Chapter 143 The Girl Who Claimed Captain

Chapter 143 The Girl Who Claimed Captain
Monday morning should have been simple.

Lenora thought getting engaged would make life quieter.

She should have known better.

The moment she stepped through the school gates, sunlight caught the diamond on her finger.

Lilibeth noticed first.

Her scream echoed across the parking lot.

“Oh. My. God.”

Pamela whipped around.

Kylen nearly dropped his coffee.

Lenora laughed, cheeks burning, and held up her hand.

The ring glittered.

For one full second, her friends were speechless.

Then Lilibeth launched herself at Lenora.

“You’re engaged!”

Pamela hugged her next, smiling wider than Lenora had ever seen.

Kylen pulled her into a quick squeeze.

“I’m genuinely happy for you.”

Lenora blinked back tears.

“Thank you.”

Lilibeth grabbed her hand again.

“This ring is criminally gorgeous.”

Pamela smirked.

“Lenold has taste.”

“Lenold has money,” Lilibeth corrected.

They all laughed.

And for the first time in a long time, the laughter felt light.

Easy.

Normal.

At least for five minutes.

Because the second Lenold walked into the parking lot, every girl within fifty feet turned to look.

He wore a black hoodie, athletic pants, and the relaxed confidence of a boy who had just proposed to the love of his life.

The moment he saw Lenora, his face softened.

He walked straight to her.

No hesitation.

No concern about who was watching.

He wrapped one arm around her waist and kissed her slowly.

The parking lot erupted.

Students cheered.

Someone wolf-whistled.

Lenora laughed against his lips.

When he pulled back, his forehead rested against hers.

“Good morning, fiancée.”

Her heart fluttered wildly.

“Good morning.”

Lilibeth wiped away fake tears.

“He said fiancée. I’m unwell.”

Kylen shook his head.

“You’re always unwell.”

Lenold took Lenora’s left hand and kissed the ring.

His eyes met hers.

“You still said yes.”

She smiled.

“Best decision of my life.”

His grin was so bright it nearly stole her breath.

By lunchtime, the entire school knew.

Students kept stopping them in the hallway.

Some offered congratulations.

Others stared in disbelief.

One freshman actually asked if their love story was “a Netflix show.”

Lilibeth answered before Lenora could.

“No, babe. It’s better.”

Lenora sat in the cafeteria with Lenold’s arm draped over her shoulders.

Her ring caught the light every time she moved.

She was still getting used to the weight of it.

The weight of what it meant.

Across the table, Pamela was reviewing college acceptance letters.

Kylen was pretending not to care.

Lilibeth was already planning the wedding.

“I’m thinking outdoor ceremony. White roses. String quartet.”

Lenora laughed.

“I haven’t even picked a date.”

Lilibeth gasped.

“You’re already behind.”

Lenold chuckled and kissed Lenora’s temple.

“We have time.”

She leaned into him.

And for one blissful moment, everything felt perfect.

Then Lenold’s phone buzzed.

He glanced at the screen.

His smile faded slightly.

Lenora noticed immediately.

“What is it?”

He hesitated.

Then turned the screen toward her.

The message was from his father.

We need to talk. Tonight. It’s important.

Lenora looked up.

“Do you know what it’s about?”

Lenold shook his head.

“No.”

But his expression told her he had a feeling.

And it wasn’t good.

That evening, they drove to the Davenport house in silence.

Lenold kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other on Lenora’s thigh.

A grounding touch.

A reminder that whatever waited inside, they would face it together.

When they entered the living room, his father was already there.

So was Lenora’s mother.

Neither looked relaxed.

Lenora’s stomach tightened.

Lenold sat beside her on the couch, fingers lacing with hers.

His father exhaled slowly.

“There’s no easy way to say this.”

Lenora’s heart started pounding.

Her mother reached into her purse and placed a sealed envelope on the coffee table.

Lenora frowned.

“What is that?”

Her mother’s eyes filled with tears.

“It was delivered this afternoon.”

Lenold opened the envelope.

Inside was a single ultrasound photo.

Lenora blinked.

Her mind stalled.

“What…?”

Then she saw the handwritten note beneath it.

Thought you deserved to know.

No signature.

No explanation.

Just that.

Lenora’s throat went dry.

She stared at the photo.

Then at her mother.

Then at Lenold.

He looked just as confused.

His father cleared his throat.

“We had it verified.”

Lenora whispered, “Verified?”

Her mother nodded.

“The baby is real.”

Silence.

Heavy and immediate.

Lenora’s voice shook.

“Whose baby?”

Her mother looked away.

Lenold’s father answered.

“Laura’s.”

The name hit like a slap.

Laura.

The girl who had spent months claiming Lenold belonged to her.

Lenora’s heart pounded painfully.

Lenold’s jaw hardened.

“That’s impossible.”

His father’s expression was grim.

“She claims the baby is yours.”

The room went completely silent.

Lenora felt the air leave her lungs.

Slowly, she turned to look at Lenold.

He was already staring at her.

His eyes were fierce.

Unwavering.

“Lenora.”

Her chest tightened.

“I didn’t sleep with her.”

His voice was immediate.

Certain.

But the ultrasound lay on the table between them.

A tiny grainy image capable of shattering peace.

Lenora’s eyes filled with tears.

Not because she believed him capable of betrayal.

But because life had just found another way to test them.

Lenold reached for her hand.

She let him take it.

He held on tightly.

“I swear to you,” he said, voice rough, “that child is not mine.”

Lenora searched his eyes.

And saw only truth.

Her throat tightened.

“I believe you.”

The relief on his face was instant.

Raw.

He pressed her hand to his lips.

“Thank you.”

But across the room, his father remained tense.

“That may not be enough.”

Lenora frowned.

“What do you mean?”

His father met their eyes.

“Laura says she intends to prove it publicly.”

The words landed like thunder.

Pamela was going to lose her mind.

Lilibeth would combust.

And the media would devour it.

Lenora swallowed hard.

One perfect weekend.

That was all they had gotten.

Lenold intertwined their fingers more tightly.

He turned to her.

“We’ll handle this.”

His voice was steady.

Confident.

The same tone he used before every battle.

Lenora drew in a shaky breath.

Then nodded.

“Together.”

He kissed her forehead.

“Always.”

Outside, thunder rumbled in the distance.

Inside, Lenora stared at the ultrasound photo on the table.

And realized that just when she thought the storm was over—

another one had arrived