A jaw-dropping revelation

BETH'S POV

Rays of light streamed through my eyes in a parallel beam and my lashes flickered as I tried to adjust to the brightness of the room. An intense ache in my head made me let out an inaudible yelp as I held my forehead and realised there was a bandage.

My eyes widened, and I caught sight of Layla, who was dozing off on a seat beside the bed. I glanced at my surroundings and realised I was actually in a hospital. I was putting on a dress similar to the one I wore the last time I came for treatments and everything began to make sense.

“You're awake,” A nurse voiced out with a smiley face as she approached me on the bed and the sound of her voice made Layla jolt back from slumberland.

“Bethy!! You're awake!!” She hollered happily, hugging me tightly and I smiled weakly.

“How long have I been here, Layla?” I asked, recalling the events that took place before I lost consciousness.

“Over a week,” She replied and I was left bewildered.

“A week?” I asked in shock and the nurse nodded.

“Please, excuse me. I need to get the doctor.” The nurse informed as she took her leave.

“I'm glad you're awake Bethy, but I'm slightly disappointed. How could you let those bitches get you in such a condition?” She asked furiously and I shut my eyes tightly, trying to get rid of the pain I felt in my head.

She seemed to have noticed the pained expression on my face and she apologized for blaming me. She rubbed the back of my palm soothingly till the doctor stepped in with a few nurses.

“Miss Blakes, I'm glad you're awake.” She approached me with a warm smile and she seemed familiar. I immediately recognised her as Doctor Vivian. I returned the smile and sat upright, supporting myself with both arms.

“How could you be so careless, Miss Blakes? The last time you were here, I instructed you not to move around or get involved in strenuous activities. How could you have gotten involved in a fight, knowing a lot was at stake?” She asked in a scolding tone and I squinted my gaze, trying to decipher why she was emphasizing on me getting some rest.

“It's just Bartholin's gland cyst. I did some research, and it's quite a trivial infection. Why do I have to go through all of these procedures?” I asked and the expression on her face changed to that of surprise.

Her next statement caught me off guard, and I glanced at Layla, who also had a confused expression. “I don't understand what you mean, Miss Blakes. Bartholin's gland cyst? You never told me about that.”

“Doctor Vivian, you seem to have forgotten. I was here some time ago, and you rendered curative treatments for my infection, don't you remember?” I asked, squinting my gaze and she gasped in shock, taking off her glasses.

“What's going on?” I asked with a befuddled expression, unable to wrap my head around what was getting her worked up.

“Are you Leonie Blakes?” She asked and I shook my head in disagreement immediately.

“I am Bethany Blakes, not Leonie. Doctor Vivian, what's going on? Why are you asking so many questions?” I asked, and she tried to slip out of the room, but my curiosity was yet to be satisfied.

“Doctor, is she really pregnant?” I heard Layla ask, obstructing her way, and I chuckled at the drama unfolding before me.

“Now, what's going on? Who's Leonie Blakes and who's pregnant?” I asked, getting off the bed with great difficulty.

“Listen, you have to calm down. There's a mix-up somewhere, and I'll get back to you the moment it's rectified.” She tried to get past Layla, but the latter stood akimbo, rooted to the spot.

“Not until you tell us who the fuck is Leonie Blakes! Is she in any way impersonating Bethy here?” Fury was beginning to blaze in Layla's eyes, and I tried to calm her down.

An extra presence in the room caught our attention as the door was pushed open, and our gaze darted across the room to see who it was.

A tall, voluptuous lady, dressed elegantly, stepped in with her shoulders high. “I am Leonie Blakes, and who the hell thinks she's worthy of being impersonated by me?” She sounded extremely arrogant. Layla shot her a scornful gaze before returning her attention to Doctor Vivian.

‘This is getting serious,’ I mumbled under my breath.

“Layla, who's pregnant?” I directed my question towards Layla who was on Doctor Vivian's neck.

“Earlier on, she told me you were 2 weeks pregnant after running a series of tests. I told her that was impossible but she insisted it was true. I wanted her to break the news to you herself so I can hear your side of the story. Are you actually pregnant?”

I burst into laughter the next moment, searching for hidden cameras because I felt it could be a prank.

“Please, can we go to my office? I'll explain everything when we get there,” Doctor Vivian, who seemed to be under pressure, broke out in a cold sweat as she pleaded.

We followed her to her office, and the lady who identified as Leonie, followed closely before settling on the available seat, gracefully occupying enough space. Her countenance was quite annoying and I wondered who she was and what she had to do with this mess.

“Doctor, can you start talking now?” She asked, and Doctor Vivian cleared her throat before beginning to speak.

“Miss Blakes, I don't know how this would sound but please, try as much as possible to understand. The day you came for your treatment, Miss Blakes here was scheduled for an insemination section. It was my first time meeting the both of you and— your last name, you both bear the same last name. I— I mistakenly –” She stuttered and I scoffed, hoping it wasn't what I was thinking.

“Doctor, why are you stuttering? Go on.” Layla urged sternly, sparing her no chance to take a breath.

“I mistakenly-– there was a mismatch,” She dropped the unbelievable bombshell with her head hung low and Layla was the first to scoff.

“What!! Are you saying Bethy here is carrying the child of an unknown man?”

I was dumbfounded and short of words. I stood blankly, watching the drama unfold. None of it seemed believable. It felt like a dream and I needed to wake up to reality.

“You all are gonna pay for this! You quack doctor and ugly scumbags!!!” Leonie hollered furiously as she dialled a number and placed her phone on her ear.

“Babe, your attention is needed at the hospital, now!” She was panting heavily as she spoke with the person on the other end.

“Just come, please. If you don't arrive in the next few minutes, I'll commit murder.” Her threat made shivers creep down my spine and Layla wasn't bulging.

The once vibrant and elegant doctor Vivian was trembling in the middle of the office and I had mixed feelings.

“You'll all be dead meats by the time my fiance arrives. Especially you, fool!!” She charged at Doctor Vivian, gripping the stethoscope around her neck and the latter gasped for air as she tried to break free.

“Don't kill her just yet; she still has a vital role to play in all of this,” Layla cut in and got a killer glare from Leonie.

“Who are you to speak to me? Do you know who I am?” She fired at her.

“And who do you think you are? The president? Oh! Spare me that bull shit!” Layla, who was short-tempered, snapped, and Leonie reached out for her hair, but Layla was swift enough to dodge.

She grabbed Layla's collar, and the latter left a scratch on her face. This got her irritated and a resounding slap landed on Layla's face. Doctor Vivian and I tried to separate them but they clung against each other, unwilling to back down.

“Layla please, this is not the right time to do this,” I tried holding Layla back but got a violent push that sent me crashing against the table.

I winced in pain and tried to get on my feet with Doctor Vivian’s aid, ignoring both of them.

“Leonie!!” A deep voice called, and my attention went towards the figure that had just stepped into the office. They both stopped fighting immediately and Leonie ran to his side with a pitiable expression on her face, wrapping her arms around him.

My gaze traveled to his face, and I felt a throbbing ache, trying to remember if I had met him before. He seemed really familiar but I just couldn't wrap my head around it.

“You said it was urgent, what's going on?” He asked, glancing down at Leonie whose head was resting on his chest.

The voice echoed in my head and I tried to recall where I heard it before. It suddenly dawned on me and my eyes widened. “Mystery man!”