Lyvana was on her way to Aurora. A stack of business papers sat on the leather seat next to her.

Two weeks had passed since her grand wedding at St. Clair Palace. She was now the wife of the most powerful man in the city, but she had absolutely no plans to just sit at home doing nothing.

As the driver turned the corner toward her office building, a strange, sudden flutter hit her stomach. She pressed a hand lightly against her belly, wondering if she was just nervous about the big meetings scheduled for today.

The car pulled up to the curb and came to a smooth stop. Marco quickly got out, stepping around to open the passenger door for her.

Lyvana smiled, stepping out of the vehicle and smoothing down her dress.

The moment Lyvana stepped out of her car, a figure burst from the shadows, rushing straight toward her.

Before the man could even close the distance, Marco intercepted him. With a fluid, practiced motion, he grabbed the intruder’s wrist and twisted his arm sharply behind his back, pinning him down.

"Ouch! Liv, it’s me, it’s me! It’s Mark!" a frantic voice cried out in pain.

"Mark?" Lyvana gasped. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Ouch, let go, it hurts!" Mark groaned, his face contorted as he struggled against Marco’s grip. "I just need to talk to you, Liv... please!"

​"What do you want me to do with him?" Marco asked.

​"Get him out of my sight!" Lyvana snapped.

Without giving Mark another glance, she turned on her heel and started walking straight into Aurora.

​That was when Mark noticed her small baby bump.

​"Are you pregnant, Liv?" he asked.

​"Shut up and move," Marco barked, shoving him back.

​"Lyvana, wait!" Mark screamed, desperately trying to break free from Marco’s grip.

​Lyvana froze for a second, but she didn’t turn around. She kept her eyes fixed straight ahead and forced her feet to move, disappearing behind the heavy glass doors of the building.

Mark stood on the sidewalk looking confused.

The morning was hot, but he barely noticed. His mind was still stuck on what he had just seen.

​A baby bump? But Lyvana can’t have any kids, right?

​He stared at the building. The timeline rushed through his head, the weeks and months coming together. If she was pregnant, and if the child was his...

​"I told you to keep moving," Marco’s cold voice cut through his thoughts.

Realizing he was completely powerless to get close to her, he cursed under his breath, then turned and walked toward his car.

He spent the next several hours waiting, hoping for a chance to speak to her about the theft.

Then a guard walked up to the window and tapped on the glass.

"Mrs. Grant will see you now," he said, adjusting his earpiece.

Mark blinked. "If course."

​"Follow me," the guard stepping back from the door.

​He didn’t waste a second. He pushed the car door open and stepped out.

The guard led him into the building.

Everything had changed since the last time he had been there.

It no longer looked like a regular fashion house.

The lobby resembled the headquarters of a multinational corporation. Sharply dressed employees carrying tablets and folders moved through the building. Large digital screens displayed their top designs, international projects, and other updates.

The security was also much tighter.

When the door of her office was opened, Mark saw Lyvana sitting behind a large desk.

​She looked up at him, coldly.

​"You have five minutes," she said. "Why are you here, Mark?"

"You look beautiful."

"Four minutes and fifty seconds," Lyvana said, looking down at her watch.

​He took a small step closer to the desk.

"Are you pregnant Liv? Tell me the truth."

Lyvana leaned back in her chair.

"You know better than anyone that I can’t have children."

The words made Mark hesitate. Of course he remembered the doctor’s appointment. He stared at her as she rested a hand on her stomach.

His eyes remained fixed there.

"Liv..." he said quietly.

Lyvana raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I remember what the doctors said," Mark admitted.

"Then why are we having this conversation?"

"Because I’m looking at you."

Lyvana remained silent and Mark took a step closer.

"Tell me the truth, Liv."

"The truth is exactly what I told you."

"Then explain your stomach."

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

"Maybe I’ve gained weight."

"You haven’t."

"Maybe it’s the dress."

"It’s not."

Mark let out a frustrated laugh.

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"I don’t particularly care what you believe."

The coldness in her voice stung. Mark’s gaze drifted back to her stomach. The more he looked at her, the more convinced he became.

"There is a baby, isn’t there?" he asked quietly.

Lyvana said nothing.

"Liv, if you’re pregnant..." he began slowly, "then the timing..."

His voice trailed off, the realization hanging heavily in the air. Across the desk, Lyvana watched him with absolute calm.

"The timing for what?" she asked.

"The timing means that child could be mine."

A slow, mocking smile touched Lyvana’s lips. "That is a very bold assumption."

"Just answer the question."

"No."

"No?" Mark pressed, stepping forward. "Is it, no, it’s not mine?"

​"No," Lyvana corrected smoothly. "As in, I am not answering your question."

​Mark stared at her in utter disbelief, suffocated by her indifference.

Meanwhile, Lyvana simply glanced down at her watch, completely dismissing him.

​"You have two minutes left, Mark."

"Liv please..."

Lyvana shook her head. "What the hell Mark? Isn’t this why you left me? Because I couldn’t give you children?"

"No Lyvana, I..."

"Isn’t Clarisse carrying your baby?"

"It’s not that simple."

"It is that simple." She folded her hands on the desk. "You watched me cry after that doctor told me I couldn’t have children. Yet what did you do? You went out with your mistress. You and your family made me feel less of myself."

"I never wanted you to feel that way."

"But I did feel that way. Every single day."

Mark swallowed. "I’m sorry."

"Tell me something, are you sorry because things didn’t work out the way you expected, or because Clarisse wasn’t the happy ending you imagined."

Mark stared at her, unable to find a response.

Lyvana glanced briefly at her stomach before looking back at him.

Mark’s eyes followed the movement.

"To answer your question," Lyvana said calmly, "yes, I am pregnant."