Page 110 of Baby Surprise for my Brother's Best Friend

One of them catches sight of me. Her smile unfurls slowly, lazy and poisonous.

"Wow." She doesn’t even try to mask the once-over. "So, you're Sophie."

Her friend laughs. “Guess he’s going through a domestic phase. So cute.”

My spine stiffens.

“Excuse me?”

The first woman leans in, eyes glittering with mock pity. "Heard you run a cute little business. Must be refreshing for him to slum it for once."

I clench the coffee tray tighter, forcing a smile. "Better a cute business owner than a professional side piece."

Their smiles falter, just for a second.

But the brunette recovers fast, stepping closer, her voice syrupy and cruel. "We’ve had our turn with him. And his bestie, Nikolai. Hope you’re into sharing."

Her friend snickers like it’s the funniest thing she’s heard all morning.

I hold my ground, refusing to flinch. I smile sickeningly sweet. "Thanks for the heads up, but I don’t share toys once they're mine."

Their faces harden, but they turn with a sharp toss of their hair, heels clicking as they saunter off, leaving me there, heart racing.

My fingers tighten around the coffee tray.

The glow I was carrying dims in an instant.

And just like that, I remember. Happiness is always temporary. Especially when your heart’s on the line.

I try to brush it off. It’s not like I thought Alessio was a saint. I knew there was a past. Hell, we all have one.

But the confidence in their voices? The practiced cruelty? The casual way they said “we’ve had our turn”? It claws at something buried deeper. Older.

The clients who called mesweetheartinstead of my name, sliding contracts across the table like they were handing me scraps, all while laughing at jokes I wasn’t invited to understand. My father’s affairs. The way they made my mother disappear little by little until she was a shadow.

My stomach twists violently.

I barely make it to the alley beside the café before I double over and vomit.

A woman walking past pauses, concern creasing her brow. "Are you okay?"

I wipe my mouth with my sleeve and try to smile. "Yeah. Just… too much caffeine."

But inside, everything is unraveling, fear curling cold and sharp beneath my skin.

It’s a lie. But it’s the kind that keeps you moving.

Back at the apartment, I close the door softly behind me. The stillness inside is jarring after the chaos in my head.

I head straight for the bathroom, flipping on the light.

The mirror stares back at me, too bright, too honest.

There’s sweat beading at my temple. My hands shake as I open the cabinet.

And sitting there, tucked behind the cold meds and cotton balls, is a pregnancy test I bought weeks ago. Just in case.

I frown as I check my period app. I’m late. Like, really late.

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