The Claim

Chapter 4: The Claim

Sophia’s POV

Pregnancy.

It had been months since the disastrous engagement night that turned my life upside down. Months of whispers, shame, and unanswered questions. Liam had distanced himself completely, and Lucas had been a shadowy figure in the background.

I sat in the cramped bathroom of my apartment, clutching the test in my trembling hands. The word stared back at me, bold and unrelenting: Positive.

How had it come to this? My life felt like a series of spiraling events, one disaster after another.

My stomach churned, and it wasn’t just the morning sickness that had been plaguing me for days. How could this be happening? My engagement was in shambles, my name dragged through the mud, and now this? It felt like the universe was playing a cruel joke on me.

I slid to the floor, my back pressed against the cold tiles. Tears pricked my eyes, and I let out a shaky breath. “This can’t be real,” I whispered, but deep down, I knew it was.

Telling My Mum

By the time I called my mum to tell her, my hands were clammy, and my voice was shaking. I hadn’t been able to look her in the eyes since the engagement party disaster, but this was something I couldn’t keep to myself.

“Pregnant?” she repeated, her tone sharp with disbelief. “Sophia, what have you done now?”

Her reaction was like a dagger to my chest.

That means you actually did what you were accused of.

“Mum, it wasn’t intentional,” I pleaded, tears streaming down my face. “I don’t even know how to handle this.”

She was quiet for a long moment. Then, in a softer tone, she said, “Does Liam know?”

That was the question I’d been dreading. I wiped at my tears, shaking my head even though she couldn’t see me.

Her sharp intake of breath told me everything I needed to know about how she felt. “You mean the man from those photos? Have you told the man you slept with on your engagement day?”

“no,” I whispered.

“And don't you think he might be the father?”

I could hear the judgment in her voice, but all I could manage was a broken, “I don’t know

Facing Liam

Telling Liam felt like trying to hold back a storm with bare hands. He had barely spoken to me since the party, his silence louder than any words could’ve been. But this wasn’t something I could keep from him.

I showed up at his office unannounced, my nerves frayed as I waited in the reception area. When his assistant finally waved me in, my heart was pounding so loudly I thought I might faint.

Liam looked up from his desk when I entered, his expression unreadable. “Sophia,” he said, his tone cold. “What are you doing here?”

I clutched my bag tightly, trying to steady my voice. “I need to talk to you. It’s important.”

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “Go on.”

“I’m… I’m pregnant.”

His eyes widened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something—concern? Hope? But it was gone as quickly as it came.

“And you’re telling me this because…?”

“Because it might be yours, Liam,” I said, my voice breaking. “I don’t know for sure, but—”

He stood up abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. “Are you serious right now? After everything that’s happened, after those photos, you have the audacity to come here and say this to me?”

I flinched at his words, but I pressed on. “Liam, you have to believe me. I didn’t do anything with Lucas that night. I swear to you.”

“How can I believe you, Sophia? The evidence is staring me in the face! And now you’re pregnant?” He ran a hand through his hair, pacing the room. “Do you even understand what you’re asking of me?”

“I’m asking you to consider the possibility that this baby is yours,” I said, my voice firmer now. “I’m asking you to look beyond the lies and see me for who I am.”

But he just shook his head, his jaw tightening. “I need time to think.

Luca's Reaction

If facing Liam had been like walking into a storm, meeting Lucas felt like stepping into uncharted territory. I barely knew him, but I couldn’t ignore the possibility that he might be the father.

When I arrived at his penthouse, I was met with the same enigmatic man I remembered from that disastrous night. He was calm, almost too calm, as he listened to my shaky confession.

“So, you’re saying there’s a chance this child could be mine?” he asked, his voice devoid of emotion.

“Yes,” I admitted, my hands twisting nervously in my lap.

He studied me for a long moment, his piercing gaze making me squirm. “And what do you expect me to do with this information?”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I just thought you deserved to know.”

He leaned back in his chair, a small, sardonic smile playing on his lips. “How very noble of you. But tell me, Sophia, do you think Liam is going to sit back and let me step into this mess without a fight?”

“I don’t know what Liam is going to do,” I said, my frustration boiling over. “All I know is that I’m in this situation because of something that wasn’t even my fault!”

Luca's expression softened slightly, and for the first time, he looked almost… sympathetic. “Sophia, this isn’t just about you anymore. If this child is mine, I’ll take responsibility. But I need to be sure before I make any promises.”

The weeks that followed were a blur of tension and uncertainty. Liam refused to speak to me, his silence cutting deeper than any words ever could. Alexander, on the other hand, was oddly present, checking in on me and offering support in ways I hadn’t expected.

But the real storm hit when the rumors started. Somehow, word got out about the pregnancy, and the speculation was relentless. People whispered behind my back, their judgmental eyes following me everywhere I went.

“Do you think it’s Liam’s?”

“Maybe it’s Luca's—did you see those photos?”

“She’s such a disgrace. Poor Liam.”

I tried to shut it out, but the weight of their words pressed down on me like a suffocating blanket.

The breaking point came during a charity gala that Liam and Lucas both attended. I hadn’t planned on going, but my mother insisted, saying it was time to “face the world” again.

The tension in the room was palpable the moment I walked in. Liam avoided my gaze, his jaw tight as he spoke with some business associates. Lucas on the other hand, made a beeline for me, his presence commanding as always.

“You look lovely,” he said, his voice low.

“Thanks,” I muttered, not meeting his eyes.

Before I could say anything else, Liam appeared, his expression stormy. “What are you doing here, Lucas?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Lucas replied coolly.

The two of them squared off, their tension simmering just below the surface. And then, to my horror, Liam turned to me and said, “Sophia, tell him the truth. Tell him this baby isn’t his.”

My mouth went dry, and I stammered, “I… I don’t know.”

The room seemed to freeze, all eyes turning to us. Luca's jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing. “You mean to tell me you haven’t made up your mind yet?”

“It’s not that simple!” I cried, my voice breaking.

“Then maybe it’s time we make it simple,” Liam said coldly. “Sophia, choose. Right here, right now.”