Chapter 1 The Stranger

• Emma’s POV
• The bass from the rooftop bar thrummed in my chest as I glanced at my reflection in the elevator doors. I barely recognized the girl staring back at me—a bold red dress, heels that felt like a death sentence, and makeup far more dramatic than I usually wore. My stepsister Audrey’s castoffs might have looked expensive, but they didn’t make me feel like I belonged.
• Audrey’s voice from earlier still rang in my head. “You’ll just embarrass yourself, Emma. These places aren’t for people like you.”
• Not for the first time, I wondered why I’d even come. To prove her wrong? To escape the suffocating drama of my stepmother and her toxic little puppet? Whatever my reason, it wasn’t working.
• The elevator doors slid open, revealing a sea of glamorous people. I hesitated at the entrance, scanning the room for Audrey and her entourage. The last thing I needed was for her to spot me and humiliate me in front of her friends.
• My eyes landed on the bar, and I made a beeline for it. A drink. That was all I needed. One overpriced cocktail, and I’d leave before anyone noticed me.
• The bartender handed me a menu, but I barely glanced at it. “Something sweet,” I muttered, tugging at the hem of my dress. I wasn’t used to this kind of crowd, this kind of attention. I felt like a fraud in a room full of polished, perfect people.
• “Talking to yourself?” a deep, smooth voice cut through my thoughts.
• I turned, and my breath caught. He leaned casually against the bar, one hand resting on the counter and the other holding a glass of something dark. His suit was tailored to perfection, and his blue eyes sparkled with a mix of amusement and intrigue.
• “Only when I’m bored,” I shot back, recovering quickly.
• His lips curved into a slow, devastating smile. “Then I’ll take that as my cue to make this interesting.”
• “Confident, aren’t you?” I arched a brow, trying to ignore the way my pulse quickened under his gaze.
• “Confident enough to know when someone’s having a bad night.” He extended his hand. “Lucas.”
• “Emma.” I hesitated only briefly before shaking his hand. His grip was warm and firm, and I hated the way it made my stomach flutter.
• “Emma.” He said my name like it was something precious, and I immediately regretted telling him. “What brings you here? You don’t exactly blend in with the crowd.”
• I bristled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
• “It’s not a bad thing,” he said quickly, raising his hands in mock surrender. “You just seem… different. Like you’re trying not to be seen.”
• He wasn’t wrong, but I wasn’t about to let him know that. “Maybe I’m just here for the overpriced drinks.”
• Lucas chuckled, the sound warm and rich. “Fair enough.” He motioned to the bartender, who handed me another cocktail without me asking.
• “Let me guess,” I said, raising the glass. “You’re the kind of guy who thinks buying drinks will make a girl fall at your feet.”
• “Only if it works,” he said, his grin widening.
• I couldn’t help but laugh. Against my better judgment, I found myself relaxing. Lucas was charming, in a way that felt effortless. We talked for what felt like hours, though I couldn’t tell you what we talked about. Every time he looked at me, it felt like he was peeling back a layer I didn’t even know I had.
• When the crowd began to thin, he leaned closer, his voice dropping to a low rumble. “Do you want to get out of here?”
• My heart slammed against my ribs. I knew exactly what he was asking, and every rational part of me screamed to say no. But for once, I didn’t want to be rational. I didn’t want to think about Audrey, my stepmother, or the endless string of sacrifices that made up my life.
• “I do,” I whispered.
• ---
• The sunlight streaming through unfamiliar curtains woke me the next morning. For a moment, I lay still, my head pounding and my body sore in ways I didn’t want to think about.
• Lucas was gone.
• A folded note sat on the pillow beside me.
• Emma,
• Thank you for an unforgettable night. I wish I could’ve stayed, but duty calls. Take care of yourself.
• - Lucas
• I stared at the note, my chest tightening. No phone number. No last name. Just “Lucas.”
• What had I expected? A fairytale ending? Men like Lucas didn’t stick around for girls like me.
• I crumpled the note and tossed it aside, determined to forget the whole thing.
• ---
• Weeks passed, and life returned to normal—or as normal as it could be with my stepmother’s constant barbs and Audrey’s sneering reminders of my place in the family. I tried to focus on my work, but something wasn’t right.
• It started with the nausea—early mornings spent hovering over the toilet, my stomach lurching with no warning. Then came the exhaustion, the strange cravings, the bloated feeling I couldn’t shake.
• I knew before I even bought the test. But when those two blue lines appeared, I still felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me.
• Pregnant.
• I sank onto the bathroom floor, clutching the test in my trembling hands. This couldn’t be happening.
• The father was a stranger. A billionaire who probably didn’t even remember my name.
• And my family? My stepmother would have a field day with this. Audrey would gloat. My dad… I didn’t even know what my dad would say.
• I had no plan.
• No idea what to do next.
• All I knew was that my life had just changed forever.
• ---