Chapter 9 The Decision

The weight of Claire's words settled into the pit of my stomach, a heavy, unrelenting presence. The baby, my baby, had suddenly become more than just a part of my world. It was leverage. A pawn in a game I never agreed to play. A game that had suddenly become much bigger than I had imagined.

I watched Claire carefully, her cold smile never wavering as she looked at me, expecting a reaction, but I had nothing to give her. The room felt smaller with each passing second, as if the walls were closing in, and I couldn't catch my breath.

"Claire, I'm not interested in playing these games," I said, my voice tight, trying to sound more confident than I felt. I crossed my arms, facing her squarely. "This isn't a competition. This is my life. My decision."

Claire tilted her head slightly, the smile never leaving her lips. She was always so composed, always so sure of herself. "Oh, but Lila, you've been thrust into the competition whether you like it or not. The two men are already playing the game. The question is-are you going to let them control the board, or are you going to take the pieces for yourself?"

I swallowed hard, trying to push back the rising panic. I wasn't ready for this. I wasn't ready to make these choices. Not now, not when my emotions were already in turmoil. But Claire was right about one thing: I couldn't bury my head in the sand forever. Things had already escalated, and I was caught in the middle of it all. I couldn't pretend I didn't have a stake in this anymore.

"What do you want from me, Claire?" I asked, the words coming out more forcefully than I intended. "You've shown up here with all these veiled threats and cryptic comments. Just tell me what you're after."

She studied me for a moment, then sighed dramatically, as though she were indulging me. "What I'm after is simple. You need to make a decision. Jordan or Declan. One of them will be your future. And that future is in your hands now, whether you want it to be or not."

I shook my head. "I don't know if I can make that decision. I don't know if I even should."

"You have to," she insisted, her voice cool. "I've already told you, Lila. The moment the media caught wind of your pregnancy, it became bigger than just your feelings. It's about power. Who you choose, and how you play it, will determine who controls what happens next. You can't sit on the fence forever."

I exhaled sharply, the stress of the past few days flooding over me. "And what happens if I don't choose? What if I just walk away from both of them?"

Claire's lips curled into a smirk. "Then you'll be left with nothing, Lila. No company, no power, and certainly no future with either of them. You'll become a forgotten footnote in their stories. Do you really want that?"

Her words stung more than I wanted to admit, and I couldn't help but feel a flicker of panic rise in my chest. The truth was, I didn't know what I wanted anymore. I didn't know if I wanted a life with Jordan or Declan. And I sure as hell didn't want to be manipulated by Claire-or anyone else, for that matter.

"I need some time, Claire," I said, my voice more strained now. "I can't do this right now. Not with everything else going on."

She studied me, a glint of amusement dancing in her eyes. "Time? Oh, Lila. Time is something you don't have. The longer you wait, the more control they'll take. You'll be left with nothing but regrets."

With that, she turned and walked to the door, pausing for just a moment before she opened it. "Think carefully, Lila. The game is already in motion. You can't just ignore it."

The door clicked shut behind her, and I stood there for a long moment, listening to the silence in the apartment. My heart was pounding in my chest. I had never been good at decisions. I had always preferred to let things play out naturally, to see where the chips fell. But this was different. This wasn't just about me anymore. This was about a future that had already started to unfold, and I was terrified I wasn't ready for it.

Suddenly, I felt completely alone.

I pulled my phone from my pocket, my fingers hovering over Declan's number. I could call him. I could ask for advice, ask him what he thought. He had always been there for me, a steady presence in the chaos of my life. He was patient, understanding, the one person who seemed to have no agenda other than to help me figure things out. But something stopped me. Something deep inside told me I needed to make this decision on my own.

So I put the phone down and walked over to the window, staring out at the city below. The sun was starting to set, casting long shadows across the buildings. It was beautiful, in its own way. But the beauty felt hollow now, as if I were watching life from a distance, disconnected from everything. The world outside seemed so distant, so foreign. How could I go back to that world now, when everything I had known was crumbling apart?

I jumped when my phone buzzed again, this time with a message. I glanced at the screen, seeing Jordan's name. My heart skipped a beat.

Jordan: We need to talk.

I didn't even hesitate. I texted back, my fingers flying over the screen.

Me: I don't know what we need to talk about anymore. I've made my decision.

I stared at the message, feeling a strange sense of finality in those words. Had I made my decision? Was I truly ready to cut ties with him?

The response came almost immediately.

Jordan: Lila, please. Just give me a chance. Let me prove to you that I can change.

I stared at the words, my chest tightening. I could feel the pull of him, the temptation to let him back in, to let him fix everything that had been broken. But the truth was, I didn't know if I could forgive him. Not completely. Not after everything that had happened.

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed again. This time, it was Declan.

Declan: Take your time, Lila. But don't push me away. I'm not going anywhere.

I exhaled slowly, the weight of the decision crashing down on me once again. Both of them wanted me. Both of them claimed they could offer me something. But what did I want?

What did I want?

I sat down on the couch, my head spinning with uncertainty. I had never felt so lost, so torn. The choices before me felt like a maze, a tangled web of desires and responsibilities. And I couldn't see a clear way out.

But one thing was certain.

I had to choose.