Chapter 1 I Am Pregnant

"Ms. Slater, I'm pregnant. The baby is Mr. Gibson's, and here's the pregnancy test report," announced a woman, who deftly slid a document across the desk with her delicate fingers.

Carmella Slater glanced at the paper before lifting her gaze to meet the woman's eyes. "So? Need my help to get you an ob-gyn appointment, Ms. Yale?"

"That won't be necessary," the woman replied, shaking her head. She caressed her still-flat belly with a self-satisfied grin. "I just came by to give you the scoop. Mr. Gibson's gone and gotten me pregnant."

"And?" Carmella pressed, unfazed.

She knew this woman—Fiona Yale—a model whose face had recently exploded over billboards and feeds alike. Two months earlier, she and Carmella's husband, Matthew Gibson, had been the flavor of the gossip rags, snapped entering into lavish hotels. The story had quickly gained traction online, forcing Gibson Group to quash the rumors promptly. For Carmella, though, it was another verse of the same old song. Fiona was just the latest in a long line—the twenty-first, if anyone was keeping track. And by now, the sharp twinges of betrayal seemed to feel a lot like routine.

Carmella picked up the pregnancy report from the desk and checked the dates. They lined up just right.

Fiona seemed to read her mind, her smile deepening mischievously. "No mistake, it was exactly two months ago, that night with Mr. Gibson..." Her voice dropped off as she looked down, her cheeks flushing.

Carmella snickered. "Ms. Yale, as you've made it abundantly clear, Mr. Gibson is the father. But I'm just his secretary. What's the endgame here? Or let me guess, you can't get hold of him and you're hoping I'll play messenger?"

Fiona's confident smile seized up. Carmella had hit the nail on the head. Ever since that night two months ago, Matthew had blocked her number. She'd just managed to claw her way into his orbit, and there was no chance she'd let a catch like him escape now.

"I've done my homework on you. You've been with Mr. Gibson the longest. I can't imagine there's nothing between you two. Consider this pregnancy report both a warning and a favor. You must know Mr. Gibson is out of your league, but me..." She paused, her hand returning to her stomach. "I am not like you at all. I've got the looks, the class, and soon, his child."

"If you back me up, I'll make sure you're taken care of. But if you turn me down..." Fiona's sweetness drained from her face, giving way to a cold hardness. "When I take the Gibson name, you're the first on my list."

Carmella's lips curled up in amusement at Fiona's warning and carrot-and-stick approach. It was truly a first for her, to encounter a woman like Fiona who had the nerve to seek an alliance with her, Matthew's wife. She leaned in, probing, "Considering you're so set on becoming Mrs. Gibson, you must know what he detests the most, right?"

"What?" Fiona asked instinctively, stunned.

"He can't stand liars, and, oh, fake beauty," Carmella disclosed.

"You... What do you mean by that?" Fiona's annoyance flared up.

Carmella stood up, a chill in her gaze. "Ms. Yale, you know what I'm talking about. All the nips and tucks and the real story behind the pregnancy. And, let's be honest, even with the surgery, do you really think you look good? Does your face truly appeal?"

Fiona was hit by a wave of realization as she finally saw the woman in front of her in full light. She had to admit, Carmella was drop-dead gorgeous. In her light, Fiona felt utterly plain and unremarkable.

Fiona's face turned pale and then flushed red—emotions colliding within her. But before she could even process it all, Carmella had already dialed security, coolly arranging to have her escorted out.

*****

Barely half an hour had passed since Fiona's departure when the office door was kicked open. Carmella glanced up and there was Matthew, looking like a thundercloud. He was decked out in a sharp, black suit that showed off his athletic build. His usually charming mug had a mask of restrained anger.

'Who managed to piss Mathew off this much?' Carmella's mind raced, and instinctively, she edged back a couple of steps. But before she could spit out a word, he seized her arm forcefully.

Carmella froze. In all the time they'd been married, Matthew hadn't laid a finger on her. Three years in and it was like they were just two people living parallel lives. At work, he acted like she was just part of the background, never engaging in chit-chat unless it was about the job. That was why the whole company was in the dark about them being married.

But there he was, holding onto her arm. 'What's his deal?' she wondered.