Chapter 170
Chapter 171
VENUS
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The world felt like it narrowed down to the little white sticks in my hand. Two of them. My fingers clenched tight, the edges biting into my palm.
Sabine tilted her head, one brow arching in that Sinclair way that demanded truth. “Venus. Don’t make me drag it out of you p>
I swallowed, throat dry. I tried to speak, but the air caught. My lips trembled, betraying me. And that was all it took-Sabine’s expression shifted from playful anticipation to sharp, cutting clarity.
“Oh my God,” she whispered.
I sank onto the edge of the bed, staring down at my fist. My chest was caving, lungs tight, like I’d been running for miles and only just realized it.
Sabine’s hand closed over mine, firm and steady. She pried my fingers open one by one until the sticks lay revealed between us, stark, undeniable.
Two pink lines. Clear as sunrise. On both.
Positive.
My vision blurred.
“I can’t-” My voice broke. “Sabine, I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t even know if I want p>
Her grip tightened. “Stop.” She leaned in, her eyes fierce, anchoring me when I was unraveling. “This isn’t about want or can’t. This is about truth. And the truth is, you’re carrying Aaron Sinclair’s child p>
Her words slammed into me like a blow, sucking the air from my lungs. Aaron. My Aaron. His child.
A thousand thoughts collided in my head-flashes of him kneeling with that ring, of the fire in his eyes when he swore I was more important than everything, of the weight of his hand on my throat when he kissed me like I was air.
How would he look at me now? With that same worship? Or with fear? With disappointment?
“I didn’t even give him the chance to say if he wanted this.” My whisper cracked. “What if he doesn’t p>
Sabine let out a low, incredulous laugh, shaking her head. “You didn’t get a say yourself if you wanted this. He’s equally responsible too. You really are blind sometimes. My brother doesn’t just want you, Venus. He chooses you every second. He would burn down the world if it meant keeping you safe. And if he finds out you’re carrying his child-his blood, his name-do you honestly think he’ll do anything less than worship you harder p>
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Chapter 171
My throat tightened, hot tears pricking my eyes. “But what if I’m not ready p>
“Then you’ll become ready,” Sabine said simply, as if it were law. Her voice softened. “None of us are ever ready, Venus. We just… rise to it. The way you’ve risen to everything else. Look at you. You’ve faced down enemies that would break lesser women. You think you can’t face this p>
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Her hand came up, brushing away a tear that had slipped free. “This isn’t Gerald, or business, or the world clawing at you. This is life. Yours. Aaron’s. Something you two created together. And I’ve never seen anything more powerful p>
Her words rooted in me, tangled deep. I wanted to believe her. But belief was a fragile thing, and fear was heavier.
I looked down at the sticks again. My future staring back in pale pink.
The silence weighed on me, heavier than stone. Two pink lines. Clear. Unforgiving.
Sabine’s words still echoed in my head-Aaron’s child—but my chest was tight, my hands trembling. I couldn’t hold the truth alone, not without it splitting me open.
Before I could spiral further, Sabine plucked my phone from the nightstand with a decisive snap of her wrist. “We’re not doing this by ourselves. You need another voice p>
My pulse jolted. “Who p>
But I already knew.
Seconds later, Gianna’s face filled the screen, hair tied up, her expression bright and curious. “Sabine? Venus? What’s going on p>
Sabine angled the phone so Gianna could see me, see the sticks lying between us like loaded weapons.
Gianna blinked once. Twice. Her mouth fell open. And then she shrieked, “Oh my God-are you serious p>
Her joy burst through the screen like sunlight, so big it made my chest ache. “Venus! You’re going to make me an aunt p>
I flinched at the word, my throat tightening. “Gianna, I… I don’t know. I’m not sure I’m ready for this. I don’t even know if I want this.” The admission cracked out of me, raw and shaky.
Gianna’s expression softened immediately, her joy folding into something steadier, kinder. “Hey, Hey, breathe, okay? You don’t have to have all the answers right now. You don’t have to decide tonight p>
Sabine’s hand brushed mine, warm, grounding. “She’s right. This isn’t a verdict, Venus. It’s a choice. Yours p>
I shook my head, pressing my palms to my eyes as tears burned. “But what if I disappoint him? What if Aaron looks at me differently? What if p>
Gianna cut me off, firm but gentle. “Aaron Sinclair is obsessed with you, and you know it. He’ll move
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Chapter 171
mountains for you, baby. Whether you keep this or not, that man will stand exactly where he always has: by your side p>
Sabine leaned closer, her tone low, deliberate. “But you owe him the truth, Venus. Don’t rob him of this choice, don’t carry this alone. Whatever you decide, he deserves to know p>
Their voices wrapped around me-two different threads, one fiery, one gentle-but both unshakable, both tethering me when I felt untethered.
I stared down at the sticks again, pale lines burning into my vision. My future. My choice.
And for the first time since the bathroom, I let out a long, trembling breath.
AD
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Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.