Meet Scarlett Striker, a bold and quirky journalist for the Seattle Times. She's fun, confident, sassy, and just the right amount of weird. Scarlett is determined to rise to the top, no matter what it takes.
When her boss offers a golden opportunity...
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I stare at the aisle in front of me, my fingers absentmindedly brushing over the boxes on the shelf. Pregnancy tests. My heart pounds in my chest as I debate whether to pick one up. It's been days since I last saw James, and after everything we've been through—the arguments, the secrets, that night—it's hard to ignore the gnawing thought that's been creeping into my mind.
This can't be happening. It's probably nothing. Right?
I drag my fingers through my hair, trying to steady my breathing. My life has been chaos ever since I met James. From my investigation into La Vida Nueva Foundation to the secrets he's keeping—his ruthlessness, the way he controls everything around him—it's all starting to come crashing down. He's not just the businessman everyone thinks he is. I've seen the darker side, the calculated precision he operates with. And now, I'm here, staring at pregnancy tests, wondering if I've somehow become more entangled in his web.
My fingers close around one of the boxes, and I'm about to take it off the shelf when a voice behind me cuts through the quiet aisle, sharp and cold.
"Well, well, well... isn't this interesting."
I freeze, my hand still hovering over the pregnancy test. That voice. I don't even have to turn around to know who it is.
Natalia.
With a deep breath, I slowly straighten up, leaving the box on the shelf before turning to face her. She stands a few feet away, her arms crossed over her chest, a smirk curling on her perfectly painted lips. She's dressed immaculately, as usual, in designer clothes that scream money and power. There's a coldness to her beauty, a sharp edge that always seems to accompany her.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady, but my heart is racing. The last thing I need is a confrontation with her right now.
Natalia's eyes flicker to the shelf where I was standing, and her smirk deepens. "Interesting choice of aisle, Scarlett. Feeling a little... nervous, are we?" She tilts her head slightly, her gaze lingering on the pregnancy tests. It's a silent accusation, and it hits me like a slap.
I clench my jaw. "It's none of your business."
Natalia steps closer, her heels clicking softly against the pharmacy floor, her presence suffocating. "Oh, but it is my business," she says softly, her voice dripping with condescension. "James always did have a knack for picking... interesting women."
Her words make my skin crawl, but I don't back down. "I don't know what you're talking about."
She lets out a low, amused laugh. "Come on, Scarlett. We both know what you're really doing here. And let me save you some time," she leans in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper, "James isn't the type to settle down. Not now. Not ever."
I feel the weight of her words, but I refuse to let her see me falter. "You don't know anything about James and me."
Natalia's eyes darken, and for a moment, the playful facade slips. "You think you're different, don't you? That you'll somehow be the exception? You won't be. He'll get bored, Scarlett. They all do. And when he does, you'll find yourself in a very dangerous position."
