Chapter 4

The day my prenatal checkup results came out, I sat on a bench in the hospital hallway in a daze.

The doctor said everything was normal. The baby was healthy. I needed to pay attention to nutrition and rest.

The baby is healthy. I repeated those words three times.

"Emily?"

I looked up. Zoey stood at the end of the hallway holding a bag of fruit.

She smiled and walked over. "What a coincidence. You came to this hospital too?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Visiting a friend." She sat down next to me and casually glanced at my hands.

I turned the prenatal report face down, but her eyes had already caught something.

"Obstetrics?" Zoey's tone changed, no longer that sweet enthusiasm.

She stared straight at my face.

"Emily, don't tell me you're..."

"It's none of your business."

"Pregnant?"

I stood up. "Zoey, this isn't your concern."

"Of course it's my concern." She also stood up. "If it's Ethan's child, then it is my business."

People were coming and going in the hallway. She lowered her voice and moved closer to me.

"Emily, are you planning to hide this from everyone and have the baby? And then what—use the child to threaten Ethan?"

"I don't need to threaten anyone."

"But Ethan won't want this child." Zoey's tone was matter-of-fact. "He said his children need to be born into a complete family. The family he chose doesn't include you."

"He told you that?"

"He tells me everything." Zoey pulled out her phone and played a voice message.

Ethan's voice came from the phone: Zoey, after we get through this busy period, we'll have a proper wedding. We'll figure out the rest later. Just settle in for now.

"Did you hear that? He's already planning our wedding. If you run out now with a baby, everyone will just think you're being clingy."

I took a deep breath.

Zoey watched my reaction, seeming to confirm something.

"Emily, I have a suggestion. Go find a witch, terminate the pregnancy, and we'll all go our separate ways. I won't tell Ethan, and I won't tell anyone."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll tell him. What do you think he'll do when he finds out?"

She pulled an envelope from her bag and handed it to me.

"What's this?"

"Open it and see."

Inside the envelope was an ultrasound report with Zoey's name at the top, dated two weeks ago.

It clearly stated: Intrauterine early pregnancy, 7 weeks.

"I'm pregnant too." Zoey put away her smile and looked at me seriously. "Ethan already knows. He's thrilled. He bought a ton of pregnancy supplies."

"So do you understand now? His first child can only be born from me."

I stared at that ultrasound report.

Seven weeks pregnant. Zoey just returned to the country yesterday. Seven weeks ago she was abroad. This ultrasound report had the stamp of our pack's maternity hospital.

The timeline didn't match.

But I didn't say anything. Now wasn't the time to expose her.

"Think about it." Zoey patted my shoulder. "Before things get out of hand."

She turned and left.

I clutched that ultrasound report.

You say you're pregnant too. Seven weeks ago you were abroad, but your ultrasound has the Moonridge pack's stamp.

"Zoey, what exactly are you?"