Chapter 168: 168 - the pregnancy
168
~Lisa’s POV
I froze when I realized how close Luca and I were. My hands shot forward, pushing him away from me as fast as I could. My chest tightened, my breath uneven. I opened my mouth to explain, but before I could get a single word out, Belinda’s scoff cut through the air like a knife.
Belinda stepped forward, her eyes shining with triumph. Her lips curled into a smirk that made my stomach twist. "Well, well, well... Lisa," she said slowly, dragging out my name like it was poison on her tongue. "What the fuck is going on here?"
I stammered, "It’s not what it looks like..."
"Not what it looks like?" she snapped, her voice rising. She pointed at Luca with disgust. "You’re standing here, in this position, with a guard. A useless guard! And you expect me to believe this is nothing? Please, Lisa. You might fool others, but not me."
"Luna Belinda, stop," I whispered, my throat tight, but she didn’t let me breathe.
"You think you’re clever?" she sneered, taking another step toward me like a predator cornering its prey. "That position, that closeness—it clearly shows what you are. You’re in a relationship with him. A guard, Lisa. Do you know how shameful that is? Do you even realize how low you’ve fallen?"
Tears pricked at my eyes. I shook my head quickly. "No... no, that’s not true. I swear, it’s not..."
Before I could finish, her hand came down across my face. Slap. The sting burned, tears immediately spilling over my lashes. I staggered a step back, clutching my cheek.
Belinda’s voice rose louder, sharp and merciless. "The Alphas were so lenient with you, Lisa. They didn’t reject you when they should have, and now look at you! You have the audacity...the shamelessness...to drag their name through the mud. An improper relationship with a guard? Have you no pride?"
"Please, it’s not like that...." I tried again, my voice breaking, but she cut me off like a blade slicing through the air.
She spun on her heel, turning to Damon, Kael, and Rowan, who stood just behind her, watching the scene unfold. My heart dropped. My face burned hotter, not just from her slap but from shame. Belinda raised her hand, pointing at me, her tone full of venom.
"They should have chased you out of this palace long ago!" she barked. "And now? Now she’s proving exactly why I said so. Look at her, disgracing us up and down."
Kael’s brows furrowed, but he didn’t speak. Rowan’s arms crossed over his chest, his jaw tightening. Damon’s gaze was dark, unreadable, but he stayed silent too. Their silence crushed me more than any words.
Belinda turned back to me, her voice full of cold satisfaction. "Do you know what’s funny, Lisa? I already knew about this little... relationship of yours. I didn’t have proof before, but now? Now I have all the evidence I need."
I shook my head furiously, choking on my tears. "There’s nothing between us! He’s just..., he was just—"
"Oh, save it!" Belinda snapped, waving her hand dismissively. "Do you think they’ll believe your excuses? Do you think anyone here will believe your pathetic story when everything is already so clear?"
"Luna Belinda, please..." My voice was nothing more than a whisper. "Please don’t do this to me."
She leaned closer, her smile cruel. "And do you want to know what else I’ve heard, Lisa? The rumors spreading about you?"
My chest squeezed. "Rumors?" I whispered.
She nodded slowly, savoring every word. "Yes. That you’re pregnant."
The words echoed in the air like thunder, heavy and shocking. I gasped, my whole body trembling. My lips parted, but no words came out.
Kael’s eyes widened instantly, his mouth falling open. "What?" he breathed.
Rowan’s head snapped toward me, disbelief written all over his face. "Pregnant? Lisa, is that... is that true?"
"I... I’m not... it’s not..." My voice shook, my words tangled together in a mess of panic.
Belinda’s laughter cut through my stammers, sharp and victorious. "Look at her! Look at how she can’t even answer! That’s all the confirmation you need. She’s been sneaking around with a guard, and now she’s carrying his child. What bigger disgrace could there be?"
"No!" I cried, shaking my head violently. "That’s not true! I swear on my life, it’s not true! I’m...I’m pregnant, but it wasn’t for Luca. I didn’t... Luca and I are not..." My throat closed, sobs choking my words.
Belinda folded her arms, tilting her head as she watched me crumble. "You disgust me," she spat. "You disgust everyone here. And to think, the Alphas gave you a place in this palace. What a mistake."
Belinda turned back to them, her voice steady and sharp. "You see now? You see what I’ve been saying all along? She should have been thrown out. She doesn’t deserve to be here. And now... now she’s proving it herself."
I sank to my knees, my hands trembling, my tears falling freely. "Please," I whispered again, broken. "Please believe me... I’m not who she says I am... I didn’t do anything..."
I froze when Damon’s voice cut through the heavy silence. His tone was sharp and cold, and it made my stomach twist.
"Lisa," he said, stepping forward, his eyes narrowing at me before shifting to the guard still standing awkwardly to the side. "Is that him? Is that Luca you’ve been talking about?"
The sound of his name in Damon’s mouth made my chest ache. My lips trembled, and for a moment, I thought I wouldn’t be able to answer. But the weight of everyone’s eyes, Belinda’s satisfied smirk, Rowan’s tense posture, and Kael’s frown pinned me in place.
I swallowed hard, my voice breaking when I finally spoke. "Yes," I whispered, then forced myself to lift my head, my eyes red from the tears. "Yes, that’s him. That’s Luca."
Belinda tilted her head and folded her arms with triumph. "Well," she said in a voice laced with poison, "at least she finally admits it."
Damon stood beside me and angrily ordered the guards to arrest Luca. Others wondered what was going on, and that was when Rowan and Kael saw that Damon didn’t look surprised, just like them.
"Did you know about the pregnancy?" Rowan asked Damon.
"We are responsible for the pregnancy, and there wasn’t any illicit relationship between Lisa and the guard."
My knees felt weak, and Damon held me as I almost fell.
"That’s not true, Damon. It is clear to all that the two are in a relationship. Why are you supporting her?" Belinda yelled out. It seemed like she was the mastermind, and that was when everything clicked. Sending a maid to call me out of my room and Luca’s presence at her door wasn’t a coincidence.