Tanis gazed at the ultrasound image as if it were an artifact from a different existence.
Her perfectly manicured fingers quivered around the shiny print, holding it with a gentleness that contrasted sharply with the fierce, composed woman she had always been. The exam room was silent, filled only with the soft whir of medical machines. Even though the air was cold and clinical, she felt nothing. Her whole body was numb, her senses dulled by the heavy reality of what she now clutched.
She traced the small curve visible in the image, the faintest hint of life. A flutter. A heartbeat. A promise she never thought she would have to keep.
It was real.
No more pretending. No hormone shots. No clever manipulations or strategic timing. This wasn't a trick or a means to an end. It wasn't a scheme to secure a name, a legacy, or a ring.
She was indeed pregnant. With Drew Miller's child.
For someone like Tanis Harper, who had always orchestrated her life like a finely tuned symphony, this should have felt like a victory. Her ultimate, flawless move. A queen's checkmate.
But instead, she felt… vulnerable.
Because this was no longer about winning. Not really.
It never was.
It was about him. About Andrew Millers. About the version of him she had loved so deeply, the man she had held onto in his most fragile moments, convincing herself that he needed her. That he would stay. That he could love her in return.
Tears glistened in her eyes, yet to fall. She murmured to no one, to the shadows, to the echo of the heartbeat still pulsing on the screen. "I love you, Drew. And you're going to love me back. No matter what it takes."
Meanwhile, the executive war room of Millers Enterprises hummed with a sense of urgent strategy.
Drew stood like a general surveying a battlefield, his eyes fixed on a wall of digital projections. Stock graphs fluctuated rapidly across multiple screens. Legal documents scrolled across another. His inner circle surrounded him, armed with laptops, phones, and grim expressions. Camilla stood in the back, watching him, her hand instinctively resting on her growing belly.
"The acquisition is complete," Leo said, breaking the tension in the room. He tapped the screen, enlarging the graph. "We now control thirty-seven percent of HarpenCo's assets."
Gasps and murmurs spread through the room like wildfire.
Drew's expression didn't waver. "We let them play their games," he said. "Sabotage deals. Leak stories. Bribe board members. They underestimated us. Now… we dismantle their empire from the inside."
Applause broke out, cautious but victorious. Camilla caught his eye. For a moment, all the noise faded. This wasn't just about business anymore. It wasn't about revenge or survival.
It was about legacy. About building a future for their child without the shadows of the past.
Meanwhile, the Harper estate was far from calm.
Legal folders littered the coffee table. Phones rang and buzzed relentlessly. William Harper stood near the fireplace, a half-full glass of scotch in hand. Elise Harper flipped through contracts furiously, her voice shrill.
"They bought into our holdings?" Elise snapped, nearly tearing a page. "How the hell did we let that happen?"
William didn't answer immediately. His jaw tightened, a muscle twitching near his temple. "Because we underestimated him. We thought he was still weak. Still reeling."
"He was," Elise spat. "Until that woman put her claws back into him."
Tanis entered the room quietly, the ultrasound photo clutched tightly in her hand, though she said nothing at first.
"They won't take everything," she said at last, her voice calm, far more composed than her parents.
William turned toward her, his expression expectant. "Unless you give them a reason not to."
She hesitated.
Elise raised an eyebrow. "You mentioned you're pregnant. Use that to your advantage. Make an announcement. Secure your place before Camilla becomes a permanent part of the picture."
Tanis slowly shook her head. "I don't want to leverage this baby like that."
William snorted. "Since when did you develop a sense of morality?"
Tanis lifted her chin defiantly. "This isn't about morality Dad. It's about Andrew. I want him, not a scandal or a headline. Just him."
Elise crossed her arms, unimpressed. "And how do you intend to win him back when he's already moved on? He's in love with her, Tanis. It's public, it's obvious, and frankly, it's nauseating."
Tanis narrowed her eyes, but her tone remained steady. "I'm not going to compete with her. I'll remind him of who was there for him when he had no one else. I want him to remember how it felt when I was all he had."
She smiled, but it was neither innocent nor gentle.
It was resolute.
That night, Drew's penthouse was eerily quiet.
The lights were dimmed, casting a soft golden hue throughout the space. Camilla was curled up on the sofa, the news playing softly in the background. For once, the headlines were favorable.
"Drew Millers Outsmarts the Harpers"
"Camilla Brentwood: From Controversy to Confidence"
Yet, Drew didn't smile. He stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, a glass of untouched scotch in hand, gazing out at the city as if anticipating trouble.
Camilla got up and joined him. "What's bothering you?"
He didn't turn to her immediately. "I received a message."
Her heart raced. "From whom?"
"Tanis."
Camilla's expression darkened. "What does she want this time?"
He handed her his phone. The message was brief and to the point.
"We need to talk. Alone. It's about our baby."
Camilla's breath hitched. "She's lying. She's just trying to bluff. Again."
Drew exhaled sharply. "She's done a lot of things, but faking a pregnancy while her life is falling apart? That's a new level of reckless and foolish."
"You're actually going to meet her?"
"I have to."
Camilla searched his eyes. "Be careful."
Drew met Tanis the following morning at the old botanical garden.
It was a tranquil, hidden spot where they had once attended charity events long before the current chaos began. The air was filled with the scent of moist earth and blooming jasmine. Tanis was already there, standing by the Tai pond in a flowing white dress that starkly contrasted with her bold crimson lipstick.
She looked… different. Still graceful and stunning. Still sharp. Yet there was a newfound softness about her. Something genuine.
"Thank you for coming," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Get to the point," Drew replied. "What do you want?"
She didn't flinch. Instead, she reached into her bag and retrieved a folder, handing it to him with care.
Inside were medical records, dated ultrasounds, and blood test results. Each page validated her claims.
"I'm pregnant," she stated plainly.
Drew's fingers lingered on the last page. "And you expect me to believe this isn't another lie?"
"I expected you to doubt me," she confessed. "That's why I brought the documents. Everything is legitimate. I didn't plan for this, not really. I never thought it would actually happen."
He examined the pages in silence.
"I don't want anything from you," she added quickly. "Not money. Not a name on the certificate. I just… I wanted you to know. And maybe… maybe you'd remember what it felt like when it was just you and me. When we were all each other had."
Drew's eyes finally met hers.
"I remember everything now, Tanis. Every single detail. Including the way you manipulated me when I was vulnerable."
She swallowed, her voice trembling. "I didn't fake what I felt. I still love you."
He rose from the bench, his expression unreadable. "Love isn't taking advantage of someone when they're broken. Love is protecting them. Not rewriting their reality."
Her lips parted, panic blooming. "Do you hate me?"
He paused. Then said softly, "No. I pity you."
And with that, he walked away, the echo of his steps leaving her alone, truly alone, with nothing but the weight of truth and the child growing inside her.