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CHAPTER 2: Shattered Illusions

I stood frozen in the doorway, my heart pounding as I entered the scene. Felix and Alex were laughing together, their heads bent close in a way that made my stomach churn. The sound of their laughter, once so familiar and comforting, now felt like nails on a chalkboard.

"Natalia!" Felix exclaimed, his eyes widening as he noticed me. "Where have you been? What happened last night?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but Alex cut in before speaking. "Oh, she went to the bathroom and never came back," she said, her voice dripping with false concern. Her eyes flickered to my neck, and I instinctively reached up, feeling a tender spot I hadn't noticed before. "Looks like someone had an eventful night," she smirked.

The implication in her words made my blood boil. How dare she? After what she had done to me?

"Alex drugged me," I blurted out, my voice trembling with anger and hurt. "She put something in my drink at the party."

Felix's brow furrowed, his eyes darting between Alex and me. I thought I saw a flicker of doubt in his expression for a moment. But then it was gone, replaced by a look of exasperation.

"Come on, Natalia," he said, shaking his head. "Don't you think that's a bit much? Why would Alex do something like that?"

I stared at him in disbelief. We had been engaged since we were children, an arrangement made by our grandfathers to unite our families. It had taken Felix two years of persistent pursuit to convince me to give him a chance, and even then, I had only agreed to be his girlfriend for a month. As a model with a growing reputation, I had been determined to maintain my image and save myself for our wedding night.

But now, as I looked at Felix defending Alex, I realized how little he truly knew me and how little he cared.

"You don't believe me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Felix sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I know you've always been... reserved. But there's no need to make up stories. If you went out and had some fun, that's okay. You don't always have to pretend to be so virtuous."

His words hit me like a slap in the face. Virtuous? Is that what he thought this was about? Did he believe I would throw away everything I believed in and worked for for a night of "fun"?

Rage coursed through me, hot and all-consuming. Before I knew what I was doing, my hand connected with Felix's cheek, the slap echoing in the suddenly silent room. I turned to Alex, watching with wide-eyed surprise, and delivered another stinging slap across her face.

Without another word, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room. Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

As I climbed the stairs to my room, I passed by my father's door. It was slightly ajar, and I could hear hushed voices inside. Curiosity overrode my anger momentarily, and I paused, peering through the crack.

What I saw made my blood run cold.

My father, Victor Greer, was embracing my stepmother, Luna Morris. But it wasn't the embrace that shocked me – it was the words I overheard.

"It's done," Luna said, a triumphant smile on her face. "Alex made sure Natalia's reputation was ruined. The Scotts will never accept her as a daughter-in-law now."

My father chuckled, a sound that had once comforted me but now sent chills down my spine. "Excellent. With Natalia out of the way, we can finally move forward with our plans. The company will be ours as it should have been from the beginning."

I stumbled back from the door, my mind reeling. This couldn't be happening. My father, the man who had spoiled and doted on me my entire life, had orchestrated my downfall?

As if in a trance, I made my way to my room, collapsing onto my bed as the total weight of the betrayal crashed over me. Memories flooded my mind – of my grandfather's once-powerful family, of the empire he had built. I remembered the day he died, followed soon after by my uncle. How quickly it had all fallen apart.

Bless her heart, my mother had tried to keep the business going. But she wasn't cut out for the cutthroat world of corporate politics. Ultimately, she entrusted everything to my father, believing he would protect our family's legacy.

How wrong we had all been.

I thought of all the years my father had spoiled me, indulging my every whim. I had grown arrogant, believing I was untouchable. Now, I realized it had all been a ploy to keep me distracted while he maneuvered behind the scenes, transferring assets to his name and paving the way for Alex to take my place.

The following two months, I was passed in a blur of pain and disbelief. I withdrew from everyone, unable to trust even those closest to me. Felix and Alex's wedding invitation arrived, a final twist of the knife in my already bleeding heart.

On the wedding day, I forced myself to attend, determined to hold my head high in the face of their betrayal. But as I watched them exchange vows, I saw the love in Felix's eyes, and as he looked at Alex, I felt something inside me break.

I left early, unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere of false smiles and whispered gossip. I heard footsteps behind me as I made my way to my car. Turning, I saw Alex hurrying after me, her white dress billowing in the breeze.

"Leaving so soon, Natalia?" she called, her voice sickly sweet. "Don't you want to stay and celebrate with us?"

I stared at her, taking in the woman who had stolen everything from me. "What do you want, Alex?"

She laughed, the sound grating on my nerves. "I just wanted to thank you. Everything that used to belong to you is now rightfully mine. The company, Felix, your father's affection... it's all mine now."

Her words cut deep, but I refused to let her see how much they hurt. "Is that all?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady.

Alex's smile turned cruel. "Oh, and one more thing. You might want to consider going abroad for a while. I hear your mother could use some company in her mental hospital."

Rage exploded within me, and before I knew what was happening, my hand was raised, ready to strike her. But before I could, Felix appeared, grabbing my wrist.

"That's enough, Natalia," he said, his voice cold. "I think it's time you left."

I yanked my arm from his grasp, stumbling back. The world seemed to spin around me, nausea rising in my throat. Without another word, I fled to my car, desperate to escape.

The next thing I knew, I was sitting in a sterile hospital room, a concerned doctor looking down at me.

"Miss Greer," he said, his voice grave. "I'm afraid I have some news. You're pregnant."

The words hit me like a physical blow. Pregnant? How could this be happening?

The doctor's face twisted with disapproval as he continued. "At your age, this is a grave matter. Have you considered your options?"

I barely heard him, my mind racing with the implications—a child. A tiny life grew inside me, conceived on that fateful night with a stranger whose face I couldn't remember.

As if summoned by my thoughts, the door burst open, and Alex stormed in, her face a mask of fury. "You little slut," she hissed. "How dare you try to trap Felix with a baby?"

I stared at her, too shocked to respond. Did she think this child was Felix's?

"We're getting rid of it," Alex declared, turning to the doctor. "Schedule an abortion immediately."

"No!" The word tore from my throat before I could stop it. My hands instinctively went to my stomach, protective of the life within. "This is my child. You have no right to make that decision."

Alex's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You have no idea what you're doing, Natalia. This baby will ruin everything."

As I looked at her, the hatred and fear in her eyes, something shifted inside me. I felt a glimmer of hope for the first time since that night. This child, unexpected and unplanned as it was, was mine. Not Alex's, not my father's, not anyone else's. Mine.

"Get out," I said, my voice more robust than it had been in months. "This is my decision, and you have no say in it."

Alex opened her mouth to argue, but something in my expression must have stopped her. With a final glare, she stormed out of the room.

As the door slammed behind her, I took a deep breath, my hand still resting on my stomach.

I didn't know what the future held, but I knew one thing for sure: this child was my chance at a new beginning, away from the betrayal and pain of my past. And I would do everything in my power to protect it.

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