As the weeks passed by, life at the Vaughn mansion settled into a strange rhythm. My days were filled with prenatal appointments, remote work, and the constant, hovering care of Margaret and Abigail. Their attention was relentless, sometimes suffocating, sometimes sweet, but it kept my mind busy and my body cared for. Kieran, meanwhile, was a ghost in his own house. Our interactions were brief, polite, and always tinged with an undercurrent of tension. I tried to be grateful for the security and comfort, but a persistent emptiness gnawed at me, a sense that I was living someone else's life, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
That shoe dropped on a crisp autumn afternoon, just as the leaves in the garden were turning gold and red. I was sitting outside, letting the last warm rays of the season soak into my skin, when a raised voice from inside the house caught my attention. It was sharp, angry, a sound that didn't belong in the Vaughn mansion's carefully curated calm.
Curiosity got the better of me. I stood and wandered inside, following the sound to the foyer. What I saw there stopped me cold.
A woman stood toe-to-toe with Kieran, her presence so commanding it seemed to fill the room. She was striking, tall and willowy, with a cascade of fiery red hair and eyes the color of polished emeralds. Even in her fury, she radiated elegance and power, as if she was used to being the center of every room she entered.
"How could you keep this from me, Kieran?" she demanded, her voice low and dangerous. "I thought we had an understanding!"
Kieran ran a hand through his hair, a gesture I'd come to recognize as a sign of frustration. "Please, Natalia. This isn't the time or place."
He trailed off as he noticed me standing in the doorway. Natalia's gaze followed his, and her eyes narrowed as they landed on my obvious baby bump.
A heavy silence fell. The air between us crackled with tension. Then Natalia let out a sharp, humorless laugh.
"Well, well," she said, her words dripping with disdain. "So this is why you've been so distant lately. Honestly, Kieran, I expected better from you."
She strode toward me, her eyes raking over my swollen ankles and simple maternity dress. I felt exposed, like she could see every insecurity I'd ever tried to hide.
"And you must be the lucky girl," she sneered, her voice laced with contempt. "Tell me, did you honestly think trapping a rich man with a baby was a smart career move?"
Her words stung, but I refused to let her see me flinch. I lifted my chin and met her gaze. "I'm Lila. And I'm not trapping anyone. This baby wasn't planned, but it's wanted."
Natalia's eyes flashed dangerously. "Wanted by whom? Certainly not by Kieran. He never wanted children, did you, darling?" She shot a look at Kieran, who looked as if he'd rather be anywhere else.
"Natalia, that's enough," he said quietly. "This isn't Lila's fault."
"Oh, so you're defending her now?" Natalia spat, her voice sharp as glass. "How touching. Tell me, Kieran, does she know about us? About our plans?"
My heart thudded painfully. Plans? What plans? I glanced at Kieran, searching his face for answers, but he wouldn't meet my eyes.
"There's nothing to tell," he muttered, but the words sounded hollow.
Natalia's laugh was cold and brittle. "Nothing to tell? You can't be serious. We've been together for years. We had a future mapped out, or so I thought."
My mind reeled. Natalia and Kieran? Together? He'd never mentioned her, never hinted at another relationship. Suddenly, the nausea I felt had nothing to do with pregnancy.
"I think you should leave, Natalia," Kieran said, his voice firmer now.
Natalia's gaze sharpened, her lips curling into a cruel smile. "Leave? Oh, sweetheart, I'm not going anywhere. In fact, I think it's time your new house guest and I had a little chat."
She turned to me, her eyes glinting with malice. "Listen closely, Lila. I don't know what you think you're doing here, but let me make this clear: Kieran belongs to me. We have a history that goes far deeper than your little accident."
I started to protest, but she cut me off with a raised hand. "I don't care what Margaret and Abigail think, or how much they fawn over you and your brat. You're not welcome here. You're just a nobody who got lucky, or unlucky, depending on how you look at it."
Natalia stepped closer, lowering her voice to a venomous whisper. "Because I promise you, I will make your life hell. By the time I'm done, you'll wish you'd never met Kieran. You'll regret ever stepping foot in this house."
Tears pricked at my eyes, but I blinked them away. I wouldn't give her the satisfaction. My voice shook, but I stood my ground. "You don't scare me. My baby and I belong here."
She laughed, a harsh sound. "Oh, your precious little baby. Do you really think that makes you special? Babies aren't golden tickets in our world, Lila. They're bargaining chips. And you've played your hand very, very badly."
"Enough!" Kieran's voice boomed through the foyer, breaking the tension. His face was thunderous as he stepped between us. "Natalia, it's time for you to leave."
For a moment, Natalia looked like she might argue. Then she smiled, a slow, icy smile that sent a chill down my spine. "Of course. Wouldn't want to upset the delicate little mommy-to-be. Bad for the baby, isn't it?"
She turned to go, but paused in the doorway. "And Lila? Don't get too comfortable. Your time in this house is running out. Enjoy it while you can."
With that, she swept out, leaving a silence so thick I could barely breathe.
I turned to Kieran, my emotions swirling, hurt, confusion, anger. "What was that?" I demanded. "Who is she? And what did she mean about your plans?"
Kieran sighed, suddenly looking older and more tired than I'd ever seen him. "Natalia is… was… my girlfriend. Or something like that. It's complicated."
"Complicated?" I echoed, my voice rising. "She made it sound like you two were practically married! Why didn't you ever tell me about her?"
He rubbed his face with his hands. "It's not what you think. Yes, Natalia and I have a history. But it's not the way she tells it. And it's not what I want anymore."
I shook my head, feeling small and alone. "Kieran, I don't understand any of this. Why is she so angry? Why did you let her talk to me like that?"
He looked genuinely regretful. "I'm sorry. Natalia's used to getting her way. Finding out about you and the baby… it blindsided her."
"And what about you?" My voice was barely a whisper. "Are you blindsided too?"
He was silent for a long moment. "Lila, I'm trying. I really am. But this is all… a lot."
I nodded, suddenly exhausted. My hand drifted to my bump. "I need to lie down."
Kieran hesitated, as if he wanted to say more. "Of course. I'll talk to Natalia. I'll make sure she doesn't bother you again."
As I made my way back to my room, Natalia's threats and the revelation of her relationship with Kieran echoed in my mind. I felt like I was drowning in secrets and lies. The mansion, once a place of safety, now seemed full of shadows.
I curled up on my bed, cradling my belly. "It's okay, little one," I whispered, trying to convince both my baby and myself. "We're safe here."
But even as I said the words, I didn't believe them. Everything had changed. Kieran felt farther away than ever, and Natalia's venomous words clung to me like a curse.
Tears finally spilled over, soaking my pillow. I made a silent promise to my unborn child: I would protect him, no matter what. No matter what Natalia or anyone else tried to do, I would give my baby the love and security they deserved, even if I had to do it alone.
For one thing was clear: I couldn't rely on Kieran. Not anymore. Maybe I never could. As painful as it was to admit, I had to start preparing for a future where it was just me and my child against the world.
But as I wiped my tears and sat up, something hardened inside me. I wasn't powerless. Natalia could threaten all she wanted, but I wouldn't let her, or anyone-destroy my happiness or my child's future.
Whatever came next, I would face it head-on. For both of us.
That night, as I lay in bed, a soft creak sounded outside my door. My heart thudded. Was it Kieran? Natalia? Or someone else entirely? The shadows in the hallway seemed to shift and breathe, and I realized that the real danger might not be Natalia's threats, but something lurking even deeper within these walls.
I clutched my belly and whispered, "We'll be okay." But as the night stretched on, I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince, my baby, or myself.