Chapter 2

Bella's POV

As I shook Damien's hand, a rush of emotions coursed through me. There was an undeniable chemistry between us, a magnetic pull that I couldn't ignore. But I reminded myself of my commitment to Xander, the man I had entered into a contract marriage with. I needed to resist the temptation and maintain the facade of a devoted wife.

"Likewise, Mr. Blackwood," I replied, my voice tinged with a hint of nervousness.

Damien's eyes sparkled with intrigue as he leaned closer, his voice lowering to a whisper. "Isabella, may I steal you away for a moment? There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

Caught off guard by his request, I glanced around the room, searching for Xander's familiar figure. He was engaged in a conversation with a group of influential guests, seemingly oblivious to my momentary distraction. I felt a mix of guilt and excitement as I nodded, succumbing to the curiosity that swirled within me.

We found a secluded corner away from prying eyes, a sanctuary amidst the chaos of the event. Damien's gaze bore into mine, a mix of intensity and something I couldn't quite decipher.

"Isabella, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since that night," he confessed, his voice filled with a raw vulnerability.

My heart skipped a beat, the memory of our passionate encounter flooding back. It was a moment of weakness, a one-night stand that I had kept hidden deep within me. The weight of my secret suddenly felt suffocating.

"I can't deny the connection between us, Damien, but I'm bound to another," I admitted, my voice trembling with conflicted emotions.

He reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "I understand, Isabella, but there's something you need to know. That night... it meant more to me than you can imagine."

A mix of hope and fear swirled within me as I looked into Damien's eyes. Was he about to reveal something that could shatter the fragile world I had created with Xander?

Before either of us could delve deeper into the conversation, a familiar voice broke through the air. "Isabella, there you are."

I turned to see Xander standing before us, his eyes narrowed as he assessed the scene. Panic coursed through my veins, my mind scrambling to find an explanation that would preserve the illusion of our contract marriage.

"I apologize, Mr. Bennett," Damien interjected smoothly, extending his hand to Xander. "Damien Blackwood. I was just congratulating Isabella on her grace and charm."

Xander's gaze shifted between us, a flicker of suspicion crossing his face. He studied Damien carefully before finally nodding, a polite smile gracing his lips. "Thank you, Mr. Blackwood. I appreciate your kind words."

As Damien excused himself, I felt Xander's penetrating gaze fixated on me. There was an unspoken demand for an explanation hanging in the air, and I knew I couldn't avoid it any longer.

"Xander, I..." I began, my voice faltering as I searched for the right words. "There's something I need to tell you."

His expression hardened, and a veil of distance settled over him. "Speak, Isabella."

I took a deep breath, gathering my courage. "I'm pregnant, Xander. It's not yours."

The weight of my confession hung heavy in the air, the silence deafening as I waited for his response. The seconds felt like an eternity, his eyes searching mine for any hint of deception or remorse.

Finally, he spoke, his voice filled with a mixture of anger and hurt. "How long have you known about this?"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "I just found out, Xander. I didn't plan for any of this to happen."

He turned away, his face a mask of conflicting emotions. I could see the walls he had built around his heart, the armor of indifference that he wore so effortlessly. In that moment, I realized that my revelation had shattered the fragile trust we had slowly begun to build.

"What do you expect me to do, Isabella?" he said, his voice laced with bitterness. "How can I trust you when you've kept such a significant secret from me?"

Tears streamed down my face as I reached out to him, desperate to bridge the growing chasm between us. "Xander, please, I never meant to hurt you. I need your guidance, your support. We can figure this out together."

He looked at me, a mixture of anger and vulnerability in his eyes. "I need time to process this, Isabella. We will discuss it later."

With those words, he walked away, leaving me standing there, my heart breaking into a million pieces. The consequences of my choices had finally caught up with me, and I had no idea if our contract marriage could survive the weight of my secret and the unexpected twist of fate that lay before us.

************

As Xander's retreating figure disappeared into the crowd, my legs felt weak, threatening to give way beneath me. I sank onto a nearby chair, burying my face in my hands as silent sobs wracked my body. The weight of my secret and the uncertainty of our future bore down on me, suffocating any glimmer of hope that remained.

Minutes, or perhaps hours, passed as I sat lost in my thoughts, grappling with the consequences of my actions. I knew I had to gather the strength to face Xander again, to confront the truth and find a way to salvage our fragile bond. But the fear of his reaction and the possibility of losing everything loomed over me like a dark cloud.

Eventually, I mustered the courage to stand, wiping away the remnants of tears from my cheeks. Determination etched into my features, I sought out Xander, determined to address the situation head-on.

I found him in his private study, surrounded by stacks of paperwork and a hint of exhaustion etched across his face. He glanced up as I entered, his gaze guarded but tinged with a flicker of curiosity.

"Isabella," he said, his voice a mixture of weariness and resignation. "We need to talk."

I nodded, taking a tentative step forward. "Xander, I understand the gravity of the situation. I never intended for any of this to happen, but now that it has, we have to face it together."

He leaned back in his chair, studying me intently. "Tell me everything. How did this happen? Who is the father?"

Taking a deep breath, I met his gaze with a combination of regret and determination. "His name is Damien Blackwood. We had a one-night stand before we met, before I agreed to this contract marriage. I didn't know I was pregnant until recently."

Xander's expression hardened, his jaw clenched. "So, you've been carrying his child all this time, keeping it hidden from me."

I shook my head vehemently, the weight of my words heavy on my conscience. "No, Xander. I never wanted to deceive you. I didn't know about the pregnancy until now, and when I found out, I knew I had to tell you. I couldn't bear the thought of living a lie."

He leaned forward, his voice tinged with bitterness. "And what do you expect me to do now, Isabella? Accept this child as my own? Allow another man's blood to run through my family?"

Tears welled up in my eyes, my voice trembling with desperation. "I don't expect anything from you, Xander. I'm not asking you to take on the role of a father if you can't. But I need you to understand that this child is a part of me, and I can't simply ignore its existence."

Silence settled between us, thick with tension and unspoken words. I watched as Xander wrestled with his emotions, the battle raging within him evident in the lines of his face. Finally, he spoke, his voice filled with a mix of resignation and vulnerability.

"Isabella, I can't say I'm not hurt, but I understand that you didn't choose this situation. Let's take some time to process everything. I need to consider my feelings and what this means for our marriage."

A sliver of hope flickered within me, a tiny flame in the midst of darkness. I reached out, gently touching his arm. "Thank you, Xander, for listening and for being willing to face this with me. I hope we can find a way to navigate through this storm together."

He nodded, his gaze softened just a fraction. "I can't promise anything, Isabella, but I'm willing to try."

With those words, we both knew that our contract marriage had become something more—a tangled web of secrets, betrayal, and unexpected turns. Now, with the revelation of my pregnancy, our lives were forever entwined in a complicated dance of choices and consequences. The path ahead was uncertain, but in that moment, I clung to the flicker of hope, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, even if it meant risking everything for a chance at true love.