tiffany arrived looking perfect, clearly ready for a performance. “Nick, thanks for coming,” she said, sitting down gracefully. “What do you want, Tiffany?” he asked coldly. She tried to soften her voice. “I think we owe it to ourselves to be honest. We made mistakes, but maybe it’s time to admit them?”
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