Chapter 81 Pregnancy drama
Third Person.
Roxy was at her penthouse, scrolling through entertainment news with rage.
Dandelion Williams Returns to Film Industry with outstanding Performance.
Standing Ovation at the Premier of Film Festival for Indie Drama Star.
Directors Line Up to Work with Dandelion Williams After the Film Festival Buzz.
Every headline made her want to throw her phone across the room. That scandalous actress was everywhere again. But this time she was Smiling in photos, glowing with confidence, being praised by critics who wanted to tear her apart months ago.
And worse, there were recent photos of her with a man whose face was carefully hidden. Her "mysterious protector" the caption called him. But Roxy knew exactly who it was.
Alexander.
Her Alexander.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered, tossing her phone onto the couch.
She'd been with Alex for years. Three years of late night calls, of being available whenever he needed to release "tension", of hoping he would eventually see her as more than just a sex buddy. She had endured his coldness, his rules about no emotions, his insistence that they were nothing more than casual.
And for what? To be thrown away the moment he decided to marry some desperate actress?
She stood up, pacing her living room. The penthouse suddenly felt too small and empty. Alex had bought her this house. Had set her up nicely, given her everything she asked for financially.
Everything except his heart.
Now Dandelion had that too.
Roxy caught her reflection in the full length mirror. She was beautiful, successful, desired by countless men. Yet the one man she actually wanted had married someone else.
"No!," she yelled out loud. "I'm not losing to her."
An idea began forming in her mind. It was dangerous and risky, but also brilliant.
If she couldn't have Alex through love, maybe she could trap him through obligation.
She picked up her phone again and made a call.
"Dr. Morrison? It's Roxy Briggs. I need a favor."
..........,...............
Graham Corp main lobby was bustling with the usual morning activity when Roxy walked in two hours later. She dressed carefully for the performance she was about to display.
It was a simple dress, minimal makeup to make her look pale and vulnerable, hair pulled back in a messy bun. She even practiced her trembling lip in the car.
The receptionist, who immediately recognized her frowned. "Good morning. How can I help you?"
"I need to see Alexander." Roxy's voice came out shaky, exactly as she'd practiced. "Please. It's urgent."
The receptionist rolled her eyes, because it's exactly what she expected as usual. "Miss Briggs please I'm very busy today. If you don't have an appointment I suggest you leave immediately, or do you have?"
"No. but please can you tell him I'm here. Tell him I need to talk about something important."Roxy pleaded with fake teary eyes.
"I'm afraid Mr. Graham is in a meeting right now. If you'd like to schedule--"
"I'm pregnant." Roxy let tears drop from her eyes. Real tears which she easily did by thinking about how Alex had abandoned her. "I'm pregnant with his child."
The receptionist professional composure cracked completely. Her eyes went wide, her mouth falling wide open. "I'm sorry, what?"
"Please." Roxy gripped the edge of the her desk. "I need to see him. The baby, it's his. From before he got married. I didn't know until recently, and I don't know what to do."
The lobby wasn't crowded, but there were enough people nearby to hear. Roxy watched as heads turned, and whispers started spreading.
Perfect.
The receptionist quickly noticed the whispers, "Miss Briggs, perhaps we should discuss this somewhere more private--"
"There's nothing to discuss!" Roxy's voice rose, drawing more attention. "I'm carrying Alexander Graham's child, and he needs to know!"
She looked panicked now. She grabbed the phone. "Just calm down Miss Briggs Let me call his assistant. Mr. Walter can--"
"I don't want his assistant. I want Alex!"
The elevator doors opened across the lobby and Walter stepped out, clearly returning from somewhere. His eyes landed on Roxy immediately and his expression hardened.
He crossed the lobby in quick strides. "Miss Briggs. What are you doing here?"
"Walter." Roxy turned to him, letting more tears stream down her face. "I need to see Alex. I'm pregnant. The baby is his."
Walter's face remained composed, but Roxy saw the flash of disbelief in his eyes. Good, let him doubt It doesn't matter. What mattered was the growing crowd of Graham Corp employees watching this scene unfold.
"That's impossible," Walter said quietly.
"Impossible?" Roxy's voice climbed higher. "Are you calling me a liar?"
"I'm saying the timeline doesn't work. Mr. Graham has been married for months now."
"The baby is from before!" Roxy clutched her stomach dramatically. "We were together for years, Walter. You know that. And now he throws me away like garbage the moment he gets married, and I'm left carrying his child alone!"
She could see it happening. The way people's expressions changed. The way they started whispering to each other. Some looked sympathetic. Others looked excited due to the new gossip. A few were already pulling out their phones.
Walter noticed too. His jaw tightened. "Miss Briggs, I'm going to have to ask you to leave the premises. If you want to discuss this matter, you can schedule a proper meeting through legal channels."
"Legal channels?" Roxy laughed bitterly. "I came here hoping to talk to the father of my child, and you're threatening me with lawyers?"
"I'm not threatening you. I'm simply saying this is not the appropriate venue--"
Roxy swayed on her feet. She had practiced this part too, in her apartment. The key was to make it look sudden but believable.
"I don't feel well," she whispered, putting her hand on her head.
"Miss Briggs."
She suddenly slumped.
The lobby erupted in chaos. Someone screamed. The receptionist came running around the reception desk. Walter caught Roxy before she hit the ground, his face was tight with controlled anger.
"Someone call an ambulance!" The receptionist yelled.
"That's not necessary," Walter said sharply.
But it was too late. A security guard already had his phone out. "Ambulance is on the way."
Roxy kept her eyes closed, listening to the commotion around her. Walter's angry muttering, the receptionist panicked questions about whether she was breathing and the crowd gathering closer.
This was exactly what she wanted. Maximum drama and a lot of witnesses. By the time the day was over, every employee in Graham Corp would know that Alexander Graham's ex-lover had collapsed in the lobby claiming to be pregnant with his child.
Let's see how Dandelion would handle that.
The ambulance arrived within a few minutes. Paramedics rushed in with a stretcher. Roxy let them check her vitals, acting weak and distressed perfectly.
"Ma'am, can you tell us what happened?" one paramedic asked.
"I'm pregnant," Roxy whispered. "I just found out. I came to tell the father, but I got so overwhelmed and stressed."
"Okay, we're going to take you to the hospital to get checked out."
As they loaded her onto the stretcher, Roxy caught Walter's eyes. He was staring at her with an expression that promised punishment. But what could he do? Afterall she was a pregnant woman who had fainted. He couldn't exactly throw her out now.
The ambulance doors closed and they drove away, leaving chaos behind.
.....................
Walter stood in the lobby, watching the ambulance disappear. Around him, employees gathered in groups whispering. This would soon spread like wildfire.
He pulled out his own phone and dialed Alexander. It went to voicemail. Of course it did. He was still in that board meeting.
"Sir," Walter said after the beep. "We have a situation. Roxy Briggs just staged a scene in the lobby claiming she's pregnant with your child. I need you to call me immediately."
He hung up and turned to face the crowd. His expression was cold enough to freeze fire.
"Listen up," he said, his voice cutting through the whispers. "Everyone who witnessed what just happened, I need you to understand something very clearly."
The lobby went quiet.
"What you saw was a private matter that will be handled appropriately through proper means. If anyone, and I mean anyone, speaks to the media about this or even let it escalate even within this premises, you will be buried in lawsuits so deep your grandchildren will still be paying legal fees."
He let that sink in.
"Graham Corp has a strict confidentiality policy. You all signed it when you were hired. That policy covers situations exactly like this. If I find out that even a whisper of this reaches the press, I will personally ensure that the source is identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
The receptionist raised her hand timidly. "Mr. Walter, people already have their phones out. Some of them were recording."
Walter's expression darkened. "Then I suggest those people delete any footage immediately. And I suggest everyone here remember that their jobs, their reputations, and their financial futures depend on their choice."
He pulled out his tablet and gave orders. "I need a list of everyone who was in this lobby in the last thirty minutes. Security, pull all camera footage. I want to know exactly who saw what and who might have recorded anything."
"Yes sir," both the receptionist and the security said quickly.
Walter looked around the lobby one more time. "This conversation is over. Everyone back to work. Now."