The clatter of dishes and the faint aroma of toast filled the kitchen. Anya sat at the table, staring into nothingness.
"Anya, want some yogurt?" Ivy lifted a glass bowl, her brows pinched with worry.
Anya shook her head. "No. I don't want anything."
Ji-su turned from the counter, frowning. "You skipped lunch yesterday. And dinner."
"I don't have an appetite. Food makes me nauseous."
Silence stretched. Then Ivy's gasp broke it. "Don't tell me…" Her eyes widened. "We're expecting Aster Junior?"
Anya's blood froze. "Don't even joke about that."
Ji-su's quiet voice made the tension sharper. "I don't think she's joking."
Anya's heart raced. "Are you saying I'm… pregnant?"
Both of them nodded.
"I… I don't want to be," she whispered, voice trembling.
Ivy cupped her face, tone firm but soft. "It doesn't work that way." She turned to Ji-su. "Go. Get the test."
Minutes later, Ji-su returned, breathless. Anya disappeared into the bathroom. The two waited outside, tension pressing against the walls.
When Anya stepped out, she looked pale—haunted. Ivy snatched the test from her hand. "Negative. You're not pregnant."
Relief flooded Ji-su's face. "See? Nothing to worry about."
But Anya's voice was hollow. "Then why do I feel pregnant?" Her hand rested unconsciously over her stomach.
Ji-su tried to reassure her, but when she left, Ivy knelt beside Anya. "Listen. Sorry I lied about you not being pregnant."
Anya's eyes lowered in terror. "I'm carrying Aster's baby… my sister's fiancé."
Tears spilled down her cheeks. "What am I going to do?"
Ivy's embrace was fierce, protective. "You're going to breathe. And you're going to trust me. I'll protect you—and this baby—with everything I've got."
But Anya's heart whispered a fear she dared not say aloud.
If Aster finds out… everything will burn.