Lani leaned over the toilet, gripping the edges of the porcelain as another wave of nausea wracked her body. This was the third time this week.
Her breaths came in short, ragged gasps as she wiped her mouth with a shaking hand. The scent of the expensive perfume she had sprayed that morning made her stomach turn again, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
What the hell is wrong with me?
It had started a couple of weeks ago—small things at first. A sudden craving for pickles, which she hated. An overwhelming exhaustion that no amount of coffee could fix. Then came the dizziness. The nausea.
At first, she blamed it on stress. Running a company like Carlisle Enterprises wasn't easy, and with everything going on, it made sense that her body was reacting. But now? It was undeniable. Something was off.
"Lani?"
She barely had time to steady herself before the sound of heels clicking against the marble floor made her groan inwardly.
The bathroom door creaked open, and Olivia, her ever-efficient secretary, stepped inside, arms crossed with a knowing look.
"You need to go to the hospital." Olivia's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. "You passed out in the boardroom yesterday, you've been throwing up every morning, and don't think I didn't notice you eyeing that jar of peanut butter with a spoon when you hate peanut butter."
Lani pressed her fingers against her temples. "It's probably just a stomach bug, Olivia. It'll pass."
Olivia scoffed. "A five-week-long stomach bug?" She raised a brow. "If you won't do it for yourself, do it for the company. If the press finds out our CEO is fainting in meetings, they'll eat you alive."
That hit a nerve.
Lani let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine. I'll go."
And that's how she found herself sitting in a cold hospital room hours later, drumming her fingers against the exam table, impatiently waiting for the doctor to return.
She had agreed to a few tests, just to shut Olivia up. Nothing serious.
But when the doctor finally walked in, clipboard in hand, Lani knew—before he even spoke—that something was wrong.
The older man adjusted his glasses, glancing at her with a careful expression. "Ms. Carlisle, your tests came back."
She nodded, waiting.
He hesitated.
And then—
"You're pregnant."
The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating.
Lani felt like the ground had been ripped from under her.
Pregnant.
Her mouth opened, but no words came out. Her heartbeat roared in her ears, drowning out everything else.
This wasn't possible.
It wasn't supposed to be possible.
But as she sat there, the memories came rushing back.
The motel. The stranger. The heat between them.
No regrets. No names. Just a night.
And now—
Now, she was carrying a stranger's child.
___
Lani had no idea how long she had been sitting in her car.
The hospital parking lot had mostly emptied out, save for a few cars scattered across the pavement. The afternoon sun had dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows through her windshield. She hadn't moved. Hadn't started the engine. She just sat there, gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles had turned white.
Pregnant.
The word echoed in her mind over and over again, making it impossible to think of anything else.
She was Lani Carlisle, the CEO of Carlisle Enterprises, the daughter of one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the country. She was supposed to be untouchable. Poised. In control.
And yet here she was—five weeks pregnant by a man whose name she didn't even know.
Tears burned at the back of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Crying wouldn't change anything. It wouldn't erase the past or fix the future. But no matter how much she tried to push it down, the emotions clawed their way up, tightening around her chest.
What would her father say?
She already knew the answer.
You've ruined everything, Lani.
The thought alone sent a cold shiver through her. He had always been strict—controlling, even—but this? This was beyond anything he would be able to ignore.
Her breath hitched, and before she could stop herself, a sob escaped.
She slammed a hand over her mouth, as if trying to silence the sound, but it was too late. The floodgates had opened.
Tears streamed down her face as she sat there, shoulders shaking, gasping for air. She cried for the life she had just thrown into chaos. For the expectations she had shattered. For the fear that wrapped around her like a vice.
She was alone.
Utterly, completely alone.
And then, hours later, when the tears had finally stopped, when her body ached from the exhaustion of it all—she made the mistake of looking at her phone.
At first, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her.
Then she saw it.
#LaniCarlislePregnant
It was trending.
Her stomach twisted painfully as she clicked on the first article she saw.
"BREAKING: Billionaire Heiress and CEO Lani Carlisle Pregnant—Who's the Father?"
Her breath caught in her throat.
It was everywhere. News sites, gossip blogs, social media. Speculation was running wild. Some were calling it a scandal, others a mystery.
And the worst part?
She had no idea who leaked it.
Her fingers trembled as she scrolled through the comments, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Looks like Daddy's perfect little princess isn't so perfect after all."
"Bet it's some rich guy's kid. No way she'd mess around with someone beneath her."
"What if it's a random nobody? Imagine the drama."
The words blurred together as her vision swam.
She had to go home. She had to face this before it got worse.
With shaky hands, she started the car and pulled onto the road.
---
By the time she reached the Carlisle estate, it was dark.
The massive gates swung open as she approached, the security guards barely sparing her a glance before allowing her through. The mansion loomed ahead, its grand windows glowing with warm light.
But nothing about it felt warm to her now.
Steeling herself, she stepped out of the car and walked toward the front door. The second she stepped inside, she felt it—
The tension.
The quiet before the storm.
Her father was waiting.
She barely had time to shut the door behind her before she heard the sharp sound of her name.
"Lani."
Her breath caught.
She turned, her stomach twisting at the sight of her father standing at the base of the grand staircase.
James Carlisle was a man who commanded power with nothing more than a glance. Even now, dressed in a perfectly pressed suit, his expression carefully controlled, the anger in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Explain."
Lani swallowed hard. "Dad, I—"
The slap came so fast she didn't see it coming.
A sharp crack echoed through the grand foyer as his hand struck her cheek, sending her stumbling back a step.
Pain bloomed across her skin, hot and stinging, but it was nothing compared to the ice in his voice when he spoke again.
"You have humiliated this family."
Lani's heart pounded, her hand trembling as she touched her burning cheek. She should have expected this. Should have been prepared.
But nothing could have prepared her for the look in his eyes.
Like she was nothing.
Like she was disposable.
"I—" Her voice broke, but she forced herself to stand taller. "I didn't plan for this to happen."
"And yet, here we are." His lips curled in disgust. "Do you have any idea what you've done? The damage you've caused?"
"It's my life."
His expression darkened. "Your life? Your life is a reflection of this family. And now, the entire world knows that my daughter is nothing more than a reckless, irresponsible—"
"Stop," Lani snapped, her voice shaking. "Just stop."
A tense silence filled the room.
James took a slow breath, his hands curling into fists.
"This will be handled," he said, his tone final. "You will fix this."
Lani felt her stomach drop. "Fix it? What do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean."
Her blood ran cold.
Her father wanted her to get rid of the baby.
Her hands instinctively went to her stomach.
"No." The word was barely a whisper.
James narrowed his eyes. "What did you say?"
"I said no."
His jaw tightened. "You think you have a choice in this, Lani?"
"Yes," she shot back, surprising even herself. "I do."
For the first time in her life, she saw something flicker in his expression. Not anger. Not disappointment.
Fear.
She had never stood up to him before.
But she wasn't just Lani Carlisle anymore.
She was a mother.
And she would protect this baby—no matter what it took.