Chapter 2 A Life Changed Forever

Aurora sat on the edge of her bed, her hands trembling as she stared at the pregnancy test.

Positive.

The word might as well have been shouted in her face.

Her stomach twisted, a mix of shock, panic, and something deeper-something she wasn't ready to name.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

It had been one night. One reckless, passionate, unforgettable night. But she had taken precautions-or at least, she thought she had.

Now, her world was spinning out of control.

Her phone buzzed beside her, snapping her out of her haze. She blinked, dragging in a shaky breath before glancing at the screen.

Lena.

Of course. Her sister had been texting all morning.

Aurora, are you alive?

Please tell me you didn't forget about lunch.

I swear to God, if you don't answer, I'm coming over.

Aurora groaned and ran a hand through her curls, forcing herself to get up. She couldn't just sit here, staring at the test all day, waiting for reality to sink in.

Reality had already hit her like a freight train.

She was pregnant with Damien Lexington's baby.

And he had no idea.

An Hour Later – Café Verona

Lena was already at their usual booth when Aurora arrived, her sharp brown eyes narrowing the moment she saw her sister.

"You look like hell," Lena declared, setting down her coffee. "Hungover? Or did you just get attacked by a tornado?"

Aurora attempted a laugh, but it came out weak. She slid into the seat across from Lena, wrapping her hands around a warm cup of coffee the moment the waitress set it down.

"Neither," she muttered.

Lena studied her, tapping her manicured nails against the table. "Okay, spill. You've got that look."

"What look?"

"The 'I'm freaking out but trying to act normal' look." She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "Aurora, seriously. What's going on?"

Aurora swallowed hard, staring down into her coffee like it held the answers she needed.

This was it. The moment she said it out loud, there was no taking it back.

She had to tell someone.

"I'm pregnant."

Lena's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

Aurora bit her lip. "I took a test this morning. It's positive."

For a second, Lena just stared, like Aurora had just told her she was moving to Mars.

Then-

"Holy sh-"

"Shhh!" Aurora hissed, glancing around as a few customers turned their heads.

Lena clamped a hand over her mouth before dropping it, eyes still wide. "You're pregnant?"

Aurora nodded weakly.

"Who-" Lena stopped, shook her head, and sighed. "Never mind. I already know."

Aurora stiffened. "You do?"

Lena gave her a pointed look. "Aurora, you're not exactly the type to have random hookups. And the last time we went out for drinks, you spent half the night locked in conversation with Damien freaking Lexington."

Aurora winced. "It wasn't supposed to be anything serious."

Lena raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah? Well, looks like you got the most serious consequence possible."

Aurora dropped her head into her hands. "I don't know what to do, Lena."

Lena exhaled, her voice softening. "Have you told him?"

"No. And I don't plan to."

Lena's brow furrowed. "Aurora..."

Aurora shook her head. "Lena, you don't understand. He left me a note. That's all. No second rounds. No emotions. Just business as usual for him. He doesn't do attachments. This?" She gestured at her stomach, even though there wasn't a bump yet. "This isn't something he wants."

Lena's jaw tightened. "Okay, fine. But don't you think he at least deserves to know? It's his baby, too."

Aurora flinched. She hated that part.

Because Lena was right.

But the thought of facing Damien again-of telling him something this massive, something that would shake both their worlds-it made her stomach churn.

She'd seen the kind of man he was. Ruthless. Powerful. A billionaire with control over everything.

And if he knew?

Would he try to take that control over her life, too?

Aurora shuddered.

No. She couldn't risk that.

"It's my decision," she said firmly. "I'll handle this on my own."

Lena sighed but didn't argue. Instead, she reached across the table and squeezed Aurora's hand.

"I'm here for you. No matter what."

Aurora smiled weakly, but deep inside, anxiety clawed at her chest.

Because no matter how much she told herself she could handle this alone...

Something told her Damien Lexington wasn't the kind of man to stay out of something that belonged to him.

Lexington Enterprises – Damien's Office

Damien leaned back in his chair, eyes flickering over the financial report in front of him.

It was flawless, just as he expected. His company was thriving, his investments soaring.

Everything was under control.

Then why the hell had he been so distracted lately?

His jaw clenched as he reached for his whiskey glass, taking a slow sip.

It had been over a month.

Since her.

Since that night at the Lexington Hotel, where he had lost himself in a woman who wasn't afraid to challenge him.

Aurora Sinclair.

A name that shouldn't still be in his head.

But it was.

She was supposed to be just one night. A moment of distraction. A way to silence the stress that came with running an empire.

But something about her had been different.

He had walked away, just like he always did. Left a note-no second rounds-and expected her to disappear from his thoughts.

So why the hell did she keep creeping back into them?

A knock at his office door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Come in," he said sharply.

His assistant, Mark, stepped inside, holding a file. "Sir, you asked for updates on all current press reports."

Damien took the file and flipped through it without much interest-until his eyes landed on a photo.

A grainy, zoomed-in image taken outside a café.

Of Aurora Sinclair.

Damien stilled, his eyes narrowing.

The headline beneath the image sent a slow burn through his veins.

"Journalist Aurora Sinclair spotted looking unwell-Sources speculate pregnancy."

A heartbeat of silence.

Then-a crash.

Damien's glass shattered against the floor as he shot to his feet, his pulse roaring in his ears.

No.

It couldn't be.

Could it?

His fingers curled into fists, his mind racing.

There was only one way to find out.

If Aurora Sinclair thought she could keep secrets from him, she was about to find out just how wrong she was.