Chapter 4 The Enemy's Legacy

I fell onto the bathroom floor, resting my back against the cold tiles, while I hugged my knees to my chest. The test remained on the countertop, a small device carrying the gravity of my entire world.

The plus sign was clear, mocking me as I struggled to accept the truth. My breath wavered unsteadily as I exhaled. I felt the weight of the situation pressing down on me. I question myself.

How did this happen?

There was a sudden loud knock on my door that made me startled, I quickly placed a hand on my chest to calm my racing heart.

It was a neighbor from down the hall approached, but I stayed quiet and still, waiting for the footsteps to fade before my thoughts returned to the impending catastrophe. I couldn't shake the recurring question: What would I do?

Once more, my phone vibrated with a constant buzz, cutting through the stream of my thoughts. The phone screen pops up with my brother's name, like a beacon of disappointment.

I was unable to confront him at this moment, especially with how the situation had turned upside down. When the man who caused my family's downfall unexpectedly shattered my plan and unintentionally became a part of my life in the most unexpected way. It was so complicated.

"Emily, are you okay?" My brother's voice resounded in my mind, cold and distant, just as it had been for many years. He would never understand even If he found out, he would never be able to forgive me.

With anger, I threw away the phone across the room, the noise of it hitting the couch shattering the silence that had filled the living space.

Tears began to welled at the corner of my eyes, but I stopped them from falling. I had remained strong for a long time to break down now.

I glanced at the calendar on the wall, and my heart to sank even more. Tomorrow will be the doctor's appointment.

I had no option but to leave at that moment. Despite the fear of going to the clinic and facing the nightmare, I couldn't avoid it; I had to come to terms with reality. The time had come to confront it.

The next morning, I was seated in the clinic's cold, sterile waiting room, I felt the unbearable silence added by the buzzing of fluorescent lights above.

I nervously twisted my fingers around the strap of my bag. I was glancing at the door every few seconds, praying in hopes that no familiar face would appear and see me while sitting there at that moment.

"Ms. Carter?" The nurse called out my name calmly yet firmly, cutting through my anxious thoughts.

Where I was standing, my legs were feeling weak and shaky. I felt my hands sweat as I gripped the edge of the chair, following the nurse into the examination room. The scent in the room was antiseptic, sharp, and clean, which seemed to make them all real, serving as a reminder of the clinical situation I was about to face.

"Kindly rest back, ma." "The nurse tried to comfort me with a smile, "Dr. Jacobs would be with me soon," but it did little to ease my anxiety.

I sat down on the examination table with a rigid nod. I felt trapped inside, weighed down by uncertainty like a thick blanket pressing on me. All I could do was focus on the tiles above me instead of the chaotic storm in my thoughts.

Shortly after, the door made a creaking noise as it opened, and Dr. Jacobs, a woman in her middle age with a kind-looking and professional appearance, stepped into the room.

"It's nice to see you, Emily," she said while taking a look at my chart. "What are you feeling today, Ms Emily?"

I swallowed hard. I wondered, What should I be feeling? But I could only manage to stammer, "I... I don't even know."

Dr. Jacobs showed her sympathy by nodding. "Oh, I understand completely well. How about we take it one step at a time, okay?"

I attempted to remain calm as Dr. Jacobs started the examination, but every noise and every motion felt amplified. The chilly gel on my stomach made me flinch, while the quiet buzz of the ultrasound machine filled the room with an eerie stillness.

While the doctor used the wand to examine my abdomen, I felt my heart racing in my chest, as I stared at the screen waiting.

"Here," Dr. Jacobs whispered. "That is your child."

I felt a sudden tightness in my chest. A little, flickering heartbeat was steadily pulsing on the screen. It felt like a dream.

Unbelievable.

It was no longer just a positive symbol. It was a life. A heartbeat. A part of Alexander Wolfe that was now integrated into my being. The man I hated a lot for being my father's ruined. How would I explain this?

My eyes filled with tears, but I blinked them away quickly. I whispered, "I didn't expect it to feel so real."

Dr. Jacobs gazed at me with a look of understanding in her eyes. "It's too much to handle. Whatever you choose, Emily, we will be there for you and support you. There is no need to hurry in decision-making."

I nodded, feeling numb, my gaze fixed on the thumping heartbeat. I had come here seeking understanding, looking for an escape route.

However, as I stared at the monitor, I only experienced overwhelming confusion. What possible means could I use to get rid of this child's existence? How can I introduce it to the world, considering the overwhelming chaos and destruction that it would result in?

I placed my hand on my stomach, feeling the delicate bond that connected me to this child. "The child of my enemy right inside of me."

The thought kept wandering in my mind.

It was too heavy to handle. The original simple mission of revenge in black-and-white has evolved into something much more intricate. Much more dangerous than I could barely.

As I was leaving the clinic, I noticed it seemed more cramped; it was as if the walls were closing around me. I walked unsteadily into the strong sunlight, trying to clear the spots dancing in my vision by blinking. My feet kept moving automatically, as my mind was preoccupied elsewhere.

I needed to think. I needed some space. No matter how hard I tried, my mind continuously returned to one individual.

Alexander.

The name is Alexander.

He was completely unaware. I'm sure he had no idea of the chaos he had caused or the existence he had shaped. I had not received any communication from him since that evening; neither did he call or message, and a sense of relief had filled a part of me. What about now? I wasn't sure about my emotions now.

I felt a jolt in my chest. I reached into my pocket to retrieve my buzzing phone. It was a text message.

It did not come from any other source. It came from an unexpected source.

A message from Alexander.

"I must meet with you."

I gasped; I was unable to exhale as my breath stuck in my throat. We had not spoken for weeks. There must be a reason for this perfect timing. What could he want?

I hesitated with my fingers over the screen; I was torn between reading the message and tossing the phone into the nearby storm drain. However, just as I was about to make a decision, my phone vibrated once more, displaying the same message on my screen.

"I must meet with you. Kindly comply with the request."

His words filled me with a sudden sense of urgency. There must be something wrong. Completely incorrect.

Then I blinked... A completely blurred vision, my mind had drifted far away beyond imagination.

My mind raced as I blinked away to realize it was Lucas, not Alexander. Did he already discover the truth about the child? Was this a ploy to confront me? Expose me? Or worse... was this about Alexander?

Before I could decide, my phone buzzed again, Lucas's name lighting up the screen once more.

"I can't wait, Emily. You owe me the truth."