Fiona glanced at the clock on her kitchen wall and sighed. She was finally getting so peace she thought she deserved
She sat at the kitchen table in her robe, staring at her laptop screen without really seeing it. She ant to just google about pregnancy.
A soft knock at the front door pulled her out of her thoughts.
Fiona frowned. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Elara had gone to the market to get so food supplents for her.
She stood up slowly, still a little unsteady, and walked to the door. When she opened it, Lena stood on the porch, holding a paper bag from their favorite bakery and a worried smile.
"Surprise," Lena said, lifting the bag. "I brought blueberry muffins and vanilla lattes. Figured you could use so real food after that hospital slop."
Fiona’s eyes widened, then filled with relief. She pulled Lena into a tight hug.
"I wasn’t expecting you. Co in."
They settled on the couch. Lena handed her a muffin and a latte, then studied her friend carefully.
"You look better than I expected," Lena said. "But you also look like you’ve been through hell. Talk to , Fi. The dia is a ss and the rumors... they’re getting worse."
Fiona took a small bite of the muffin, grateful for the familiar taste. She hadn’t realized how much she needed this — a friend who knew her before all the chaos.
"Where do I even start?" Fiona said with a tired laugh. "So much has happened since I resigned."A lot Lena i dont even know ..
She told Lena everything.
She started with the hospital stay — the high fever, the IV, the fear of complications for the baby. She described running into Clara near the maternity wing and the cold suspicion in her eyes. Then she moved to the hardest part: Caleb’s revelation.
"He owns Moonshine, Lena," Fiona said quietly. "The entire company. The architecture firm was just a cover. He’s been the one behind the Lumina Glow launch that sent Voss into panic mode."
Lena’s eyes widened.
"Wait... Caleb? Your Caleb? The one who’s been so good to you?"
Fiona nodded, tears pricking her eyes again.
"I felt so betrayed at first. I thought he was my safe place, and suddenly he was part of the rivalry I was trying to escape. I asked him for space. I even told him I didn’t think we should continue the engagent."
Lena reached over and squeezed her hand.
"And now?"
Fiona smiled faintly.
"I’ve had ti to think. He apologized. He explained everything — the university rivalry with Martin, why he kept it hidden. He didn’t use . He was scared I’d see him the way I see Martin. I decided to go along with the engagent. I want to move forward with him. He makes feel safe, Lena. And with Moonshine... I don’t have to stress about work anymore. I can focus on the baby."
Lena let out a long breath, processing everything.
"Wow. That’s... a lot. But if he makes you happy and he’s willing to be a father to the baby, then I’m happy for you. Just be careful. The industry is brutal. If people find out you’re engaged to the owner of Moonshine while pregnant... the rumors will explode."
Fiona nodded, her expression turning serious.
"I know. Clara already saw near the maternity wing. She’s suspicious. I’m terrified she’s going to start spreading that on top of the sellout rumors."
They talked for nearly two hours. Fiona updated Lena on Martin’s desperate visit to her door, Elara’s protective questioning of Caleb, and the quiet hope she felt about starting at Moonshine once her notice period ended. Lena shared office gossip how Katherine was pushing the wedding harder, how Martin looked distracted and angry, and how the team was struggling without Fiona’s creative input.
By the ti Lena left, Fiona felt lighter. Having a friend who knew the real story helped more than she realized.
anwhile, at Voss Éclat...
Clara walked through the creative floor with a confident stride, her heels clicking sharply. She had spent the morning gathering little pieces of information a casual conversation with a nurse she knew at the hospital, a few anonymous texts to industry contacts. The puzzle was coming together.
She spotted Riley at her desk, typing away on her laptop. Perfect.
Clara approached with a sweet, concerned smile.
"Riley, hi. Have you heard from your Fiona lately? I saw her at the hospital the other day. She looked awful. I am really worried."
Riley looked up, her expression guarded.
"She’s okay. Why were you at the hospital?"
Clara leaned against the desk, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret.
"I was visiting a friend in the maternity wing. Imagine my surprise when I saw Fiona there too. She was right outside the pregnancy section with her mom. Looked like she was hiding sothing. She even put her hand on her stomach when she saw . Interesting timing, don’t you think? It hasn’t been that long since she and Marcus broke up..."
Riley’s face paled slightly, but she kept her expression neutral.
"Fiona was sick. High fever. That’s all."
Clara’s smile turned sharper.
"Of course. But you have to admit... it’s suspicious. Fiona resigns suddenly, disappears for a day, and shows up near the maternity ward? If she’s pregnant... well, that would explain a lot. The emotional breakdowns, the quick exit from Voss. I wonder whose baby it is."
Riley’s hands tightened on her keyboard.
"You’re spreading rumors Clara. Leave Fiona alone. She’s been through enough."
Clara straightened up, her eyes gleaming.
"I’m just concerned. As a friend. But if she’s hiding a pregnancy... especially if it’s soone i might be thinking of... that would be quite the scandal, wouldn’t it?"
She walked away before Riley could respond, leaving the seed planted.
Riley stared at her screen, heart racing. She needed to warn Fiona.
Fiona’s phone buzzed with a ssage from Riley.
**Riley:** Clara just cornered . She saw you at the hospital near maternity. She’s hinting you might be pregnant. Are you pregnant Fiona.
Fiona’s stomach dropped. The peace she had felt earlier shattered.
She placed a hand on her belly, fear and determination mixing inside her.
The rumors were spreading faster than she could control.
The words blurred for a second. Fiona’s breath ca faster, her heart hamring against her ribs. The baby gave a small, restless kick, as if sensing her sudden panic. She pressed her palm gently against the bump, trying to steady herself.
Clara knows.
Or at least, she suspected. The way she had looked at her in the hospital hallway — that cold, calculating glint in her eyes — had been bad enough. Now she was actively spreading hints to Riley. How long before the rumor reached the entire office? How long before it reached Martin?
Fiona stood up slowly from the couch, her legs still a little weak from the recent fever. She paced the living room, the blanket falling to the floor behind her. The cottage felt too small suddenly, the walls closing in. She had just started to feel a fragile sense of hope — reconciling with Caleb, deciding to move forward with the engagent, believing she could focus on the baby instead of the chaos at Voss. Now that hope was cracking again.
She dialed Riley’s number with shaking fingers.
Riley answered on the second ring, her voice low and urgent.
"Fi, I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to text sothing like that, but I thought you should know right away. Clara was being her usual nasty self, dropping hints like she was doing a favor by ’sharing.’ She said you looked awful and were hanging around the maternity wing. She even asked if it was Marcus’s baby... or soone else’s."
Fiona closed her eyes, leaning against the kitchen counter.
"Did she say Martin’s na?"
"Not directly," Riley said. "But the implication was there. She’s fishing, Fi. She wants a reaction. I played dumb, but she’s not going to stop. You know how she is."
Fiona swallowed hard.She knew Clara would ne out there to get her completely cant she rest a bit.
She really needed a break from life giving her hard tis .
"I know. Thank you for warning . I... I don’t know what to do. If this gets out before I’m ready..."
"You’re not alone," Riley said firmly. "I’ve got your back. Just focus on getting better. Don’t let her get in your head."She is just being bitter that she did not get your position after you resgined
They talked for a few more minutes. Riley updated her on the latest office gossip — how Katherine was pushing wedding plans harder, how Martin looked distracted and short-tempered, and how the team was struggling to keep the inclusivity event on track without Fiona’s input. By the ti they hung up, Fiona felt a little less alone, but the fear remained.
She sank back onto the couch, staring at the ceiling. The baby fluttered again, stronger this ti. Fiona rubbed her belly gently.
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