Chapter 112 Chapter 112
Chapter 112 Chapter 112
“Now if you don’t mind,” my mom said as she tried to get into the house. “I’d like to come in.”
“No.”
“What do you mean no?” she chuckled. “Get out of the way child.”
“I said no, mom,” I said again.
But she didn’t stop.
She pushed past me as if I were a curtain instead of her daughter, her heels clicking against the floor like she owned the goddamn place. Like she had never been thrown out. Like she hadn’t shattered everything she touched the last time she stood under this roof.
“Don’t step into this house,” I warned, my voice shaking now. “I mean it. You are not welcome here. You are never allowed into this house.”
Claire laughed softly, the sound was so light and infuriating. “Sweetheart, you’ve always been dramatic.”
She kept walking.
Ace moved instantly, stepping in front of her, his body tense, and protective. “Hey. Stop right there.”
Claire finally looked at him properly, her gaze sweeping over him with an unreadable expression. Maybe it was calculation, maybe. Amusement.
Ace turned to me. “Do you want me to call security?”
My heart was hammering so hard it hurt. I nodded. “Yes please. Do it.”
Ace didn’t hesitate. He reached into his pocket.
That was when Claire spoke.
“You wouldn’t want anything bad happening to your sibling now, would you Ace?” she said lightly.
Ace froze.
I froze.
“What? What did you just say?” Ace asked slowly, lowering his phone. “What siblings?”
Claire tilted her head, lips curling into a knowing smile. “Oh. Right. You don’t know about that yet. Sweet sweet boy.”
My stomach dropped.
Ace let out a short, incredulous laugh. “I’m an only child.”
“Yes,” Claire agreed easily. “You are an only child, dear. That you are completely right about.”
Then she looked at me.
“But you won’t be an only child for long.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
Ace’s eyes flicked between us. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Claire’s gaze slid back to him. “What I am trying to say is... I’m pregnant,” she said. “I am pregnant with your father’s baby... yes—yes. I have your father’s seed inside me. Oh, isn’t that wonderful?”
The world tilted.
I felt like the floor had vanished beneath my feet, like gravity had suddenly forgotten what it was supposed to do.
“No,” I whispered. “No, that’s not—”
Ace stared at her as if she’d spoken in another language. “That’s not funny.” Then he turned to me. “Sabrina... you better tell your mother to watch how she speaks in this house. Jokes like this are not funny.”
“Oh, no no no no no. I am not joking, Ace. I’m not. I promise you,” Claire said. “Why would I joke about something like that? I know I might joke about a lot of things... but this? This is one hundred percent real.”
I couldn’t breathe. My ears were ringing.
Ace shook his head, stepping back. “You’re lying.”
Claire sighed, as if disappointed. “You kids never believe me.”
She reached into her bag with exaggerated patience, rummaging for a moment before pulling out a folded piece of paper.
Then she threw it.
It hit my chest and slid down to the floor.
I stared at it for a second too long before bending to pick it up. My fingers trembled as I unfolded the paper.
A pregnancy test result. It said positive.
My vision blurred.
Ace leaned over my shoulder, reading it, then looked up at her again, his face pale. “This doesn’t mean anything. Anyone can fake this.”
Claire smiled wider. “I knew you’d say that... but it’s a good thing I’m not here for you.”
She looked around the house, as if taking inventory. “So, where’s Scott?”
My throat felt like it was closing. “He’s… he’s on a business trip.”
“How convenient,” she said. “Then I suppose I’ll wait.”
I snapped my head up. “Wait for what?”
“For him,” Claire replied. “So I can tell him he’s going to be a father. Again.”
“No,” Ace said sharply. “You’re not staying here.”
Claire turned to him, eyes glinting. “You’re going to throw out your unborn sibling’s mother?”
Ace clenched his jaw. “You’re not anyone’s mother except Sabrina’s... and for Christ's sake, can you please stop with this sibling nonsense. You are not pregnant.”
“Oh?” she said sweetly. “We’ll see.”
Ace turned to me, his voice urgent. “Sabrina, don’t do this. You know she lies a lot, that’s basically all she does. Lie. You know she manipulates as well. That skill is up her alley. You can’t let her stay.”
I swallowed hard.
Every instinct in me was screaming to throw her out, to call security, to shut the door and never look back. But Scott wasn’t here. And if—if—there was even a sliver of truth to what she was saying…
“We need Scott,” I said quietly. “He needs to handle this himself.”
Ace stared at me like I’d betrayed him. “You’re choosing for her to stay here?”
“I’m choosing to find the truth,” I said. “Whatever it is.”
Ace let out a bitter laugh. “She’s playing you. Just like always.”
“What if you do have a sibling? And she’s carrying it—”
“My father will never get this woman pregnant,” he cut in immediately. “I can’t believe you think she’s telling the truth. I’m telling you now, Sabrina. Let us handle this ourselves. We call security and they throw her away.”
“Enough,” I snapped. “Don’t call security.”
His eyes hardened. “You’re making a mistake.”
“Maybe,” I said. “But it’s mine.”
Claire clapped her hands softly. “See? My daughter understands.”
Ace looked at her like he might explode. “You’re disgusting.”
She shrugged. “Get used to it, sweetheart. You’re going to have a little brother or sister running around here soon.”
“Shut up,” he growled.
Claire leaned forward, mock-whispering, “Better start practicing being the big brother.”
Ace turned away abruptly and stormed down the hallway, his footsteps heavy, angry.
As he disappeared, Claire turned back to me, her expression shifting into something colder.
“You know I’m here to stay,” she said.
I met her gaze, my hands clenched at my sides. “I doubt that.”
Her smile faltered just slightly.
“I’ll see Scott soon enough,” she said. “And when I do, everything changes.”
“We’ll see,” I replied.
I turned and walked away before she could say another word, my heart pounding, my mind spinning, knowing deep down that nothing about this was going to end cleanly.