Delilah Kelly had been feeling off for the past two days, her mornings plagued by waves of nausea.

Could she be pregnant? The thought struck her with a sharp jolt. She tightened her gaze, praying it was just a passing bug. To be certain, she slipped into a clinic for a check-up. When she held the ultrasound scan in her hands, her world stalled. One month along. She was stunned.

She was pregnant. She was actually carrying a child. But she knew with absolute clarity that the father was not Maximus Anderson.

What now? Should she terminate it? Delilah’s hand trembled as she smoothed it over her still-flat stomach. A tiny life was coiled within her, tethered to her existence. She had spent years harboring a toxic envy for Rose Harrison—envy for her pedigree, her beauty, and even her children. That jealousy had once driven her to strike at Rose’s own pregnancy, desperate to prevent anything from shattering the life she’d fought so hard to steal.

Yet, in this quiet moment, the weight of her womanhood shifted. She felt a new, primal sense of purpose. She wanted to keep it.

If she was going to have this baby, she had to make Maximus believe it was his. The plan sprouted in her mind, cold and calculated.

By evening, Delilah had set the stage. She prepared steak and opened a bottle of vintage red wine, the candlelight flickering across the table as she waited for him to return. To seal the deal, she chose a seductive, strapless black cocktail dress that hugged her frame, highlighting every curve. The night felt electric, and Delilah had never looked more dangerous.

A month later, Delilah had successfully bribed a doctor to fabricate a fake ultrasound report. She waited for the perfect moment to spring her surprise on Maximus.

"Max, darling, I have a secret," Delilah said, affecting a tone of wide-eyed mystery.

"Oh? What kind of secret?" Maximus asked, playing along.

"Ta-da!" Delilah pulled out the lab report, watching him with breathless anticipation. "Look at this."

Maximus took the paper, his eyes scanning the blurred, bean-sized image. A jolt of genuine shock hit him. "You… you’re pregnant?"

"Yes! Max, you’re going to be a daddy!" Delilah beamed, her eyes crinkling into perfect, sugary crescents.

***

In another part of town, Rose Harrison put down her book as her phone chimed. It was a call from Lily Hughes.

"Rose, hey! Where are you?" Lily’s voice crackled through the speaker, brimming with energy.

"I’m at home. What’s up?" Rose asked.

"Home? Perfect! You’ve got nothing going on, then. Dig out your passport. We’re heading to the Maldives!" Lily announced.

"The Maldives? That sounds lovely. I do have some free time, a little getaway might be nice," Rose replied with a faint smile.

"Great! I’ll count on you, then! Talk soon, bye!" Lily hung up, the sounds of her friends cheering in the background spilling through the line.

Rose shook her head with a smile. It was likely another one of Lily’s spontaneous group trips. Still, the Maldives in this season was beautiful. She set her phone down, then paused. Her passport—it was still at the old house she used to share with Maximus. She’d have to find time to swing by and grab it.

The next day, under a clear, bright sky, Rose drove her red sports car into the gated estate, pulling up to the sleek villa. The place was desolate; Maximus despised intruders in his private sanctuary, so he kept the staff to a bare minimum.

Rose unlocked the front door and stepped inside.

In the living room, Delilah was lounging on the sofa, pampered and relaxed as she finished a facial treatment. She didn't bother to look up, assuming it was Maximus returning home.

"Max, why are you back so early?" she called out, her voice languid. "Did you forget something?"