Chapter 2

Clara’s mind was a whirlwind of confusion as she walked along the side of the road, her thoughts consumed by the shocking revelation she had received at the hospital just hours before. Pregnant? The word echoed in her mind like a distant, thunderous clap. It was impossible. She had never been with a man, never allowed anyone into her life in such an intimate way. Yet, the test results were clear. One month pregnant. The very thought made her stomach twist in knots.

She barely noticed the sound of an approaching car, the low hum of its engine growing louder as it neared. Lost in her thoughts, Clara was still too stunned to move when she heard the screech of tires. The vehicle was speeding, and it came within inches of hitting her.

In an instant, Clara was knocked off balance and thrown violently to the other side of the road, landing in a heap on the rough pavement. Pain shot through her body, and she gasped, her heart pounding as her hands scraped against the gravel.

Inside the car, the driver slammed on the brakes, bringing the vehicle to a screeching halt. “We almost hit someone, sir!” he said urgently, his voice shaking.

From the back seat, the man in charge; dressed flawlessly, with an air of cold indifference; barely flinched. He looked out of the window at Clara’s crumpled form on the side of the road with an expression of mild irritation. “Drive back,” he ordered curtly, his voice smooth and commanding.

As the car reversed, Clara was still gathering her bearings, trying to push herself up. Her body felt sore, bruised from the impact, but the shock of almost being hit by the car was more overwhelming than the pain. When the car stopped beside her, she expected at least an apology, but instead, the back window rolled down, and the man’s sharp voice pierced the air.

“Are you blind? Why are you walking in the middle of the road? Trying to put me in trouble?” he snapped, his tone dripping with disdain. His words struck Clara like a slap in the face.

Clara stared at him, utterly dumbfounded by his lack of concern. She had just been thrown to the ground, almost run over, and this was his response? She watched as he searched in his pocket, pulling out a few folded currency. With an air of arrogance, he tossed the money at her, the currency fluttering through the air before landing on the pavement near her feet.

"Here. Take this. Take care of that little injury I'm seeing," he said, his voice laced with mockery.

Clara’s anger flared instantly. How dare he? He thought that money could solve everything. She picked up the cash, feeling her blood boil with indignation, and, without a second thought, she threw the money right back at the car. “How dare you!” she shouted. “Your driver almost ran me over, and this is all you can say? You think a few bills can make everything better?”

She stood tall, her voice shaking with fury. “I know exactly what kind of person you are: a spoiled, arrogant brat who thinks the world revolves around you. Let me make this clear: money is not everything, and it will never make up for your lack of decency!”

Nathaniel Brooks, the heir to the Brooks Empire, is a man whose reputation preceded him, a name that echoed through the corridors of the most exclusive social circles. At only thirty-three, he had achieved more than most could dream of in a lifetime; yet it was all built on the foundation of his family’s wealth, the fortune his father had carefully cultivated over decades. As the only son of Gregory and Genevieve Brooks, Nathaniel was a man who had never known struggle. Every door was open to him, every opportunity waiting at his feet. But it wasn’t success that defined him. It was his attitude.

Nathaniel was a man who walked through life with a quiet arrogance, his every movement exuding the privilege that came from being born into one of the wealthiest families in the country. His dark, piercing eyes; framed by a strong jawline and effortlessly styled dark hair, held the gaze of anyone who dared cross his path, and when he spoke, it was as if the world itself was listening. Yet, beneath the polished exterior, a deep disdain for the insignificance of the world lingered. He had no time for the superficialities of romance or love, believing them to be nothing more than distractions for the weak-hearted.

He had witnessed his parents’ marriage from the outside: two people who, despite their success, seemed bound by something far less fulfilling than genuine affection. To Nathaniel, love was an illusion, a fleeting emotion that left people vulnerable and open to pain. He saw it as a weakness, a flaw he vowed never to succumb to. As a result, he kept his personal life tightly guarded, never allowing anyone to get too close.

The Brooks family had wealth, power, and influence, but Nathaniel’s heart had long been untouched by the notion of companionship. His father, Gregory, had pushed him relentlessly throughout his childhood, instilling in him a desire to be the best, to take over the reins of the empire with ruthless efficiency. There was no time for distractions, no room for the complications of relationships.

To Nathaniel, marriage was a business transaction: something to be avoided. His mother, Genevieve, had tried to set him up on countless occasions with women from the most elite families, all of whom he found charming in their own ways, but none of whom managed to stir anything more than a fleeting sense of boredom. Nathaniel had no desire for a wife to run his household or play the role of a dutiful partner. He saw the pressure from his parents as a nuisance, an expectation he had no intention of fulfilling.

In public, Nathaniel’s arrogance was a shield. He took pride in being untouchable, his reputation as a man who neither needed nor wanted anyone’s approval only adding to his charm. His lifestyle was one of excess: private jets, penthouses overlooking the skyline, fast cars, and glamorous parties that never seemed to end. His friends and associates, though numerous, were little more than companions for a night, and he was careful not to let any of them get too close. His closest relationship was with his younger sister, Annabelle, the only person in the world he could count on unconditionally. She was the softening force in his otherwise cold world; a reminder that family, for all its complications, still meant something.

But Annabelle, like the rest of the world, knew better than to expect anything from Nathaniel that didn’t align with his plans. She had long ago stopped trying to change his mind about love and marriage, and their relationship, though loving, was often strained by his indifference toward the emotional complexities of family life. She had a soft spot for him, always believing that there was more to Nathaniel than the arrogant billionaire the world saw. Still, she accepted him for who he was—or, perhaps, for who he chose to be.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel in the car stared at Clara, his cold eyes narrowing as if her words were nothing more than an annoyance. He sneered, a brief smirk flashing across his face. “Get lost, then,” he spat, his voice dripping with arrogance. Before Clara could say another word, the driver obediently rolled up the window, and the car sped off, leaving her standing alone on the roadside.

Clara stood there, her chest heaving with a mix of rage and disbelief. Was that really all he was? The encounter had left her more rattled than she cared to admit. She had been so caught up in the shock of the pregnancy news that the arrogance of the man, who had barely spared her a glance, seemed almost surreal. She had expected some form of empathy or at least a simple apology, but instead, she had been treated like nothing more than an inconvenience to his day. The anger she felt toward him surged again, but it quickly subsided as her mind returned to the matter at hand.

Clara turned and began walking, her thoughts tumbling over one another. How could this be? she wondered. How am I sure those test results were correct? What if the doctor made a mistake?

The pregnancy test result hung in the air like an unanswered question, a riddle she couldn’t solve. Her thoughts flickered between disbelief and fear. What am I going to do? she wondered. She had no answers, only more questions. Was it possible that the test was wrong? That there had been a mistake somewhere in the process? It seemed impossible, yet a small voice inside her whispered, Maybe.

Determined to get clarity, Clara made a decision. The next morning, she would go to another hospital, seeking another opinion. She needed to be sure; absolutely sure; before she let this news consume her any further.

The day’s events, both the shocking revelation and the encounter with the arrogant man, had left Clara feeling raw and vulnerable. But she couldn’t afford to let fear take over. She needed answers.

Her mind raced with a mix of confusion, anger, and worry as she trudged down the road, her body sore from the fall, but her spirit far stronger than it had been a few hours ago. I won’t be a victim, she told herself. I will get to the bottom of this, no matter what it takes.

With that, Clara resolved to face the uncertain future head-on. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something much larger than she could imagine. Something that would change her life forever.

……

"Ahh, you’re back! What happened to you?" Clara’s father asked, his eyes widening with concern as he noticed the small bruise on his daughter’s arm.

Clara quickly brushed it off, a faint smile on her face. "It's nothing, Dad. Just a little accident," she replied, trying to sound casual, though the discomfort of the injury still lingered.

Her stepmother, who had been watching from the corner of the room, raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure it’s just an accident? Or maybe you got into a little fight with your boyfriend?" she teased, her voice laced with sarcasm.