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The silence in the car had been unnerving. I kept my eyes fixed outside, watching the rain, refusing to acknowledge the man beside me. He seemed equally disinterested, his gaze flickering between the window and the muted headlines on the radio. Typical businessman—always absorbing information like a sponge. I imagined Rachel’s reaction if he tried to bring his work obsession into their marriage. She'd tear him apart.

When the car finally pulled into our mansion, the guards barely glanced in our direction before letting us in. As soon as the car stopped at the porch, I hurried out, barely registering his assistant trailing behind us. Inside, I was greeted by the sight of my father, Rick, Rachel, and my mother engaged in what seemed to be a serious conversation. My stomach tightened at the sight of Rick. What was he doing here? He had told me he had urgent business to attend to, but now, here he was—calm, collected, and in deep discussion with my father.

Dad stood up, his expression surprisingly cheerful. “How do you like him?” he asked, gesturing to the man beside me. I blinked, caught off guard by the question. My approval?

I glanced at the man. He was polite, rich, and seemed capable enough. Quiet, perhaps, but that could be attributed to his busy mind. Rachel could probably handle him well. If she was content, what did it matter to me?

“He’s okay, I guess. But if Rachel likes him, what does it matter what I think?” I shrugged, hoping the conversation would end there. The man next to me frowned briefly but quickly returned to his composed demeanor.

Dad exchanged a long, deliberate glance with Rachel and Rick. Something about their shared look made me uneasy, like I was missing an essential piece of the puzzle. Rick looked visibly relieved, while Rachel… she smirked. Something about her expression felt off, almost calculating.

“Then I assume you like him?” Dad pressed again, his voice more insistent this time. The question threw me off. Why did it matter so much what I thought?

“Shouldn’t you be asking Rachel?” I snapped, irritation creeping into my voice. “She’s the one who’s going to marry him, right?”

Dad remained silent, his eyes meeting mine with an intensity I hadn’t noticed before. It was then that my mother, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke.

“Why would your sister stay with him when you’re the one marrying him?”

Her words landed like a punch to the gut. I froze, my mind scrambling to make sense of what she’d just said. My mother’s eyes were red, like she’d been crying. Dad looked… resolute. Rick was sweating. Rachel stood there, eerily calm. And suddenly, everything clicked into place.

I turned to the man beside me, my voice barely a whisper. “What’s the date today?”

“March 28th,” he replied, his tone flat, as if completely unaware of the turmoil swirling around me.

I couldn’t take it. “Is this some kind of sick joke?” I demanded, my voice rising. “April Fool’s Day come early? Because this—this cannot be real.”

No one moved. They just stared at me, waiting, watching, as though bracing for something.

Then, Rachel stepped forward, her smirk widening into a smile that sent a chill down my spine. “I told them this was a bad idea,” she said softly, her voice laced with condescension. “But it’s time you knew, sis. We should have told you sooner.”

My pulse quickened as I grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. “What are you talking about, Rachel? What do you mean? What do I need time for?”

Rachel raised her hand slowly, revealing a small white strip between her fingers. It took me a moment to register what it was. A pregnancy test. Two red lines—one clear, the other faint.

I stared at it, unable to process what I was seeing.

“Rick has to take responsibility for what he did, doesn’t he?” Rachel’s voice was like honey, dripping with sweetness as she dropped the bombshell.

The room felt like it was closing in on me. I turned to Rick, who looked like he wanted to disappear. And that’s when it all crashed down. Rachel… pregnant. Rick, my fiancé… responsible.

I felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me.

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