Scarlett woke up with a dry throat. The thirst forced her out of bed in search of water. The house was silent, with only the faint ticking of the clock echoing through the hallway.
As she passed Asher's room, her steps halted. The door wasn't fully closed. Through the gap, she could see Asher standing with his back to the door, wearing a dark satin pajama set that softly reflected the light from his bedside lamp. He stood motionless in front of the large window, staring out into the stillness of the night.
Scarlett recognized that posture. It wasn't just stillness it was the kind of silence that hinted at something weighing heavily on his mind. She had seen him like this before. And without realizing it, little moments like this had etched themselves into her memory.
Driven by something she couldn't quite name, Scarlett stepped forward and gently pushed the door open.
Asher turned. "Scarlett? What is it?" he asked, his voice calm, but the weariness on his face was hard to miss.
Scarlett walked a little closer. "Why aren't you sleeping? It's already one in the morning."
Asher gave a slight shrug. "I'm not sleepy."
She stopped a few steps away from him. "I know this is just a contract marriage," she said softly, "but… I thought it wouldn't hurt if you wanted to talk. Sometimes, sharing the burden a little can help you sleep better. You need rest to manage the company well."
For a few seconds, Asher just looked at her face. Her words were simple, but there was sincerity in them. The softness in her voice felt like an embrace in another form.
The satin sleepwear Scarlett wore, loose yet gently outlining her figure under the dim light, drew Asher's attention more than he wanted to admit. Maybe it was exhaustion, or maybe his heart wasn't as guarded as he thought.
Almost without thinking, he lifted a hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close with possessive ease. The warmth of her body touched his skin.
"I'm tired. There's been a minor issue at the company," he murmured, almost a whisper, as he slowly leaned in toward her.
Scarlett stood still. Her heart pounded rapidly. It was the first time a man had been this close to her, this real. But she didn't pull away. There was no fear. Just an unfamiliar thrum in her chest.
Asher met her eyes for a moment, then without a word, his lips touched hers.
The kiss started soft, like an unspoken question. But when Scarlett closed her eyes and instinctively leaned into his embrace, everything they'd been ignoring began to ignite. Her arms found their way around his neck, holding on like she didn't want to let go.
The kiss deepened. Became hotter. Wilder. Tension snapped—not just physically, but emotionally, all the feelings they'd suppressed now pouring out.
Their breaths tangled. Moans filled the once-quiet room. The bed that had always been cold turned warm with touch and desire that could no longer be restrained. No contract could stop them now.
And when the night faded and morning slowly crept in, no one knew what would be left when they opened their eyes. But one thing was certain: the lines in their contract had blurred. What wasn't supposed to happen had become real. And it changed everything.
Days passed as if nothing monumental had occurred between them, nothing that could possibly alter the agreement they had made. But things only grew more complicated when Scarlett started to feel changes in her body. At first, she thought it was just stress from the emotional strain of their contract marriage. But after missing her period for two consecutive weeks, a small fear began to take root in her heart.
She tried to brush it off, hoping it was just a fluke. Yet, the fatigue and nausea became too noticeable to ignore. One morning, after much thought and gathering her courage, Scarlett went to a pharmacy and bought a pregnancy test. Her hands trembled slightly as she followed the instructions, anxiety creeping through every second.
Minutes passed, feeling like hours, until the result appeared.
"Damn," she whispered, eyes fixed on the two faint pink lines that unmistakably confirmed it she was pregnant.
Panic and confusion overwhelmed her. What was she supposed to do? Asher? Should she tell him? Just the thought of facing him made her stomach twist more than the morning sickness ever could. When the contract began, it was clear that neither of them wanted more than a business arrangement. There was no room for something personal like this.
And if Asher found out she was carrying his child, would that change everything? Or would it only make things worse?
Scarlett knew Asher would never want a child from this marriage. Especially not with all the pressure he already faced from his family and Blackwell Corporation. He had to fulfill strict conditions from his grandfather's will. A child born of this marriage would only complicate things further.
With a heavy heart, Scarlett decided to keep the pregnancy a secret at least for now. She needed time to think before telling anyone, especially Asher.
Over the next few days, Scarlett tried to go on with her life as normally as possible. But the longer she held on to this secret, the heavier it felt on her shoulders.
Meanwhile, Asher remained unaware of Scarlett's inner turmoil. He carried on with his usual routine, his focus locked on the company. But Scarlett's sudden withdrawal and her subtle melancholy didn't go unnoticed.
He knew something was wrong. He just didn't know what.
One evening, after dinner together, Asher finally asked the question that had been hovering in his mind. He looked at Scarlett intently, watching every shift in her expression.
"Something's bothering you, Scarlett," he said calmly, eyes sharp. "You can tell me if something's wrong. I'm not a monster. I just want to know if something's going on."
Scarlett hesitated, caught in a conversation she could no longer avoid. But she knew that if she kept running from it, Asher would only grow more suspicious.
With a heavy breath, she finally spoke.
"I…" Her voice was barely audible. "I'm pregnant, Asher."
The words slipped out, and time seemed to freeze around her. Asher stood still, clearly shocked, though he didn't overreact. Tension filled the air between them.
"Asher," Scarlett continued, a little more firmly, "I know this might change everything. But I don't want it to ruin what we've built so far."
Asher remained silent, his gaze unreadable. Scarlett could see emotions clashing inside him. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and full of weight.
"You're pregnant?" he repeated, as if needing to hear it again. "When did you find out?"
"I just found out a few days ago," Scarlett replied quietly. "I was confused and didn't know what to do. I didn't want to add to your burden, Asher."
He let out a long breath and got up from his seat, walking over to the window. He stared outside, as though the answers might be waiting for him in the night. "This is complicated, Scarlett," he said at last. "I never planned for this. Neither of us wanted a child from this marriage."
"But…" Scarlett furrowed her brow. "What happens now, Asher? What are we going to do?"
He didn't answer right away. For a long moment, silence hung between them. Finally, Asher turned to face her, his expression firm.
"We need to think this through carefully," he said, his voice steady. "I'll support whatever decision you make, Scarlett. But I also want us to face this together. No more secrets."
Scarlett felt a flicker of relief at his words. He didn't give a definitive answer yet, but there was something in his tone that reassured her she wasn't alone in this. Still, behind that relief was a lingering question: would this change everything between them? Were they ready to face the reality that now stood before them?
Her pregnancy might open a whole new chapter in their lives, but there was no guarantee it would lead to a happy ending. There was still much to face, and the uncertainty of their future loomed heavier than ever. But one thing was certain this was just the beginning of their journey.