The grand Sinclair mansion was eerily quiet after the previous night's grand party. Amelia Sinclair stirred awake, her head pounding and her vision blurry. She slowly realized she was not in her own room. Panic set in as she tried to piece together what had happened. The last thing she remembered was having a drink at the party.
Beside her, Alexander Carter, the powerful and ruthless CEO, began to wake up. Amelia's heart raced. How did she end up in bed with him? She barely knew him beyond his intimidating reputation in the business world.
Alexander's eyes opened, and his expression quickly shifted from confusion to anger. "What the hell happened?" he demanded, his voice cold.
Amelia, equally confused and terrified, stammered, "I... I don't know. I remember having a drink, and then... nothing."
Before either of them could say more, the door burst open, and Veronica, Amelia's stepsister, stood there with a triumphant smirk. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here," she sneered. "This is going to be quite the scandal."
Alexander's face darkened as he realized the gravity of the situation. His reputation was at stake. Turning to Amelia, his voice was icy. "You did this on purpose, didn't you?"
Tears welled up in Amelia's eyes. "No, I swear! I don't know how this happened."
But Alexander was not listening. Veronica, always eager to stir trouble, began dialing her phone, likely to spread the news. Alexander knew he had to act quickly to contain the fallout.
"Get dressed," he ordered Amelia. "We need to talk to your family."
The Sinclair family sat in the opulent living room, their faces a mixture of shock and anger. Amelia's stepmother, Clarissa, glared at her with disdain. "What have you done, Amelia?" she spat. "This is an embarrassment to our family."
Amelia, her mind still foggy from the events of the previous night, struggled to find her words. "I don't know how it happened. I was just at the party, and then..."
Veronica interrupted, her voice dripping with false concern. "Oh, Amelia, we all know how you've always had a thing for powerful men. But this? This is too much."
Alexander stepped forward, his face a mask of resolve. "We need to handle this discreetly. The best way to avoid a scandal is for Amelia and me to get married."
The room fell silent. Amelia looked at Alexander in shock. Marriage? To him? But she had no time to process as her family quickly agreed. Anything to avoid scandal.
---
The wedding was a hasty affair, held in the grand hall of the Sinclair mansion. Amelia wore a simple white dress, her face pale and drawn. Alexander stood beside her, his expression hard and unreadable. There were no smiles, no joy—only the cold necessity of the situation.
As they exchanged vows, Amelia's heart felt heavy. She was marrying a man who didn't trust her, didn't even like her. But she had no choice. She had to protect her family's name.
Alexander's grip on her hand was firm but devoid of warmth. "I, Alexander Carter, take you, Amelia Sinclair, to be my wife," he said, his voice void of emotion.
Amelia repeated her vows, her voice barely above a whisper. "I, Amelia Sinclair, take you, Alexander Carter, to be my husband."
When the ceremony ended, there was no celebration. Alexander turned to Amelia, his voice low. "This is a business arrangement. Don't expect anything more."
Amelia nodded, tears stinging her eyes. "I understand."
Life with Alexander was cold and distant. Amelia moved into his grand home, a place of luxury but devoid of warmth. Alexander was always busy with his work, leaving early and returning late. When he was home, he was often on the phone, discussing business deals or meeting with clients.
Amelia tried to make the best of the situation. She decorated the house, cooked meals, and tried to be a good wife. But Alexander was indifferent to her efforts. His heart still belonged to Veronica, and he made no effort to hide it.
One evening, as they sat in the dining room, Alexander's phone rang. He glanced at the screen and answered immediately, his voice softening. "Veronica, how are you?"
Amelia's heart sank. She excused herself from the table and went to their bedroom, feeling more alone than ever.
Despite the coldness between them, Amelia continued to hope that things might improve. She threw herself into charity work and tried to stay positive. Then, one day, she discovered she was pregnant. A flicker of hope ignited in her heart. Maybe this baby would bring them closer.
She decided to keep the pregnancy a secret for a while, wanting to surprise Alexander. But her hopes were dashed when she overheard him on the phone with Veronica, planning a weekend getaway.
Heartbroken, Amelia knew she couldn't compete with Veronica. But she was determined to give her baby the best life possible, even if it meant enduring Alexander's indifference.
A few weeks later, Amelia's secret was discovered, but not in the way she had hoped. Alexander found her prenatal vitamins and confronted her, his face twisted with anger.
"What is this?" he demanded, holding up the bottle.
Amelia tried to explain, but he wouldn't listen. "You're trying to trap me with a baby," he accused.
"No, it's not like that!" Amelia cried. "I thought this might bring us closer."
Alexander's face darkened. "You think a baby will change anything? You're delusional."
In a fit of rage, he humiliated her in front of his business associates, accusing her of manipulation. The next day, he fired her from the company, leaving her with nothing.
With nowhere to go, Amelia left the mansion with just a suitcase and her unborn child. She wandered the streets, feeling utterly defeated. She had no money, no job, and no family support. She was completely alone.
But as she sat on a park bench, tears streaming down her face, she made a vow. She would not let this break her. She would rise from these ashes and build a new life for herself and her baby. She would become stronger than ever before.