I sat on the edge of the bed, clutching a pillow and blanket to cover myself. Across from me, Leo did the same, hiding behind a pillow like it could shield him from the awkwardness.
The suite smelled wrong. Too warm. Clothes scattered, sheets wrinkled. Our outfits were nowhere in sight.
Leo peeked at me from behind his hand, his ears burning red. "Wait, I don't get it. What the hell is going on? Why are you… with me?"
I said nothing, racking my brain, but everything was a blur.
Then Leo jabbed a finger at me. "You! You're the one who told Nathan's secretary to bring me that drink! What did you slip into it? Don't tell me this is some kind of revenge—"
"Oh, please!" I snapped, cutting him off. "When did I ever tell Rose—" My breath caught. "Shit… Nath—Mr. Nathan was the one who handed me that drink. I drank it too! That's why neither of us remembers anything." My tone stiffened, slipping back into my disguise. I couldn't afford to slip up.
Leo muttered under his breath, "Nathan… What the hell is he pulling this time?"
I ignored him and spotted a pile of clothes dumped by the door. Relief burst out of me. "There! Our clothes!"
Leo flinched at my sudden shout and scrambled up to check too. We both headed for the door until I froze mid-step. My stomach lurched.
Something on the carpet glinted under the dim light.
Leo bumped into me with a grunt. "What the, why'd you stop?" He sidestepped, and then he saw it too.
"Holy shit…"
Crumpled wrappers and used condoms littered the floor, mocking us with their filthy evidence.
~~~~~
I bit my thumb nervously as Max and Juno stared me down from the couch across. Their eyes screamed interrogation.
"Val, spill it already," Juno snapped, arms crossed tight. "Did Leo find out you're undercover?"
I slumped deeper into the cushions, groaning. "No… ugh, that's not it. I just…there's some weird tension between Leo and Nathan. And I think I got dragged into it. Like… like I'm their newest pawn."
"Pawn?" Max leaned forward, suddenly serious. "Wait, are they trying to tie you to your dad's case?"
"No, no! God, this is so hard to explain…" I chewed at my thumb again.
Juno smacked my hand away. "Valerie! Enough. Use words, not nervous ticks. We can't help if you can't spit it out!"
"Fine!" I threw my hands up. "I think I slept with Leo!"
Silence. Pure, suffocating silence.
"…What?" Max and Juno echoed together.
I sat upright, face burning. "I think so, yeah. And I think Nathan set it up. I don't remember a damn thing, but I woke up in a hotel room and there were… you know…" I lowered my voice, "…condoms everywhere."
Silence again. Even the clock on the wall seemed to stop ticking.
"Oh, for God's sake, say something!" I yelled, burying my face in my palms.
"Wait, Val… you really don't remember?" Juno asked, her sharpness softening into worry. "Not even before it happened?"
I grabbed the nearest glass of water, gulped it down, and slammed it onto the table. "No. All I know is Nathan handed me his so-called 'signature mix,' and Rose delivered it to Leo. But Leo swore I was the one who told her to. That drink is the only explanation."
Max suddenly grabbed my hand, eyes wide. "Val. Are you on the pill? Should I run out and buy a test kit? Just in case?"
"Seriously, Max?!" Juno barked, glaring. "Your best friend got drugged and you're worried about pregnancy?!"
"Well, duh!" Max shot back. "If she ends up pregnant, that's an even bigger mess!"
"Guys, relax." I squeezed Max's hand, forcing a shaky smile. "I take the pill regularly. I should be fine. But thanks… for caring."
Juno exhaled hard. "Alright, then let's circle back. Nathan drugged you. Why? What's his motive?"
I leaned against Max's shoulder, my voice heavy. "Leo and Nathan's relationship is… complicated. But it doesn't get me closer to my father's killer. Anyone in that office could still be responsible."
The air grew thick again, tension pressing down on us.
Then Max suddenly gasped, clapping her hands like she'd just solved world hunger.
Both me and Juno flinched. "What?!" Juno snapped.
"That's it! Val just needs to get pregnant!" Max blurted.
~~~~~
"Jonathan! Get down here!" Leonardo's voice thundered through the Rhys estate, sharp enough to rattle the glass windows. He was still in last night's gala suit, jacket wrinkled, tie hanging loose.
Jonathan leaned over the upstairs railing, grinning. "Well, well. Someone didn't go home. Must've been one hell of a night, huh, little brother?"
"Cut the crap!" Leo barked, every syllable laced with fury. "What the hell did you do?"
The house went dead silent. Servants froze mid-step.
Eleanor emerged from the dining room, frowning. "Leo, darling, why are you yelling at your brother like that?"
Before Leo could answer, another voice cut in. "Mother, it's fine." Nathan appeared at the bottom of the stairs, calm as ever, coffee steaming in his hand. "Leo just needs to blow off steam." He glanced at Leo with a smile that was anything but kind. "Coffee?"
Leo's jaw clenched. "Library. Now."
Nathan chuckled, kissed Eleanor's cheek lightly. "Don't worry, Mom. You know how Leo gets." Then he followed his brother down the hall.
Inside the library, the heavy door clicked shut. Leo paced once, twice, before stopping across from Nathan. His voice was low, but sharp as glass. "What the hell was in that drink last night?"
Nathan leaned back in his chair, perfectly composed. "Drink? Oh, you mean my little welcome gift for Emily? Come on, Leo, it was just a cocktail. You two must've partied a bit harder than you realized."
Leo slammed a hand against the desk. "Don't play dumb with me."
Nathan arched a brow. "So certain, are we? Tell me, did Emily accuse me too? Or was that just your paranoia talking?" His tone dripped with mockery.
Leo's breath came rough, fury boiling under his skin, but he forced himself to stay measured. "Stay the hell out of my business, Nathan. Whatever you're scheming, leave her out of it."
Nathan smirked, folding his arms. "Scheming? Please. You sound ridiculous. Emily's a secretary, Leo. Pretty, sure, but hardly worth your… temper tantrum." He let the words hang, heavy with implication. "Unless you've taken a special interest in her?"
Leo didn't rise to the bait. He just glared, silent, his jaw grinding so tight it hurt.
Finally, he straightened, voice quiet but laced with venom. "I'm warning you. Try me again, and you'll regret it."
Nathan's smirk widened. "Ah, there it is. The famous Leo temper. Always a pleasure."
Leo turned on his heel and stormed out, leaving Nathan chuckling softly in the empty library.
~~~~~
That morning, the room felt colder than usual. Too cold. My fingers kept twitching as I stared at the small object burning a hole in my pocket.
A test pack. Two lines.
"Damn it, Max…" I muttered under my breath, remembering the ridiculous conversation from a week ago.
. . .
"Think about it, Val!" Max had said, eyes practically glowing. "If Leo believes you're pregnant, he'll have to react. And his reaction? That's our evidence."
I'd gawked at her. "Evidence? What the hell are you even talking about?"
Max leaned closer, lowering her voice like she was hatching some grand conspiracy. "If he tells you to abort, then bingo, he could've killed your dad. Anyone who'd kill an unborn child wouldn't blink at killing a grown man."
"That logic makes no sense," Juno deadpanned, but she didn't walk away either.
"Oh, come on! It's perfect!" Max insisted, waving her arms. "But if Leo steps up…offers money, takes responsibility, hell, maybe even marries you, we get closer to the Rhys family. And if he's the killer? Even better. He's in our net."
I rubbed my temples, exasperated. "Max, you're insane."
Juno shrugged, smirking. "Insane, but not entirely wrong. I'll bet ten bucks Leo tells you to get rid of it." She slapped a bill on the table.
"And I'll bet twenty he marries you!" Max shouted, digging through her bag.
"You two are unbelievable," I groaned, covering my face.
. . .
A sharp sound pulled me back to the present…footsteps outside the office. My pulse jumped.
Leonardo walked in, rumpled as always, a week's worth of cold distance still clinging to him. He barely looked at me, just muttered something under his breath as he disappeared into his office.
If he really despised me after that night, why hadn't he just fired Emily Hart?
Five minutes later, I forced myself to knock. My hand was sweating.
Leo was at his desk, flipping through a document. He glanced up once before snapping it shut. "What?" Cold. Detached.
God, I wanted to throw a stapler at his ridiculously perfect face. Instead, I pulled the card Max had forced into my hand a week ago. Time to play victim.
"You know, ever since that night—" His jaw tensed, but I pushed through. "I… I haven't been able to sleep. Because I… didn't take my pill." Lie.
Leo's eyes narrowed. "Your point?"
I swallowed hard and set the test pack down in front of him. Two red lines, clear as day.
"I'm pregnant, Mr. Rhys."