A Billion-Dollar Mix-Up: Pregnant With The Mysterious CEO's Baby

"The hospital mixed up the IVF sample? So I'm pregnant with someone else's baby? This has to be some kind of nightmare." Vivian Fowler stood frozen across from the doctor's desk, her face tight with shock.

"Yes. And on behalf of the hospital, I'm truly sorry for what happened," said Benny Gibson. Sweat glistened along his forehead, and his voice came out tense with guilt.

Vivian felt her balance slip, and the room seemed to blur around her.

"We are willing to offer you one million in compensation, and we will also refund every cost you paid for the IVF," Benny continued, regret heavy in his expression. "Would that help at all?"

"I don't care about your money!" Vivian shouted, her voice cracking. Her eyes burned with tears. "I wanted a child with Colin. That was the only thing that mattered!"

Only a month ago, her fiancé, Colin Harvey, had been on his way to see her when a horrific car accident changed everything, leaving him barely holding on.

His parents had pleaded with her through tears, begging her to let him leave something of himself behind.

With grief crushing her chest and guilt eating at her, Vivian had agreed to move forward with IVF using the sperm Colin had stored.

She never thought it would end in something so cruelly absurd. How was she supposed to look Colin's heartbroken parents in the eye? How was she supposed to face Colin, who might never wake up again?

Anger, shock, and heartbreak slammed into her so hard that she could barely think.

Her whole body shook as fury took over. "No. I'm ending this pregnancy. And then, I'm doing IVF again."

The words had barely left her mouth when the exam room door suddenly flew open.

Vivian spun around, her pulse jolting.

A man filled the doorway. He was impossibly tall, dressed in a dark suit that fit his broad, solid build like it was made for him.

His face was sharp and intense, but what struck her most were his eyes. They were cold and precise, the kind that seemed to cut straight through people.

When he looked at someone, it carried a silent pressure, like he was used to the world bending in his direction.

Benny quickly stepped forward, his posture stiffening. "Mr. Lewis," he said, his tone instantly careful and deferential.

William Lewis responded with a slight nod, his gaze landing on Vivian and the tears still clinging to her lashes. With calm purpose, he walked toward her, every step controlled and steady.

The room seemed to tighten around them. Vivian froze, her breath caught as her fingers curled into her palm.

Stopping in front of her, William stood close enough that she could smell something cool and clean on him, like cedar after rain.

"I am William Lewis," he said, his voice calm and unnervingly smooth. "I'm the biological father of the baby you're carrying, and I expect you to bring that child into the world."

Even without raising his tone, the weight of his presence filled the room.

Vivian forced herself not to falter. "No. I'm not giving birth to a baby for someone I don't even know."

"Then let's make this simple. One hundred million," William replied, ignoring her refusal like it was irrelevant. His tone stayed almost effortless. "That will be your payment for delivering the child. Once the baby is born, I take him with me. You leave with the money, and nothing will ever tie you to us again."

Vivian sucked in a sharp breath. She could tell he wasn't an ordinary man, but the amount still hit her like a blow. That wasn't a number people offered lightly, not even the richest men alive.

William slid a card toward her while she stared in disbelief. It was jet-black, sleek as midnight, with only a few words stamped in muted gold. William Lewis. CEO, Zeus Group.

Zeus Group was a corporate empire known across the world, with influence that stretched into every industry and technology that shaped the future.

A giant of a company like that held enough power to shake entire markets with a single decision, even sending waves through the world's economy.

The man responsible for turning it into an unstoppable force was the one who had stepped in five years ago and reshaped Zeus Group with ruthless speed and absolute control. A CEO so reclusive that no one ever saw his face in public-William Lewis.

Vivian lowered her head. So that was why his name had sounded familiar. For someone like him, a hundred million was pocket change. If not for this IVF mix-up, she would have gone her entire life without ever standing in the same room with someone like him.

And now, by a twist of fate, she was carrying his child. But none of that mattered. No amount of money could ever replace what she had with Colin.

"I already told you no," Vivian responded, her voice quiet but firm as stone. "You don't get to dictate my future."

Something subtle flashed in William's eyes, like he hadn't expected defiance, but he showed no irritation. He placed a document in front of her, his tone steady. "Your condition is not robust. Ending this pregnancy would put extreme strain on your body. And even if you attempted IVF again afterward, the odds of it working would be almost zero. There's a very real chance you would never be able to conceive again."

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Vivian lifted her head fast, fear rushing into her eyes. "Did you forge this report just to trap me into keeping this baby?"

"You're free to verify it with any top medical institution," William replied, his expression unreadable. "The diagnosis will stay the same."

The calm certainty in his voice made her skin prickle. Before she could speak again, her phone suddenly rang inside her bag, loud and sharp in the heavy silence.

The caller ID made her breath catch. It was Colin's mother.

Vivian answered immediately, and Katrina Harvey's voice burst through, shaking with emotion. "Vivi, where are you? Hurry home right now. Colin woke up just now. He's awake!"

For a second, Vivian couldn't process the words. Then, her thoughts scattered, and joy slammed into her so hard that she almost couldn't breathe.

She turned quickly, ready to bolt out the door, but a steady hand closed around her wrist.

William looked at her with a distant kind of courtesy, his grip firm but controlled. "Ms. Fowler, I understand this is overwhelming. I won't interfere with your choice, but you need to tell me what you decide. I'm the father, and I deserve to be kept informed."

Vivian's mind was already racing toward Colin, and nothing else felt worth fighting about. She pulled her wrist away sharply. "Fine. I understand!" Then, she took off, never glancing behind her.

Her feet carried her straight through the halls until she finally reached Colin's room, breathless as she grabbed for the door.

But before she could step inside, a quiet voice floated out, trembling with emotion, and it stopped her cold. "Colin, ever since you fell into that coma, I've been here every day. I couldn't stand the thought of you never opening your eyes again."

Vivian recognized it instantly. Thea Fowler, her stepsister.

Ice crawled up Vivian's back as she leaned closer, peering through the narrow opening in the door.

Colin was propped up against the pillows, and his hand reached out to wipe away Thea's tears with a tenderness that didn't belong to Vivian.

Then, without hesitation, Colin leaned forward and kissed Thea, slow and intimate, his voice warm with devotion. "Silly girl," he murmured. "For you, I would definitely wake up."

"It's all my fault!" Thea said, her breath hitching as she shook her head like she was drowning in guilt. "If your meeting with Vivian that day hadn't been delayed by bringing me cake first, you wouldn't have driven so fast, which led to the car crash..." She paused just right, her eyes flicking toward the door, almost like she was checking to see if anyone was listening.

"Stop blaming yourself. It was my own carelessness." Colin's expression softened as he tried to comfort her. "That day... I was hurrying to meet Vivian because I wanted to delay the wedding. I just didn't expect..."

Delay the wedding? The words struck Vivian like a sharp slap across the face. So that was the truth. He hadn't been rushing to see her out of love or excitement. He'd been on his way to tell her to postpone the wedding.

That car crash, the one Vivian had blamed herself for until it stole her breath every time she thought about it, wasn't some tragedy triggered by her at all. It was simply the messy consequence of their affair.

Everything she had suffered through this past month, the endless pain, the humiliating IVF procedures, and even the nightmare of carrying the wrong man's child, suddenly felt like some twisted joke played at her expense.

She realized she had been the victim, the poor fool kept in the dark. The realization tore through Vivian so sharply that it felt like something inside her split open. Her stomach lurched, and her knees nearly gave out beneath her.

A worried voice broke through the moment. "Vivian? What's happening?" Katrina called as she hurried closer.

Vivian turned slowly, locking onto Katrina's anxious face. Her voice came out flat, almost freezing. "The results came back. The IVF... failed."

Thea had just stepped into the hallway, and she caught every word. A bright, uncontrollable spark of satisfaction flickered in her eyes. Now, there was nothing stopping Colin from breaking up with Vivian.

Katrina went still before reaching for Vivian's hand, squeezing it tightly as she tried to steady her. "Oh, sweetheart... it's alright. Colin is awake now. Once you're married, there will be more chances to conceive a child. Please, go inside and see him..."

Then, Katrina looked up at Thea. "Thea, how is Colin doing?" she asked softly.

Thea's face shifted instantly, smoothing into a picture of harmless sweetness. "Colin just opened his eyes, but he's still pretty weak. I was about to grab him something to eat."

She flicked Vivian a look filled with quiet triumph before turning.

"Stop right there." Vivian's voice sliced through the hallway, cold enough to stop the air itself.

Thea paused and looked back, putting on an innocent frown. "What's the matter?"

Vivian didn't bother answering. In two fast steps, she closed the distance, lifted her hand, and struck.

Crack! The slap echoed loud and brutal as it landed across Thea's cheek.

Thea staggered, her head snapping to the side. She pressed a hand to her face as the skin flushed red, tears gathering instantly. "Why did you hit me?"

"Why?" Vivian snarled. She grabbed a handful of Thea's hair, ignoring her shriek and Katrina's shocked gasp. She yanked Thea straight into Colin's room and threw her down in front of him. "Because you're just like your mother-you love stealing what belongs to others. You're a filthy slut!"

"Vivian, have you lost your mind?" Colin's face drained as anger exploded across it. He forced himself out of bed, shoved Vivian back, and pulled Thea close as if shielding something precious.

Vivian laughed, sharp and bitter. "You're this worked up because I hit your precious little darling?"

Colin's panic flared as he stared at her. "Vivian, let me explain-"

"Explain?" Vivian moved closer, her voice almost too calm, like something shattered beneath the surface. "Explain what, Colin? Explain how you planned a wedding with me while you cheated with my stepsister behind my back? Or do you want to explain how you were racing to meet me that day just so you could push our wedding aside? Was that your plan, to keep me hanging around while you entertained your sordid little affair?"

"That's not it. I..."

Crack! The sound snapped through the room before he could finish.

Vivian's palm struck his face with brutal force, and red marks immediately flared across his cheek.

Katrina froze, shock swallowing her whole. Her lips parted like she wanted to stop it, but the truth behind it all rooted her in place. She couldn't even breathe.

"This one," Vivian said, her eyes blazing and her voice trembling, "is for wasting three years of my love like it meant nothing."

Crack! Her hand flew again, even harder this time, sharper, crueler.

"And this one is for making a fool out of me. For making me drown in self-blame with the assumption that I was the trigger of your car crash. For making me in constant concern for your life. For making me lie on that table, going through hell for IVF!" Vivian snarled.

Colin held his cheek, his expression twisting between disbelief and fury. "You..."

Thea screamed as she rushed forward, "Vivian, stop it! How could you hit Colin? You couldn't hold onto his heart, and you have no right to blame us for your failure!"

Vivian whipped toward Thea, her eyes cutting like glass. "Don't say another word!"

Colin's arms tightened around Thea without thinking, and that simple instinct stabbed Vivian deeper than anything else.

Vivian's chest heaved as she lifted her hand one last time, gathering every ounce of strength she had left.

Crack! The sound exploded through the room, louder than the others, final and brutal.

"This one," Vivian hissed, her voice breaking apart, "is for ruining everything. For twisting my whole life into a ridiculous, pathetic joke! Colin, we're done. I never want to see you again. You make me feel disgusted."

The moment the words left her, she turned sharply and stormed out, slamming the door so hard that it felt like she was sealing the past behind it.

Her feet carried her down the corridor until she reached a quiet, deserted corner, and only then did her body finally give in. She pressed her back against the icy wall and slid down slowly, collapsing onto the floor.

Three years of love. A month of unbearable suffering. And the cruel irony of a child she never asked for growing inside her. It all shattered at once, dissolving into burning tears that wouldn't stop pouring.

Time blurred while Vivian sat there sobbing, but when she finally lifted her face, her eyes were raw and swollen, and one decision burned through the haze. This couldn't continue. She needed to put an end to the pregnancy and undo the nightmare her life had turned into.

That single thought became the only thing keeping her upright. She braced herself against the wall, forced her legs to move, and walked straight out, heading for another hospital as if the answer might change.

Checking in, sitting through another examination, waiting for another report, every minute felt like it was slicing deeper into her chest.

"Ms. Fowler," the doctor called out softly, sadness weighing down her voice as she read the results, "if you choose to end this pregnancy, there's a strong possibility you will never be able to conceive again."

"No... that isn't possible," Vivian murmured, shaken to her core. She refused to believe it.

The next few days turned into a frantic search for hope. She rushed from one specialist to another, crisscrossing the city, desperate for someone to say William had lied, that the previous diagnoses were wrong.

The answer never changed. Every single one gave her the same unmovable truth. Ending the pregnancy could take motherhood away from her forever.

By the time she returned home, whatever strength she had left was gone. She drifted through the doorway like a ghost.

Her foot had barely touched the stairs when voices floated from the half-open study door. Inside were Thea and her stepmother, Melinda Fowler.

"Mom, how much are the Kirbys actually paying to marry Vivian? Could you buy me that limited bag I have been eyeing? Everyone I know already has one." Thea's tone was spoiled and impatient.

"Just hold on, sweetheart." Melinda's tone was sharp with calculating excitement. "Once Vivian walks through that door and the Kirby money is finally in our hands, you won't just get a bag. You'll get a car. A new one, something better than anyone else's." She let out a cold laugh. "Your father warned that Devin has a temper with women, but he spends like a king. Vivian is nothing but an endless expense anyway. We might as well get something useful out of her. At least then raising her won't feel like such a complete waste."

Devin Kirby, the infamous man everyone whispered about. The crippled brute with a violent streak, the kind of man women feared more than strangers in dark alleyways. No one sane would ever agree to marry someone like that.

Vivian stood frozen outside the door as her blood seemed to turn to ice. Her hands began to tremble, and she couldn't stop it.

She knew Thea and Melinda would actually go through with it. For money, they would wrap her up like a package and deliver her straight into that creep Devin's hands without losing a wink of sleep.

Nausea churned in her stomach, but her thoughts spun wildly, searching for an escape, any crack in the wall closing around her.

Just then, her phone lit up. A new message flashed across the screen from a number she didn't recognize. "This is William Lewis. Have you made your choice?"

At this, a fierce certainty lit up Vivian's eyes, cutting through everything else.

With her world closing in, his name felt like the only direction left to run. It wasn't comforting, and it wasn't gentle, but it was still a way forward that didn't end in complete disaster.

At the very least, he wanted her baby. That meant she had leverage. Whatever choice she made, it had to be better than being handed over to someone like Devin.

Vivian rushed back to her room and called the number immediately.

William picked up almost at once, and a low, controlled voice filled the line. "Ms. Fowler."

"Mr. Lewis," Vivian replied, her voice worn down but strangely steady, "I'll keep the baby. But..."

She stopped, letting the silence stretch just long enough for him to understand there was a price.

Then, Vivian inhaled slowly and then spoke with absolute firmness, leaving no room for negotiation. "But if you want this baby, you're going to marry me."

Vivian spilled everything in a rush, barely stopping to breathe because she was scared William might end the call before she finished speaking. "Please don't get the wrong idea," she said quickly. "I'm not trying to use the baby to tie you down, and I'm not asking you for money or status. What I'm proposing is a contract marriage. Just for show."

She paused, and when she spoke again, her voice dropped to a whisper tinged with desperation. "Once the baby's born safe and sound, we'll go our separate ways. I won't ask you for a cent. There's just one thing I'm hoping for... Will you let me visit the child now and then?"

For a moment, the silence on the other end was so thick that it pressed in on her.

Vivian's pulse pounded in her ears as she pressed the phone harder to her cheek, terrified that she might miss any hint of a reply.

In her mind, William was a shadow behind the line-cool, detached, impossible to read, holding all the cards as if none of this touched him.

She pictured him frowning ever so slightly, weighing her request the way someone might size up a risky investment.

The seconds stretched on, each one heavier than the last.

Her mind spun in every direction. If he refused, was there anyone else who would agree to such a bizarre arrangement? Could she find someone else in time? If it came down to it, maybe she'd have to pay a stranger to play along just to get through this.

Just as her anxiety began to crush her and she felt hope slip through her fingers, William's answer finally broke through. "Deal."

Vivian let out a shaky breath she hadn't realized she was holding, her legs suddenly weak. Seizing the moment, she spoke quickly. "So, Mr. Lewis, if you're free right now, can we get married today? The sooner, the better. It won't take much of your time!"

"Fine," William replied, as straightforward as always. "Meet me at the City Hall in an hour. Bring your documents. My attorney will also be there. You'll need to sign some forms."

"Absolutely. I'll be there," Vivian answered without missing a beat. In that moment, she was willing to sign anything at all.

She ended the call, snatched up her documents, and bolted for the door.

When she arrived at the City Hall, a man in a flawless suit was already waiting with a briefcase in hand. He introduced himself as William's attorney.

Without delay, they were led into a quiet, empty lounge.

The attorney opened his briefcase and pulled out a thick stack of paperwork, sliding it across the table. "Ms. Fowler, Mr. Lewis asks that you read and sign this prenuptial agreement before anything else."

Vivian leafed through the pages, struck by how thorough every section seemed.

The document spelled out exactly how long their marriage would last, what would happen with property after the divorce, and spelled out in detail how custody and visits would work for their child. No detail was left unclear or open to debate.

She couldn't miss the message behind all those carefully chosen words. Their marriage was business-nothing more. There was no pretending otherwise.

Vivian didn't hesitate. She took up the pen and signed where the attorney pointed, moving steadily from one signature line to the next. By the time she finished, the tension in her chest began to melt away.

After the prenuptial agreement was signed, she waited quietly.

A sleek black car soon pulled up to the curb. William stepped out, dressed simply in a crisp white shirt and black slacks, drawing glances from nearly everyone nearby.

He paused in front of her, his eyes settling on her face for just a moment. "Did you sign everything?" he asked, his tone cold and even.

"I did," Vivian replied.

"Let's head in."

Everything moved quickly after that. Less than twenty minutes later, they had finished all the paperwork.

Brilliant sunlight greeted them the moment they stepped outside, forcing Vivian to shield her eyes.

William passed her a copy of their newly issued marriage certificate. "I have to leave the country for work. I'll be back in three days. After that, someone will come take you to my place. You'll be staying at my house until the baby arrives. That's the arrangement."

Vivian tucked the certificate safely in her purse, nodding. "Understood."

"Let me drop you off."

Vivian shook her head quickly. "There's no need. I'll get home on my own."

The last thing Vivian wanted was her father, Archie Fowler, spotting her climbing out of a luxury sedan or discovering that she had just married the head of Zeus Group. That would only invite a mess she wasn't willing to face.

Choosing the safest option, she hailed a cab and made her way home.

Opening the front door, she found Archie and Melinda camped in the living room, sour-faced and silent.

No sooner had Vivian set foot inside than Archie pounced. "Vivian, you'll come with me to the hotel tonight. Devin wants to meet you. Go get changed, and make yourself presentable for the meeting."

Vivian walked right past him and set the crisp marriage certificate on the table with a deliberate motion.

She glanced up and offered a calm, almost amused smile at the pair of them, their faces frozen in shock. "Don't bother trying to pair me up with a man," she said, her tone soft but unmistakable. "I just got married."