The boardroom of Millers Enterprises was unusually quiet, the air electric with tension.
Drew stood at the head of the long oak conference table, his arms folded tightly across his chest. A sleek digital display on the wall flickered between damning headlines:
"Millers Enterprises Loses Multi-Billion Dollar Pharma Deal"
"Harper Family Legal Team Issues Statement—Coincidence or Conspiracy?"
Each word felt like a punch. Leo, his right-hand man and longtime friend, paced behind him, his steps quick and agitated. Camilla sat silently in a corner, a hand on her slightly rounded stomach, her expression shadowed with concern.
"Three deals," Leo said for the third time, his voice low and dangerous. "Three, Drew. Back to back. All pulled with zero warning. Every time your name comes up, people start whispering 'controversy' and suddenly the money dries up."
Drew's jaw tightened. He exhaled slowly, trying to suppress the storm within him. "This isn't just about bad press or market confidence. This is about power. This is the Harpers."
Camilla's eyes shot up. "They're sabotaging your business?"
Drew nodded, his expression grim. "They don't want a scandal. And they don't care how many people they bury to protect their name."
Leo stopped pacing. "The Harpers are more than just old money. They're legacy. Political dynasty. They don't just make phone calls, they move governments, manipulate stock markets. You cross them, and they crush you without blinking."
"And now they're sending me a message," Drew said, his tone ice-cold. "Marry their daughter, stay in line… or watch everything I built crumble."
Camilla flinched slightly. The idea of him being forced into a marriage with Tanis made her stomach turn, but she masked it behind resolve. "But that won't happen, right? You're not giving in?"
Drew gave her a dark smile. "They want war? I'll give them one. But they better be ready to bleed."
Three hours later, Drew sat in his office, his voice tight as he spoke on a secure line.
"Jason, you and I go way back. You know me. You know what I stand for. Don't let their tactics manipulate you."
The voice on the other end of the line, Jason Morgan, CEO of AetherTech and one of Drew's oldest business allies, sounded cautious. "I want to believe that, Drew. I do. But the Harpers… they've made things difficult. There's pressure coming from all sides. Pulling out may be the only way I can keep my company standing."
Drew's expression hardened. "You pull out now, Jason, and you'll regret it. You let them scare you today, they'll own you tomorrow. They'll bleed you dry, just like they're trying to do to me."
A long silence followed. The tension was palpable.
Then Jason replied, voice lower this time. "I'll hold the line. But only on one condition. You go public. Really public. You expose them for what they are."
Drew allowed a thin smile. "Glad we're on the same page."
Meanwhile, at the Harper estate, the atmosphere was far more calculated.
In a sprawling lounge adorned with priceless art and cold elegance, Tanis stood between her parents. A 70-inch screen played Drew's live interview, his sharp words ringing clearly in the echo of the room.
"He's fighting back," she muttered under her breath.
William Harper stood like a statue of authority, fixing his cufflinks with practiced grace. "He can fight all he wants. He has money. We have legacy. We built this city while his ancestors were still laying bricks."
Elise Harper, ever the poised matriarch, narrowed her eyes at the screen. "You better hope he doesn't dig too much Tanis. If he does, we will lose our leverage. And if he finds out the truth about how that accident happened... you'll lose more than that. What were you even thinking, doing all that? "
Tanis turned away from the screen, her expression unreadable. But a slow, deliberate smile curled her lips. "He won't. And even if he does… I have a backup plan."
William raised a brow. "And what is that?"
Tanis walked over to the marble-topped bar, poured herself a glass of water, and sipped slowly before answering. "I might be pregnant."
Elise inhaled sharply. "Tanis, are you serious?"
"I've been trying since the accident," she replied evenly. "Since the day I brought him home and convinced him we were together. And I think it finally worked."
William's lips twitched into a tight smile. "Then make sure. If you're pregnant, we win. If not…"
"…Camilla becomes the face of our disgrace," Elise finished bitterly.
Tanis stared at the screen again, her smile now faint. She wasn't sure if she'd won anything yet, but she was ready to bet everything to find out.
Later that night, Drew sat at his desk, buried in contracts, digital surveillance footage, and a growing list of compromised board members.
His world, once meticulously controlled, was now full of cracks. He had confirmation that three key executives from one of his subsidiaries had been bought out, secretly paid off by the Harpers to sabotage from within.
Camilla entered quietly, carrying a tray with untouched dinner. "You haven't eaten," she said gently.
He looked up, the weight of the world in his eyes. "I can't afford to stop. They've planted people inside, Camilla. They're getting bolder. The longer I resist, the harder they come."
She set the tray aside and walked over to him. "You're not alone in this. You're winning. That's why they're scared."
He stood, drawing her into his arms. His voice softened. "I'm doing this for us. For you and the baby. But I need you to understand, this isn't just about money anymore. If I keep pushing, if I expose them… they might come after you too."
Her hand gripped his shirt tightly. "Let them try. I've survived worse than this. I'm not running. And neither are you."
He kissed her forehead. "You're stronger than any woman I've ever known."
Camilla's eyes held his. "And you're going to need that strength when this is over. Because they won't stop until one of us is buried."
The next morning, Tanis sat in her private OB-GYN's office, her heart pounding.
The room was pristine and cold. White walls. Chrome fixtures. It didn't feel real.
Dr. Patterson handed her the results silently. "It's positive. You're eight weeks pregnant."
Tanis blinked.
Positive.
She had run the play a dozen times in her head. Pretending. Lying. Manipulating. But she hadn't expected it to be real. Not truly. Not after everything.
The room seemed to shift around her. She stared at the ultrasound in disbelief. There, on the screen, was her ace. Her leverage. Her weapon.
The baby growing inside her was Drew's. Conceived in the blurred days following his accident, in the haze of a rewritten reality she had crafted with her lies.
Now the truth was real. And terrifying.
This wasn't just a scheme anymore.
She had tied herself to him in blood.
And as the doctor stepped out to give her a moment, Tanis sat alone, her hands trembling as they clutched the results.
This child could save her… or destroy everything she'd fought for.