Tania woke up in a sterile hospital room, the beeping of machines and the faint scent of antiseptic filling her senses. Her head felt heavy, and she blinked a few times to clear the fog. How had she ended up here?
She remembered feeling a sharp pain in her stomach, but everything after that was a blur. Groaning, she glanced at the clock on the wall. 11 p. m.
Before she could process further, the door creaked open, and a nurse entered. “You’re awake, ma’am. How are you feeling?”
Tania winced as she sat up, her hand instinctively moving to her abdomen. “What hap\pened? How did I get here?”
The nurse smiled softly. “Your husband rushed you here. You were in pain, and he was very concerned.”
Ethan brought me here? Tania thought, her heart skipping a beat. Maybe he still cared for her, despite everything. Maybe there was still hope.
Before she could dwell on the thought, the nurse said, “Let me get the doctor.”
A few moments later, the doctor walked in, clipboard in hand. He asked her a series of routine questions, checking her vitals and asking about any pain. Then, with a serious expression, he glanced at the clipboard again.
“Tania, I have some news. You’re pregnant eight weeks along.”
Tania’s world spun, her pulse quickening. “No, no, no,” she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. “This can’t be happening!”
The doctor gave her a sympathetic look. “It’s important you take care of yourself and the baby. I’ll leave you to process the news, but if you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out.”
As the doctor left, Tania’s mind reeled. Pregnant? Now? This was the worst possible timing. Her relationship with Ethan was already hanging by a thread. What would he say? What would he do when he found out?
She stared blankly at the ceiling, trying to piece together her next move. She was eight weeks along, which meant the baby could only be Fabian’s. But deep down, Tania knew that Ethan wouldn’t be thrilled by this revelation. Their relationship was fractured beyond repair, and a baby wouldn’t change that.
Tania’s mind raced back to the day she’d manipulated her way into Ethan’s life, the lies she’d told, the deceit she’d spun like a web around them both. She had thought that marrying Ethan would be her happy ending, that she’d won the game by eliminating Ella and securing her place by his side. But now, everything was falling apart. Ethan was distant, colder than ever, and she could feel him slipping through her fingers.
Desperation clawed at her, and for the first time, Tania felt truly scared. She thought about how Ethan had rushed her to the hospital maybe that meant he still cared. Maybe this baby would be the key to winning him back.
She smiled to herself, clinging to that fragile hope.
But in the back of her mind, doubt lingered. What if this baby wasn’t enough to fix things? What if Ethan found out the truth about the baby?
Tania couldn’t let that happen. Not now. Not when she had come so far. She would find a way to use this pregnancy to her advantage, to keep Ethan tied to her for good. But for the first time in a long while, Tania wasn’t sure she could control the situation like she always had.
As she lay back in the hospital bed, her hands instinctively moved to her stomach. She whispered under her breath, “This baby has to save us… it has to.”
Tania’s thoughts spiraled as she stared at the stark white ceiling of the hospital room, her mind swirling with confusion and fear. But Ethan didn’t touch me for months, she reminded herself, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. Panic crept into her chest. How can I explain this? How could I possibly convince him the baby is his?
Her fingers trembled as they brushed over her abdomen, feeling the life growing inside her. The thought of telling Ethan the truth about Fabian, about everything sent a chill down her spine. No, that would be the end of me. Ethan would never forgive her for betraying him with Fabian again. He might already be suspicious, given the strain between them, but this revelation would destroy any hope she had left of keeping him close.
Tania sat up slowly, her hand shaking as she reached for the glass of water by her bedside. She took a sip, trying to calm her nerves, but the tension in her chest refused to ease. Maybe I could just lie… she thought desperately. Tell him the baby is his. But would he believe me?
Ethan was already pulling away, more distant and aloof each day. He had barely looked at her in the past few weeks, let alone touched her. He wasn’t a fool, and Tania knew it. Yet, desperation had a way of clouding judgment, and right now, she needed something anything to keep him in her life.
She bit her lip, running through her options. What if I tell him we had a moment? Maybe I could spin a story, something about him being too drunk to remember. Or maybe I could convince him that he was so caught up in work that he didn’t notice how close we’d been. Tania chewed on her fingernail as she considered the possibilities. But with each scenario she played out in her head, doubt grew stronger. Ethan was smart, observant, and would likely see through any weak attempt to rewrite the past. If she wasn’t careful, this could blow up in her face and push him even further away.
What if he demands a paternity test? The question hit her like a punch to the gut, and she winced. Ethan wasn’t the kind of man to blindly accept something so significant without proof. She couldn’t count on him simply taking her word for it.
I have to be smart about this, Tania thought, pacing in her mind, trying to strategize. She had always thrived in manipulating situations to her advantage, but now, with so much at stake, the pressure was crushing. I’ll have to play this carefully. I can’t let him think I’m hiding anything, but I can’t let him get too close to the truth either.
Her fingers clenched around the hospital sheets as her thoughts flickered back to Fabian. His involvement complicated everything. Fabian wasn’t the kind of man who would sit back quietly if he thought this baby was his. He’d want to know, he’d want to claim it and that would ruin everything. What if Fabian tells Ethan the truth? What if he threatens me, or worse tells Ethan before I get a chance to lie?
Fear twisted in her chest. Fabian had already been unpredictable, and now, with a baby in the mix, he might act recklessly. Tania had been using him, stringing him along, but now she wondered if she’d pushed him too far. He could become a problem she couldn’t control.
I need leverage. The thought struck her hard. she could always use Grace to hold Fabian, she could keep him quiet. She had done it before, so it won’t be a task. But what if Ethan finds out? Tania felt the panic rise again. Ethan might not be in love with her anymore, but he wouldn’t let her deceive him without consequences. He was already angry about the lies involving Grace, and , and Tania couldn’t afford to lose any more ground.
Tania closed her eyes, trying to block out the noise of the hospital around her, the beeping of machines, the murmur of voices in the hallway. She needed to think clearly. I could make him feel guilty. Ethan had always been susceptible to guilt, especially when it came to family. If she played the helpless victim the woman who only wanted to rebuild their family, to fix their marriage he might be swayed.
I’ll tell him the baby is his, and I’ll make it seem like I want us to heal, to become a family again. She would need to be careful, cautious about how much emotion she showed. She couldn’t overplay her hand. I’ll remind him of the love we used to have, how much I’ve sacrificed for him.
But even as she formulated the lie, a deep sense of dread settled in her stomach. What if it’s not enough? What if Ethan didn’t care anymore? What if all the years of manipulation and deceit had worn him down to the point where nothing could bring him back?
For the first time in her life, Tania felt like she was teetering on the edge of a cliff. One wrong move, one mistake, and she would lose everything. Her power, her control, her position it was all slipping away, and she didn’t know how to stop it.
Tania stared at the pale blue hospital walls, her mind racing through every possible scenario. I have to act fast, she realized. She couldn’t wait for Ethan to come to her with questions. She had to get ahead of the situation. She would make the first move, and she would do whatever it took to ensure that this baby was the key to keeping her life intact.
She took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the decision she was about to make. I have no choice, she told herself. I’ll tell Ethan the baby is his. I’ll make him believe it, no matter what.
As the plan solidified in her mind, Tania allowed herself a small, determined smile. She wasn’t going to let this baby ruin her. She would turn it into her salvation. And if she played her cards right, Ethan would never know the truth.
But Fabian… she thought, her smile faltering. I’ll deal with him later.
With a renewed sense of purpose, Tania lay back in the hospital bed, her hands resting protectively over her abdomen. The storm inside her had not settled, but at least now, she had a direction. She had always been a survivor, and this time would be no different.
This baby will save me, she whispered to herself, her eyes narrowing. It has to.