ℂ𝕆𝕃𝕃𝕀𝔻𝔼 // ℂℍ𝔸ℝ𝕃𝔼𝕊 𝕃𝔼ℂ𝕃𝔼ℝℂ

𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓪𝓵

Athena Schumacher

My fingers drummed nervously on the wooden table as I waited for my mom to arrive. Next to me, Charles looked just as tense, but of course, he was trying to play it cool. We had both agreed to break the news to our families, and tonight was the night. My stomach churned, not because of the pregnancy, but because of how this dinner would unfold. My mom didn't know yet, and Mick, well... let's just say he wasn't going to take this lightly.

Charles and I had been through some tough situations, but this... this was going to test every bit of our patience and ability to put on a united front. Even though we were enemies, we needed to show we could handle this.

"So... are you going to freak out tonight or are you going to act like a normal person for once?" I asked, looking sideways at him.

Charles gave me that infuriating smirk of his. "Freak out? Me? Please. I'm handling this better than you."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, because you're known for handling things so gracefully. Remind me again who stormed out of that karting race when I beat you?"

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "You sabotaged that race, and you know it."

"Details, details," I said, waving my hand dismissively. "Besides, it's not like you've won every time. I've still got a few victories under my belt."

He raised an eyebrow. "Few is an overstatement. But go ahead, live in your fantasy."

I opened my mouth to throw another roast his way, but then the door to the restaurant opened, and in walked my mom with Mick trailing behind her. Mick looked as serious as ever, and the protective brother mode was already kicking in. Great.

"Here we go," I muttered under my breath as they approached the table.

Charles Leclerc

Athena's brother Mick walked in behind their mom, his face set in a stern expression that was a mirror image of the one I'd seen a million times before. The guy was a fierce driver, but more than that, he was protective of his sister. I could already tell this dinner was going to be a nightmare.

As soon as they sat down, I could feel the tension radiating off Mick like heat from an engine. He didn't even bother hiding it. His eyes flicked between me and Athena, and I could tell he was ready to pounce.

"So," Mick started, his voice tight. "What's this all about?"

Athena and I exchanged a quick glance before she spoke up. "Well, we've got some news to share. Something... unexpected."

My heart raced as I watched Mick's eyes narrow. Meanwhile, our moms looked curious but clueless. Athena took a deep breath and blurted out, "I'm pregnant."

The silence that followed was deafening. Mick's expression went from confused to angry in a matter of seconds. His fists clenched on the table, and I braced myself for whatever was coming next.

"You're what?" he growled, his gaze snapping to me. "Charles, what the hell did you do?"

I held my hands up defensively. "It wasn't like that! I mean, it was a mistake—" I started, but Mick was already leaning forward, his anger clear.

"Mick, stop," Athena cut in, putting her hand on his arm. "This isn't just his fault, okay? It was... mutual."

He looked at her like she'd lost her mind, but his eyes softened just a little. "Mutual? Athena, you can't be serious. This is Charles. You two hate each other!"

She sighed. "I know. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm two weeks pregnant, and we need to figure this out."

My mom, who had been quiet up until now, finally spoke. "Oh, sweetheart..." She reached over, taking my hand. "Charles, are you two... planning to do something about this?"

I glanced at Athena, who gave me a small nod. We had discussed this before coming here. It was time to bite the bullet.

"We've decided that we'll go through with the marriage," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "For the baby."

Athena's mom looked stunned for a moment before nodding slowly. "Marriage... I suppose that's the right thing to do, given the situation. But are you sure this is what you want?"

Athena straightened up, her voice firm. "It's not about what we want right now. It's about what's best for the baby. We're going to make this work."

I nodded in agreement. "We may not like each other, but we can't let this affect our child."

Mick, still seething, crossed his arms and muttered, "This better not be a disaster waiting to happen."

I shot him a glare. "Trust me, I'm not thrilled about it either, but we're doing what's right."

Before Mick could respond, Athena's mom jumped in, her voice soft but serious. "This is a lot to take in, but we'll support you both. And Mick," she added, looking pointedly at him, "you need to support your sister in this, too."

Mick clenched his jaw but nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But Charles, if you screw this up..."

Athena cut him off with a sharp look. "Mick, stop. We've got this."

Athena Schumacher

Once the tension finally eased a little, the waiters brought out our food, and for the next few minutes, I kept my eyes on my plate, pushing the food around more than actually eating it. I wasn't exactly hungry anymore after that intense start.

As the meal dragged on, Charles and I fell into another round of back-and-forth roasts, but we kept the smiles plastered on our faces. The moms were watching us like hawks from their table, probably hoping we'd miraculously start acting like a loving couple. Fat chance.

"You're terrible at this whole 'pretending to be nice' thing, you know," Charles muttered to me under his breath as he took a sip of water.

I forced a smile, my voice sickly sweet. "Oh, I'm just trying to match your level of charm. Didn't realize I'd have to aim so low."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You're lucky we're doing this for the baby. Otherwise, I'd be gone in a second."

I scoffed. "Trust me, the feeling's mutual."

Just as we were about to dive into another round of insults, my phone buzzed. I glanced at it, then sighed. Kelly.

"I'll be right back," I said, standing up and stepping outside to take the call.

Charles Leclerc

As Athena walked out of the restaurant, I finally had a moment to breathe. This night had been one disaster after another, but at least we were making progress. Sort of.

My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket. It was Carlos.

"Hey," I answered, trying to keep my voice calm. "You busy?"

"Nah," Carlos replied. "What's up?"

I hesitated for a moment, glancing toward the door where Athena had just left. "I need some advice."

Carlos chuckled. "This sounds serious."

"You have no idea," I muttered. "Let's just say things are about to get a lot more complicated."