Ana sat at the breakfast table in the guest wing, ravenously devouring a second helping of rice porridge and egg rolls. Across from her, Nina raised a brow, her arms folded and eyes twinkling with amusement.
"You've been eating like a construction worker lately," Nina teased, watching Ana lick the spoon clean. "Is this the same dainty Ana who used to nibble at her meals like a bird?"
Ana laughed, cheeks puffed with food. "I'm just…hungry. All the time. Is that a crime?"
Nina leaned in, eyes narrowing playfully. "You're not hiding a secret twin in there, are you?"
"Ha! I'd tell you if I was," Ana chuckled, but her laughter was cut short by a faint flutter in her chest. She brushed it off quickly. "Maybe it's just the weather. Makes me crave warm food."
Nina rolled her eyes. "Yeah, blame the weather. You better not get fat on me, Reina."
The two laughed, their bond evident in the easy way they teased each other.
Later that afternoon, Ana accompanied Kimberly to the main house where Soraya had come to visit the old madame. The drawing room was lively with the presence of Lady Mina, Sasha, and the old madame herself. Servants moved discreetly around them, offering tea and pastries.
Ana sat quietly beside Kimberly, offering a polite smile as the women chatted about fashion, philanthropy, and the latest business gossip.
Soraya, ever poised and gracious, had the old madame captivated, while Sasha sat elegantly, sipping tea and watching Ana from the corner of her eyes.
Suddenly, Ana rose to excuse herself. "Please, I'll just use the washroom quickly."
She barely made it past the hallway when the world began to spin. Her vision blurred, knees weakening beneath her. A strange tightness wrapped around her chest.
"Ana!" Kimberly's voice rang out as Ana collapsed onto the polished marble floor.
Gasps filled the room. Tea cups clattered. The old madame stood abruptly, her voice firm but trembling. "Call the doctor, now! Hurry!"
Two servants rushed forward, gently lifting Ana onto the velvet couch. Her face was pale, her breathing shallow.
"She must have fainted," Lady Mina said anxiously, dabbing her eyes with a silk kerchief.
Minutes later, the family doctor arrived, his black bag in hand. He examined Reina carefully while everyone watched in breathless silence. Ana stirred, eyelids fluttering open.
"Wh…what happened?" she murmured.
"You fainted," the doctor said gently, pressing a hand to her forehead. "You'll be fine. Just a few questions, Miss Ana. When was your last menstrual cycle?"
Ana blinked.
And blinked again.
Her heart dropped. "I...I don't know," she whispered. "It's been…a while, I think."
A heavy silence fell upon the room.
The old madame and Lady Mina exchanged hopeful glances, their breaths caught mid-air. Soraya and Sasha stiffened. Both women said nothing, but their expressions gave away the war raging within.
The doctor nodded thoughtfully, standing upright. "I'll need to run a few tests to confirm, but I have a strong suspicion that she's pregnant."
Behind Ana, Nina and Kimberly smiled joyfully.
"Oh my God!" Nina cried. "You're really pregnant! That's amazing!"
"Congratulations, Ana!" Kimberly beamed. "You're going to give my brother a baby! I'll finally have a little niece or nephew!"
Ana's breath caught.
"I...I'm pregnant?" she whispered.
The old madame stood proudly, tears in her eyes. "She's really carrying the next generation of the Fairchild clan… My child's child's child… Thank the heavens!"
As joy filled the air, Sasha approached Ana with a saccharine smile, taking her hands gently.
"Thank you for your efforts in carrying my child," she said sweetly, eyes glinting. "It means the world to me and my husband. Because of you, we can finally have the family we've dreamed of."
Ana's lips trembled. She bowed her head, trying to hide the storm brewing in her heart. Though she was the one carrying the child, she would never be recognized as the mother.
She clenched her fists.
The room began to calm, and the doctor cleared his throat. "She'll need to visit the hospital for a full examination. We need to determine the gestation period and the baby's health."
Old madame nodded firmly. "Make the arrangements. Ensure everything is done thoroughly."
"I'll accompany her," Sasha said quickly, rising to her feet with a rehearsed smile. "After all, I am the mother of the child."
A flicker of pain crossed Ana's face.
"I'll come too," Soraya said, standing up calmly.
"There's no need," Sasha snapped, her tone sharper than she intended. "You're not required to be there."
Soraya raised an eyebrow. "And you shouldn't be afraid of me tagging along unless, of course, you plan to do something that doesn't require witnesses?"
The tension between them tightened like a bowstring. Sasha smiled thinly. "Suit yourself."
Nina started to follow, but Sasha turned around with an icy smile. "Only the relevant parties, please."
"It's okay, Nina," Ana said softly. "I'll be back soon."
As they left, the old madame's joy bubbled to the surface. She turned toward the quiet wing where Old Master Arnold rested and entered without knocking.
He sat in his recliner, staring blankly at a photo on the side table a faded black-and-white wedding portrait of him and Nuria in their youth. She had been stunning, radiant with pride. He had been powerful and striking.
"Well, Arnold," the old madame said, voice trembling with emotion. "She's pregnant. The next heir of the Fairchild family is on the way."
Old Master Arnold stared at the wall, his expression unreadable. "As always, you've gotten your way, Nuria. You never stop."
She didn't respond. Instead, she gazed at a dusty black-and-white photo on the mantle. A young couple on their wedding day; him, dashing and proud; her, radiant with hope. Once upon a time, they were in love. Once upon a time, they dreamed together.
But now? Now they were just shadows of that past.
"Leave," Arnold said tiredly. "I wish to be alone."
Without a word, Old madame turned and walked away.
As they left the hospital, Ana stared out the window of the black sedan, her hand unconsciously resting on her belly. Her heart was heavy, yet somewhere within it flickered the faintest, most fragile ember of something else.
Hope.
And dread.
For the child growing inside her belonged to her body but not to her future.
And as Sasha sat beside her, smiling smugly, and Soraya eyed them both with a thousand unspoken thoughts, Ana realized her fight had only just begun.