Unexpected Inheritance

Chapter one :

My Examination day

Chapter One: My Examination Day

The sun was barely up, but my heart was already pounding like a war drum. I stood outside the examination hall, the air thick with tension, my breath caught somewhere between fear and hope. Today wasn't just any exam-it was my final professional exam. The one that stood between me and the title I had chased all my life: Doctor.

I inhaled deeply, trying to steady the storm inside me. The hall loomed before me like a silent beast, waiting. As I stepped inside, a wave of anxiety hit me-the kind that tightens your throat and makes your palms damp. Desks stretched out in neat, sterile rows, each occupied by a student hiding their panic behind fluttering notes.

My eyes caught Annie and Nora. They were seated, heads bent over their flashcards, locked in final-minute revisions. I waved, forcing a smile. I couldn't let them see how close I was to unraveling.

A stern-looking invigilator-mid-forties, pinched expression, clipboard clutched like a weapon-checked my ID and handed me the exam booklet. My hands trembled as I accepted it. The questions stared back at me, cold and relentless. I found my seat and sat, trying not to buckle under the mounting pain in my stomach.

I had been feeling it all morning-a dull, persistent cramp I'd blamed on nerves. But as the minutes passed, it clawed deeper, sharper, until it felt like something inside me was tearing. I bit my lip hard, pushing the pain down. Not now. Not today.

"You have three hours. Phones off. All notes away," the invigilator's voice rang out like a verdict. The room fell into a tense hush. Pens scratched paper. Pages turned. Time began.

I stared at the first question, my vision flickering at the edges. I blinked. Then again. The words swam. The pain intensified-burning, throbbing. I pressed a palm to my abdomen, willing myself to keep going. But my hand shook as I wrote, letters twisting into nonsense. My fingers began to go numb.

This wasn't just exam stress. Something was wrong.

I clenched my jaw so hard I felt it in my chin. Focus. Just a few more hours. Just finish.

But my body was betraying me. The pain crescendoed, my head spun, and I felt like I was sinking beneath waves of nausea. I couldn't breathe. Still, I wrote. Scribbled down half-formed answers with hands that barely obeyed me.

Three hours later, the bell rang. I bolted out of the hall like I was escaping a burning building. Annie and Nora called out, but their voices were distant, warped. My whole world narrowed to that pain ripping through me.

I staggered toward the campus gate, eyes scanning frantically for a taxi. One finally slowed, and I collapsed into the back seat, gasping.

"Hospital," I rasped.

At the emergency entrance, I couldn't feel my legs anymore. A nurse brought a wheelchair, and I was whisked through a blur of corridors and antiseptic-scented rooms. The world tilted. I felt like I was floating and sinking at the same time. Every smell overwhelmed me-disinfectant, sweat, metal, perfume-and I felt violently nauseous.

Faces passed me like ghosts. I was utterly, terrifyingly alone.

My name was called, and I forced myself to stand, my body shaking. The doctor who met me was young, kind-eyed, her voice gentle.

She examined me in silence. Then she said it. Four words that shattered everything.

"You are four months pregnant."

I stared at her, unblinking. Pregnant? My throat closed. My chest heaved.

"No... that's not... I-" My voice cracked like glass.

The memories rushed in: missed periods, the exhaustion, the stress. I had blamed school. I had never even allowed myself to imagine this.

I sat there, numb. My brain refused to catch up. How had I not known?

"Let's run some tests," the doctor said softly. "Make sure the baby is okay. For now, let's just get you stable."

Stable. I was crumbling.

I changed into the hospital gown with trembling fingers, my thoughts racing. What now? What would I do? My father's business was barely surviving. My dreams-my life-were laid out like glass beneath a sledgehammer.

As I lay on the examination table, the ultrasound screen flickered to life. The cold gel hit my skin, and then... there it was.

A flicker. A shape. A heartbeat.

My baby.

Tears streamed down my face, uncontrollably. This small being inside me... was mine. And suddenly, I wasn't just a girl about to graduate. I was a mother.

The doctor's voice cut in, soft and steady. "Everything looks good. The baby is healthy. And so are you. You're doing great."

I nodded, dazed. I had entered this hospital terrified and empty. I was leaving it with a heartbeat inside me.

Outside, the sky had darkened. I hailed another taxi, the city buzzing around me, unaware of how my world had just shifted.

My phone buzzed in my bag. I pulled it out and froze.

Twelve missed calls. From Jake.

My heart slammed against my ribs.

Jake.

He never called more than once. Something must've happened. Or maybe... maybe he knew.

I gripped my phone tighter, my breath catching.

I needed to tell him. He needed to know. About the exam. About the baby. About everything.

And suddenly, I wasn't heading home anymore.

I was going to him.

Chapter 2: My encounter

Chapter 2: My Encounter

The taxi slowed to a stop, and I stepped out onto the familiar sidewalk in front of Jake's old apartment building. My heart pounded against my ribcage, each beat echoing with anticipation. A storm of emotions swirled inside me-nervousness, fear, hope. I had just come from the hospital, reeling from the news: I was four months pregnant.

I stood still for a moment, clutching my bag tighter. How would Jake react? Would he be happy... or feel trapped?

With a deep breath, I pushed through the front entrance and climbed the stairs to his apartment. I knocked, my knuckles grazing the wood, waiting, hoping. Silence.

I knocked again, harder this time.

Still nothing.

A strange sense of dread began to spread through me. I pulled out my phone and dialed his number-voicemail. I sent a text-unread. My chest tightened.

Where was Jake? Had he moved without telling me?

I stumbled back outside, blinking against the bright sunlight, my mind a blur. I couldn't give up-not now. I needed to tell him. He deserved to know. The baby deserved to be known.

My fingers clenched around the paper in my hand-Jake's forwarding address, hastily scribbled by his neighbor. A rush of resolve surged through me. I would find him.

The city passed by in a blur as the taxi weaved through traffic. My thoughts spiraled. For two weeks, he'd been gone, without a word. I'd been consumed by exams and never noticed he'd disappeared. Why hadn't he said anything? Why would he just leave?

The taxi finally slowed in front of an enormous mansion-so vast and immaculate it left me breathless. It looked like something out of a dream. A marvel of modern architecture with floor-to-ceiling windows, white stone walls, and a rooftop garden that kissed the sky.

I stepped out, paid the driver, and approached the circular driveway, heart hammering. The entrance loomed ahead-two grand wooden doors, carved with intricate detail, gleaming under the sun like something out of a medieval fairytale.

Before I could knock, the doors opened on their own, revealing a cavernous foyer flooded with sunlight. The marble floors gleamed beneath my feet. Sculptures lined the walls. The ceiling soared like a cathedral, and every inch of the space whispered luxury.

I hesitated, stunned. Who lived here? And more importantly-what was Jake doing in a place like this?

A woman in her mid-fifties appeared, elegant in a dark blue dress. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied me.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely.

"I'm looking for Jake," I said, forcing calm into my voice. "I'm a friend from school. I was told he moved here."

Her expression flickered with surprise. "Jake? Oh... you must mean our boss." A soft smile tugged at her lips.

Our boss? Confused, I handed her the address. She glanced at it and nodded. "Yes, you're in the right place. Come in. You can wait for him if you'd like."

I nodded, mumbling a quiet "thank you" as I stepped into the sitting room-and felt like I'd walked into a palace.

The room was exquisite. Soft gray walls, elegant gold accents, and a crystal chandelier that scattered light like a cascade of stars. Cream-colored sofas sat gracefully atop a patterned rug, and a dark wooden coffee table held a vase of fresh flowers in full bloom.

Every detail was deliberate, every piece carefully chosen for beauty and refinement. I sat down slowly, trying not to wrinkle my dress, trying to still the flutters in my stomach-some from the baby, others from pure nerves.

A young woman entered with a tray of cups, the rich scent of coffee drifting toward me.

"Would you prefer tea?" she asked kindly.

I nodded, grateful.

Moments later, she returned with a steaming cup. "Thank you," I murmured. She nodded and gave me the faintest smile before disappearing.

I wrapped my hands around the warm ceramic and took a sip, savoring the brief comfort.

Then I heard it-footsteps. Loud, confident. Coming from upstairs.

My breath caught.

Was it him?

But the figure who appeared wasn't Jake. It was a woman-tall, elegant, and striking. Her silver hair was cut into a sharp bob that framed her high cheekbones, and her green eyes glittered with an unreadable expression.

She was dressed in a silk blouse and burgundy trousers that clung to her frame like they'd been tailored by a private designer. She carried herself like royalty-poised, graceful, commanding.

Her voice was smooth, like warm honey. "Welcome," she said, extending a manicured hand. "Please, have a seat."

I stood quickly, smoothing my skirt and placing the tea down.

"You must be..." she trailed off, waiting.

"Valerie," I answered, my voice barely above a whisper, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it.

She smiled again-but this time, it didn't quite reach her eyes.

And in that moment, I had a sinking feeling deep in my chest-this encounter was about to change everything.

Chapter 3: Beneath the surface

Chapter 3: Beneath the Surface

As the woman's eyes locked onto mine, a shiver ran down my spine. Her piercing green gaze seemed to bore straight into my soul, as though she were searching for something hidden within me. I tried to hold her stare, but my eyes darted away, betraying my nervousness.

"Valerie," she said again, her voice smooth and elegant. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you."

A flicker of surprise passed through me. What had Jake told her about me? And more importantly-who exactly was she?

Almost as if she had read my thoughts, she answered, "I'm Jake's mother."

My heart skipped a beat. "Mrs. Sanders?" I blurted.

She nodded slightly, offering a polite smile.

When I reached out to take her hand, a jolt of electricity ran through me. Her handshake was firm but not forceful, her skin cool and soft. There was something disarming about her poise.

"Please, have a seat," she said, gesturing toward the plush sofa behind me. "Can I offer you something else to drink? Perhaps... something stronger?"

I hesitated, unsure of what to say. But then I caught a glimmer of warmth in her eyes, and my tension began to ease.

"I'm already having tea, thank you, ma," I replied, doing my best to sound composed.

She nodded and rang a small silver bell on the coffee table. As she turned, the light caught her silver hair, casting a soft halo around her head. She was the embodiment of refined elegance, and beside her, I felt clumsy and out of place.

But when she turned back to me, a gentle smile on her face, a strange sense of reassurance washed over me. Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought.

"So, Valerie," she said, as a young woman appeared carrying a tray with a steaming teapot and two delicate china cups. "Tell me-what brings you here today?"

I took a deep breath, my throat dry as I tried to gather my thoughts. How do I tell her about the baby? And what would she think once she found out?

But when I looked into her eyes again, I saw something unexpected-kindness, even understanding. In that moment, I felt like I could trust her.

"I'm here to see Jake," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "I have something important to tell him."

Jake's mother tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "I see," she said. "Well, Jake is... indisposed at the moment. But I'm sure he'll be happy to see you when he's available."

A pang of disappointment hit me. Indisposed? What did that mean?

But something in her eyes caught my attention. A flicker of something-worry? Fear?

I leaned forward, my pulse quickening. "Is everything okay?" I asked, my voice trembling now.

She hesitated. Her gaze flickered away from mine, and in that pause, I knew-something was wrong.

"Everything is fine, Valerie," she said at last. "Jake is just tied up... with business matters."

Her voice was measured and calm, but her eyes told a different story. They glimmered with a hint of something she was trying to hide.

"Business matters?" I repeated, my skepticism clear.

She nodded, forcing a tight smile. "Yes, that's right. He's been very busy lately." Her eyes wandered around the room before settling back on mine.

Frustration surged within me. Why the evasive answers? What was really going on?

"Can I see him?" I asked, my tone firmer now.

Another pause. Her fingers fidgeted in her lap, twisting together as she avoided my gaze.

"I'm afraid that's not possible right now," she said softly, almost apologetically.

Heat rushed to my face. Why is she keeping me from him? First he disappears from school, and now this?

Before I could stop myself, I slammed my hands down on the armrest, startling her.

But then I caught the look in her eyes-sadness, heavy and raw. Her eyes were rimmed with red, as though she had been crying not long ago.

My anger dissolved, replaced by concern. What was she hiding? And why did it hurt her so much?

"Please," I said quietly, my voice softening. "I need to see him."

She looked at me for a long moment, her eyes searching mine. Then she stood, her posture stiff and formal.

"Well, my dear," she said, her voice low and measured, "I'm truly sorry. Jake is extremely busy. He isn't taking visitors from school."

She paused, then added, "If your message is urgent, you may leave it with me."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned toward the staircase and gestured to one of the bodyguards nearby. Her movements were rigid, rehearsed.

A tall man-at least six foot two-stepped forward and extended an arm, wordlessly guiding me toward the door.

It felt like something out of a movie, like the moment everything unravels. My vision blurred with tears I refused to let fall.

As I followed the guard out, one thought echoed in my mind:

What are they hiding from me... and why?