Chapter 06

Kylie

We went to the hospital just as Atlas suggested. I was starting to feel better, so I told him we didn't need to go, but his concern was overwhelming, so we continued. While waiting for the results in one of the rooms, I was startled when the door suddenly opened and my father walked in, accompanied by my aunt.

My heart skipped a beat. What were they doing here? We hadn't informed them that Atlas and I were at the hospital, so how did they find out?

“Dad, what are you doing here? I thought you were at the office?” I asked, trying to mask the anxiety in my voice.

“We came home early, and the maids told us you and Atlas came here. What happened?” His voice was laced with worry. I didn’t expect him to be this concerned about me.

“Nothing yet, uncle. We’re still waiting for Kylie’s results,” Atlas responded, and my father nodded, though the concern in his eyes didn’t waver.

“You didn’t need to come here. We can handle this on our own. It’s better if you wait for us outside. It’s embarrassing to have so many people crowding the room when the doctors are trying to work,” I said, trying to keep my tone steady.

My aunt placed a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go. I told you they don’t need us here,” she said, her voice sharp and dismissive. It was clear she didn’t even try to hide her disdain for me.

I shook my head in disbelief. Was she serious? Did she really need to make it so obvious that she didn’t want me around? The way she spoke, it was as if she couldn’t wait to get rid of me.

They left, and the room fell silent again. Atlas and I were alone when the doctor who had conducted my tests walked in.

“How are you, Doc?” Atlas asked as the doctor sat down and opened the results.

“Well, there’s nothing wrong with the results,” the doctor said, glancing between the two of us.

“Then why did I feel so unwell earlier?” I asked, confusion evident in my voice. The doctor took off his glasses and looked directly at us.

“Well, it’s a normal symptom for a pregnant woman.” I froze at his words, unsure if he was joking or if he was serious. “You’re six weeks pregnant.”

I looked at Atlas, his face mirroring the shock I felt. This couldn’t be happening.

“This isn’t possible,” I whispered, my mind struggling to process the reality of the situation.

We sat in silence as we drove back in Atlas's car. The atmosphere was heavy, each of us lost in our thoughts. I knew Atlas was trying to give me space, but I could feel the weight of his concern.

“The man you’re carrying… it’s his, isn’t it?” Atlas’s voice was gentle, but the seriousness of his question cut through the silence. I turned to him, meeting his intense gaze.

Memories of that night with Rage flooded back. There was no doubt in my mind that the child was his. He was the last man I’d been with. But the thought of telling my father… the thought of his anger and disappointment made my heart race with fear.

“What are you going to do about the baby?” Atlas asked softly. “You know uncle won’t be happy when he finds out.”

I swallowed hard, the reality of my situation crashing down on me. This was my worst nightmare. That night, I hadn’t thought about the consequences. All I cared about was the fleeting happiness, the intense pleasure of our bodies recognizing each other in the dark.

I never imagined that the joy we felt that night would lead to this.

“I don’t know, Atlas. I don’t know.” Tears I’d been holding back finally spilled over, and I felt the guilt and sadness overwhelm me. How could I fix this? How could I ever tell my dad about this?

I was startled when Atlas gently placed his hand on my back, offering a soft, comforting pat. I looked at him, surprised to see a small, reassuring smile on his face.

“Don’t worry, I’ll help you through this,” he said, his voice steady. I stared at him, confused by his offer. How could he help me?

“We’ll tell them it’s my child,” he said, and my eyes widened in shock. I hadn’t expected to hear that from him. He was willing to claim a child that wasn’t his? How much did he care for me that he was willing to take responsibility for something he didn’t do?

I didn’t deserve the love he was offering me. I knew why he was doing this, but to let him suffer for something that wasn’t his fault? How could I do that to him?

“Atlas, you can’t—” I began, but he cut me off by taking my hand in his.

“Shh, don’t say anything. I’ll do it, okay? We’ll raise this child together. I’ll be the father,” he said, his voice filled with determination.

I shook my head, disbelief washing over me. “Atlas, no. You can’t do that. What about you? I’m the one who caused this. I’m the one at fault here. Why should you take the blame for something you didn’t do?”

“Because I love you, Kylie. I’d do anything for you,” he said, his voice raw with emotion. I swallowed hard, his words cutting through me. I didn’t deserve his love. It was too pure, too selfless. I couldn’t use it to save myself from my father’s anger. I couldn’t drag Atlas into a mess that wasn’t his to clean up.

“But love isn’t enough to take on this responsibility,” I whispered.

“But what about you? You know how angry your father will be when he finds out. He could disown you. Do you really want that to happen? So please, let me do this for you. This isn’t about marriage or business. I want to help you because I love you.”

I couldn’t put into words how his offer made me feel. I was already hurting, but I couldn’t even begin to imagine what Atlas was going through. The woman he loved was pregnant with another man’s child, and yet here he was, ready to stand by me, to claim a responsibility that wasn’t his.

Why did it have to be Atlas who ended up in this situation? It wasn’t his responsibility, yet he was the one stepping up.

He held my hand, looking into my eyes. “We’ll tell them you’re pregnant, and I’m the father. Then I’ll marry you, and we’ll raise the child together. I’ll be the father.”

I took a deep breath, his words weighing heavily on me. Was this really what I should do? Should I worry more about what my dad would say just because I got pregnant by a man I hardly knew?

But if I agreed, wouldn’t that be unfair to Atlas? He would be the one to suffer because of this. I had started to develop feelings for him, but this was wrong. It was wrong to use him like this. Yet at the same time, I didn’t know what to do about this child. This was a life, and I had chosen that night. I had the chance to walk away, but I didn’t. I didn’t because I wanted it too.

But could I really raise this child alone?