Daddy’s billionaire step-brother
Chapter 41: Don’t ruin this

Clara hurried out of her history class, her mind still buzzing with the conversation she had with Jessica earlier. She wasn't ready to face anything right now, least of all the possibility of being pregnant. But just as she stepped into the hallway,

she felt the familiar nausea rising again. The bathroom was again her only escape.

As soon as she pushed open the door to the girls' bathroom, she froze. Elena was already there, fixing her lipstick in the mirror. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Clara's stomach churned-not just from the nausea. Elena gave her a once-over and then smirked slightly. "Well, well. Look who is here. You're still keeping our little secrets, right?"

Clara swallowed hard, trying to avoid her gaze as she headed toward the sink. "I'm not... Look, I don't want any trouble, Elena."

Elena raised an eyebrow, turning to face her. "I tried to be nice to you, you know. And believe me, that was hard. Because you don't even want the very thing I've been dreaming of my entire life."

Clara turned the faucet on, watching the water run but not really focusing. She was already exhausted, and this confrontation wasn't what she needed. "I'm sorry, okay? This whole situation sucks for both of us. Marrying Henry was never my idea."

Elena crossed her arms, leaning against the counter. "Yeah, well, sorry doesn't really fix it, does it? Henry told me he kissed you once and you liked it. He was actually trying to seduce you, you know. Before we knew you decided to fuck your uncle. Convenient for us, though. Now he doesn't have to pretend he cares about you."

Clara flinched at her words, her eyes snapping up to meet Elena's cold gaze. "Was that the plan the whole time?" she asked, her voice trembling. "To make me believe Henry actually cared about me?" Elena's expression softened for just a moment, but the bitterness remained. "I'm sorry. Really, I am. But that was the deal my father made with yours. Either you marry Henry, or..." Clara frowned. "Or what?"

Elena took a step closer, her voice low and filled with barely controlled anger. "I don't know how it would go for you, but for me... I would end up in some mental hospital in Switzerland for the rest of my life. That's my situation if the wedding doesn't happen."

Clara's heart dropped. This was so much worse than she'd imagined. She sighed, feeling the weight of everything piling on her shoulders. "I... I have to go."

Before Clara could make a move toward the door, Elena grabbed her arm, her fingers digging into Clara's skin. Her voice turned sharp, almost threatening. "Don't ruin this for us. You hear me? Don't you dare ruin this."

Clara looked down at the hand gripping her arm, then back up at Elena, her heart racing. "Let go of me," she whispered.

Elena released her with a little shove, glaring at her as Clara rushed out of the bathroom.

Clara's mind was spinning as she made her way to meet Jessica. The conversation with Elena felt like another punch to the gut, another reminder that her life was slipping out of her control. She couldn't even begin to process how twisted everything was, how deep the lies and manipulation ran. And now... now she might have a huge problem to deal with.

Clara and Jessica left school in a rush, walking quickly to the nearby drugstore. Clara's hands trembled as they browsed the shelves, grabbing a couple of pregnancy tests. Jessica stayed close, not saying much, but her presence was comforting. They paid in silence and headed straight to Jessica's place.

Inside Jessica's bathroom, Clara tore open the box, her heart racing. She locked the door behind her and took the tests, placing them on the counter to wait for the results. The few minutes felt like an eternity, and she slumped against the sink, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

For just a moment, Clara allowed herself to dream about the impossible a life where she and Adrian could be happy, where they'd live far away from the drama of the Caldwells, her father's expectations, and the weight of their forbidden relationship. She imagined them expecting their baby together, Adrian holding her, both of them excited for the future. The thought brought a small smile to her lips, even though deep down, she knew it was a fantasy.

Reality quickly set in. She imagined her father's reaction-the anger, the crushing disappointment. How could she even begin to face him? She pictured the looks she'd get, the whispers behind her back. The bad reputation she already had would only get worse. And what if Adrian didn't want to be involved? What if this was too much for him, and he walked away?

Clara's chest tightened as the weight of it all came crashing down. She closed her eyes and prayed. Please, let it be negative. Please, I'm not ready for this.

Her heart pounded as she opened her eyes and looked down at the test results.

Two lines. Positive.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt the room spin for a moment. Everything she'd been trying to ignore, all her fears and hopes, hit her like a tidal wave. She was pregnant.