Chapter 1 · Pregnant With The Unspoken Truth

Before my fiancé died in a car accident, he asked his brother William Carter to look after me.

We were there for each other for five years, and then, out of nowhere, one night we ended up in bed together.

Not long after, I found out I was pregnant.

Right when I was about to tell him, he dropped the bomb that he was getting married.

He took me along to help him choose a ring and book the wedding venue.

It was as if he'd completely forgotten what happened that night.

Then he asked if I was free to help his girlfriend pick out a wedding dress tomorrow. I just smiled and turned him down.

"I've got plans tomorrow. You two go ahead," I said.

*****

"Lucas, about your suggestion for me to study painting abroad, I've decided I'll go once I've wrapped things up here," I said.

I curled up on the couch and called my best friend, Lucas Reed.

Lucas sounded surprised and happy, but there was a hint of confusion in his voice.

"Why are you suddenly willing to leave?" he asked.

I pulled the blanket tighter around me and let out a soft sigh.

"Now there's someone who can take care of things. I don't need to stay here anymore," I said.

As I spoke, my thoughts drifted away.

When Andrew Carter passed away, the thing that worried him most was leaving me behind.

My parents had died when I was young, so he asked his older brother, William Carter, to look after me.

Over the years, William's care was like a ray of sunshine in my life. His support was what kept me going.

But that night, everything changed.

After that crazy night, I was the first to wake up. Seeing him sleeping so soundly, I felt a wave of panic and left in a hurry.

All these sudden feelings left me completely lost, so I decided to travel for a while, hoping I could untangle this mess in my head.

When I got back, William asked where I'd been, same as always.

But I hadn't expected this. He didn't seem to have worked anything out. It was more like he'd wiped that night from his memory completely.

He already had someone he cared about, and I was just someone who never really belonged in his world. It was time I stopped messing up his life.

After wavering for a while after hanging up with Lucas, I finally called William.

He picked up right away. "Sophia, what's up?"

I was just about to talk to him about that night and bring closure to what we had, when a woman's voice cut in from his end. "She's calling you this late? She really doesn't know her place. Is she into you or what?"

It was William's girlfriend, Emily Brooks.

Even over the phone, I could feel the hostility in her voice.

William's tone went ice-cold in a heartbeat.

"Sophia, don't call me so late anymore. People might start talking. I'm hanging up."

William had never talked to me like that. By the time it hit me, the call had been dead for ages.

I glanced at the clock. It wasn't even eight yet. How was eight o'clock that late?

Back then, even if I called at three or four in the morning, he'd always answer, no matter how late, asking if I was okay.

But now, he acted like I was just interrupting his life.

I couldn't help but let out a bitter smile, shaking my head as I wrapped myself tighter in the blanket.

Maybe I was just so worn out that even the wind and snow slamming against the window couldn't pull me out of my sleep.

Suddenly, the door crashed open, and before I knew it, I was pulled into an embrace that felt icy but somehow comforting.

Groggy, I blinked up at him. "What's wrong, William?"

He froze for a second and then reached out in the darkness to gently touch my face. After making sure I wasn't crying, he suddenly yelled at me.

"The snowstorm out there is insane. You didn't pick up your phone or reply to my messages. Are you trying to scare me to death?" William shouted, his voice full of worry.

That was when I finally noticed the wind and snow raging outside. Suddenly, fear washed over me, and I clung to his hand, my voice barely a whisper.

"I... I didn't hear anything," I murmured, still shaken.

There was no way I could ever forget the fact that Andrew lost his life on a snowy night just like this.

I could never sleep a wink whenever there was a blizzard raging outside.

For the past five years, William was always there, holding my hand and comforting me through every sleepless night.

William's expression was grim as he stared at me for a while before finally saying, "You'll stay at my place tonight."

I gently pushed him away and shook my head. "You've got a girlfriend now. It's not really appropriate anymore."

When I noticed that lipstick stain on his shirt collar, the warmth I'd felt from his concern disappeared without a trace.

William's face darkened, and his voice grew stern.

"Sophia, will you stop this?" he said.

"I left Emily alone at the restaurant because you were scared. If you don't come with me now, are you just going to end up calling me in tears later? Let's just go now and spare us both the drama."

I pressed my lips together, unable to say a word.

Chapter 1

Before my fiancé died in a car accident, he asked his brother William Carter to look after me.

We were there for each other for five years, and then, out of nowhere, one night we ended up in bed together.

Not long after, I found out I was pregnant.

Right when I was about to tell him, he dropped the bomb that he was getting married.

He took me along to help him choose a ring and book the wedding venue.

It was as if he'd completely forgotten what happened that night.

Then he asked if I was free to help his girlfriend pick out a wedding dress tomorrow. I just smiled and turned him down.

"I've got plans tomorrow. You two go ahead," I said.

*****

"Lucas, about your suggestion for me to study painting abroad, I've decided I'll go once I've wrapped things up here," I said.

I curled up on the couch and called my best friend, Lucas Reed.

Lucas sounded surprised and happy, but there was a hint of confusion in his voice.

"Why are you suddenly willing to leave?" he asked.

I pulled the blanket tighter around me and let out a soft sigh.

"Now there's someone who can take care of things. I don't need to stay here anymore," I said.

As I spoke, my thoughts drifted away.

When Andrew Carter passed away, the thing that worried him most was leaving me behind.

My parents had died when I was young, so he asked his older brother, William Carter, to look after me.

Over the years, William's care was like a ray of sunshine in my life. His support was what kept me going.

But that night, everything changed.

After that crazy night, I was the first to wake up. Seeing him sleeping so soundly, I felt a wave of panic and left in a hurry.

All these sudden feelings left me completely lost, so I decided to travel for a while, hoping I could untangle this mess in my head.

When I got back, William asked where I'd been, same as always.

But I hadn't expected this. He didn't seem to have worked anything out. It was more like he'd wiped that night from his memory completely.

He already had someone he cared about, and I was just someone who never really belonged in his world. It was time I stopped messing up his life.

After wavering for a while after hanging up with Lucas, I finally called William.

He picked up right away. "Sophia, what's up?"

It was William's girlfriend, Emily Brooks.

Even over the phone, I could feel the hostility in her voice.

William's tone went ice-cold in a heartbeat.

"Sophia, don't call me so late anymore. People might start talking. I'm hanging up."

William had never talked to me like that. By the time it hit me, the call had been dead for ages.

I glanced at the clock. It wasn't even eight yet. How was eight o'clock that late?

Back then, even if I called at three or four in the morning, he'd always answer, no matter how late, asking if I was okay.

But now, he acted like I was just interrupting his life.

I couldn't help but let out a bitter smile, shaking my head as I wrapped myself tighter in the blanket.

Maybe I was just so worn out that even the wind and snow slamming against the window couldn't pull me out of my sleep.

Suddenly, the door crashed open, and before I knew it, I was pulled into an embrace that felt icy but somehow comforting.

Groggy, I blinked up at him. "What's wrong, William?"

He froze for a second and then reached out in the darkness to gently touch my face. After making sure I wasn't crying, he suddenly yelled at me.

"The snowstorm out there is insane. You didn't pick up your phone or reply to my messages. Are you trying to scare me to death?" William shouted, his voice full of worry.

That was when I finally noticed the wind and snow raging outside. Suddenly, fear washed over me, and I clung to his hand, my voice barely a whisper.

"I... I didn't hear anything," I murmured, still shaken.

There was no way I could ever forget the fact that Andrew lost his life on a snowy night just like this.

I could never sleep a wink whenever there was a blizzard raging outside.

For the past five years, William was always there, holding my hand and comforting me through every sleepless night.

William's expression was grim as he stared at me for a while before finally saying, "You'll stay at my place tonight."

I gently pushed him away and shook my head. "You've got a girlfriend now. It's not really appropriate anymore."

When I noticed that lipstick stain on his shirt collar, the warmth I'd felt from his concern disappeared without a trace.

William's face darkened, and his voice grew stern.

"Sophia, will you stop this?" he said.

"I left Emily alone at the restaurant because you were scared. If you don't come with me now, are you just going to end up calling me in tears later? Let's just go now and spare us both the drama."

I pressed my lips together, unable to say a word.