Chapter 3

Lana

Staggering into my suite, the first thing I do is kick off those damn heels that have been torturing me all night. Freedom for my feet at last. Julia, my PA, practically skitters over to me, her hands full of papers and her eyes wide with the sort of news that”s either going to make my day or ruin it.

”Welcome back, Lana,” she chirps, that jittery, nervous energy of hers making her seem like she”s about to jump out of her skin. ”I”ve handled the schedule changes you requested, confirmed your meeting with the mayor next Thursday, and oh, the new security protocols are in place. Also, an unknown number called—”

I hold up a hand, cutting her off. ”Please tell me you didn”t answer.”

She blinks, then shakes her head so fast I”m worried she”ll get whiplash. ”No, no, of course not. I just saw the missed call.”

”Good.” Stripping off my jacket, I toss it onto a chair, not caring where it lands. My head”s buzzing with too many thoughts, and Julia”s rundown is only adding to the cacophony.

”And, um, there”s something else,” she hesitates, her voice dropping as she hands me a small box — the pregnancy test I”d asked her to get. Her hand”s shaking, bless her innocent soul.

I take the box, feeling the weight of it like a judgment. ”Thanks, Jules. You”re a lifesaver.”

Her cheeks flush with pleasure at the praise, but her eyes are filled with concern. ”Is everything okay, Lana? I mean, if you need to talk or anything—”

”I”m fine, Jules. Just a little... preoccupied, that”s all.” Discarding the rest of my clothes in a trail towards the bathroom, I can feel her eyes on me, filled with questions she”s too polite — or too nervous — to ask.

The truth is, I”m not fine. I”m a mess. A pregnancy scare is the last thing I need, especially when the father could be any number of mistakes from the past few months. It”s not like I keep a Rolodex of my bed partners. But staring at the box in my hand, I can”t help but feel a twinge of something unexpected. Fear? Excitement? Probably indigestion, knowing my luck.

”I... I don”t even know who the dad would be,” I admit, more to myself than to Julia. It”s a vulnerability I”d never show to anyone else, but Julia”s different. She”s seen me at my worst and never judged. She just helps piece me back together.

She steps closer, her nervousness replaced by a soft, sisterly concern. ”I”m sure you have some idea of the... candidates, if you”re pregnant.”

I let out a sigh, a laugh without humor. ”Candidates. Makes it sound like we”re on some twisted game show.” I pause, the reality settling in. ”There are three... potential fathers.”

Her eyebrows shoot up, a mix of surprise and curiosity lighting up her eyes. ”Three? Who could they be?”

The names feel heavy on my tongue, each one carrying its own set of complications, dangers, and what-ifs. ”Grigori, Roman, and... Luca.”

Julia”s mouth forms a perfect ”o” of shock, her hand flying to her mouth. ”Oh, Lana,” she breathes out, the names obviously resonating with her, understanding the gravity of each option.

”Yeah, ”oh” is right.” I toss the pregnancy test box onto the counter, feeling the weight of my choices, the potential consequences of my actions. ”Each of them... carries a different set of complications.”

Julia nods, her earlier nervousness replaced by the calm of someone walking through a minefield. ”Do you have any idea... I mean, who do you hope it is?”

The question hangs in the air, thick and unanswerable. I shake my head, a mess of emotions. ”Hope? I don”t know if that”s the right word. Each possibility is like choosing between a rock, a hard place, and a cliff edge.”

She reaches out, placing a tentative hand on my shoulder. ”Whatever happens, Lana, we”ll figure it out. You”re not alone.”

Her assurance is a small comfort in the chaos of my thoughts. Alone or not, the path ahead is fraught with danger, and the decision, mine alone to make.

”Julia, can you keep this... private, between us?”

Her response is immediate, her loyalty never in question. She mimics zipping her lips and locks it with a key, tossing it away. ”Your secret will go to the grave with me, Lana. You know that.”

I can”t help but smile, the corner of my mouth lifting in genuine appreciation. ”Thanks, Jules.”

I turn the pregnancy test over in my fingers, each second stretching into eternity as I brace myself for what”s to come.

Walking into the bathroom, I set the box down on the counter, my reflection staring back at me from the mirror. The woman looking back seems like a stranger, caught in the throes of a life she never anticipated. Yet here I am, about to take a test that could change everything.

My hands are steady as I prepare the test. It”s a simple thing, really, just a piece of plastic with the power to decide my immediate future. I follow the instructions mechanically, my mind a million miles away.

My life, a carefully constructed facade of power and control, now teeters on the edge of this porcelain precipice. Grigori, with his piercing eyes and dangerous promises; Roman, whose charm and smooth words could seduce the devil himself; or Luca, enigmatic and intense—each one has the potential to either save me or drag me under.

I close my eyes, breathing deeply. The air feels heavy with the scent of jasmine from my last bath; it”s intended to calm but instead seems to mock with its sweet tranquility.

Three minutes. That”s all it takes to know. Three minutes to decide if I need to prepare for war or navigate an even more treacherous peace. Each man has his own empire, his own agenda; if word gets out about a baby—my baby—the balance would shift and not necessarily in my favor.

It”s positive. Two pink lines glaring up at me from a fucking stick.

”Fuck.”

The test slips from my fingers, clattering onto the counter as if in solidarity with my sudden numbness.

Leaning heavily against the sink, I stare at myself in the mirror. The color has drained from my face, leaving me pale, haunted even. There”s no warmth in my eyes, just a dawning realization of the precariousness of my position.

A knock at the door breaks through my reverie; too soft to be one of them. It must be Jules.

Leaving the bathroom, the weight of the world suddenly feels like it”s crushing down on my shoulders. Julia”s there, her eyes wide with worry. She doesn”t need to ask; one look at my face and she knows. Damn it, she knows me too well.

Her voice is gentle, cautious, as she broaches the subject we”re both thinking about. ”What do you want to do, Lana? There are options... keep it, adopt out, or... you know.”

I sink down onto a chair, the reality of the situation hitting me like a freight train. ”I haven”t got a clue, Jules.”

Julia doesn”t flinch, doesn”t judge. That”s not her style. Instead, she just waits, giving me the space to process, to figure out my next move.

”I mean, how do I even begin to deal with this?” I continue, my mind racing through scenarios I”d never imagined I”d have to consider. ”Any one of them... it changes everything. And not just for me.”

Julia nods, ”First things first, we need to confirm the pregnancy with a doctor. Get some real answers before making any decisions.”

It”s logical, practical even, and I cling to that like a lifeline. It”s something tangible I can do instead of spiraling into the what-ifs. ”Right, a doctor”s visit.”

”We have to be careful though,” she adds, her eyes now sharpening with strategy. ”We can”t just go to any clinic—they talk—and you don”t want anyone knowing about this until you”re ready.”

”Discretion is the name of the game,” I mutter, knowing too well how vicious the rumor mill can be.

Julia reaches for her phone, her thumbs swiftly dancing over the screen. ”I know someone who can help. She”s discreet and owes me a favor.” She looks up at me, resolve etched in her features. ”She”ll see you privately.”

Relief washes over me in an unexpected wave. It”s not much in the grand scheme of things, but it”s enough for now—a path forward,

”Thank you.”

”We”re in this together, Lana. Always have been.”

I watch her as she continues to type away on her phone, setting things in motion with a proficiency that makes me wonder how I ever got so lucky to have her by my side. Finally, she looks up, her face a mask of serenity belying the quickfire actions of a moment ago.

”Now that”s out of our way, you have a meeting later today. A politician,” she reminds me, her tone taking on a more professional edge, ”He wants to talk about the new security measures. Wants to ensure the supply of illegal goods from your syndicate remains untraceable. To avoid incidents like... the other night.”

I pause, mid-motion in the act of shedding the day”s armor for the night”s solace. ”You heard about that?” With a heavy sigh, I add, ”Nothing is ever a fucking secret under this roof.” The fabric of my dress falls away, replaced by the soft embrace of my pajamas.

Julia”s expression turns serious, her next words carrying the weight of a grave warning. ”That”s exactly why we need to keep your pregnancy a secret. You have no idea how much men like Perez would pay for information like that.”

”You”re right,” I acknowledge, the fight gone out of me for the moment. ”We keep this between us. Lock and key.”

As I lie on the bed, my mind refuses to shut down. Images of Grigori, Roman, and Luca flash before me, each with their own allure and danger.

Who among them would stand by me once the truth comes out? Or more chillingly, who would try to use this child as leverage?

Through the night, scenarios play out like scenes from a spy thriller—covert doctor visits, whispered conversations in shadowed corners, sudden betrayals. Sleep is elusive; every creak and whisper in the house has me on edge.

In the darkness, I find myself touching my abdomen, not quite able to connect with the reality growing inside me. This child doesn”t know it yet, but they”re already at the center of a storm. A pawn or a blessing—I haven”t decided which yet.