I sat at the edge of the bed, hugging a pillow and blanket to cover my body, while on the opposite side Leo was also covering himself with a pillow.
Our clothes were nowhere to be seen. This room is looked strangely alive, as if someone had stayed here before.
"Wait, I don't get it. What is going on? Why are you… with me…?" said Leo, his left hand covering part of his face. His ears were red like cherries.
I stayed silent, trying to remember anything I could, but shit, everything was blurry.
Leo suddenly pointed at me with his finger. "You! You were the one who told Nathan's secretary to bring me a drink last night! What did you put in it? I know you want to get back at—"
"Oh please! When did I ever tell Rose—" My words were cut off. "Shit! Nath–, I mean Mr. Nathan was the one who gave that drink last night. I drank it too. That must be why we can't remember anything now," I continued, shifting into a slightly more formal tone. I can't risk my disguise being blown this fast. Not like this.
"Nathan?! What the hell is he playing at this time…" Leo muttered, but I heard him clearly.
I got up from the edge of the bed, ignoring Leo's grumbling, and spotted a pile of clothes by the entrance. "Oh! There they are!" I shouted without thinking, startling Leo enough to make him get up too and see what made me yell.
We both walked toward the door, but my steps suddenly froze not far from the bed. A small object made me clamp my hand tightly over my mouth.
Leo, not realizing I had stopped, bumped lightly into me. "What the hell? Why did you suddenly stop?" he complained, stepping to the side, only to see it too. "Holy shit…"
Used condoms were scattered carelessly across the floor.
~~~~~
I bit my thumb nervously. Max and Juno sat across from me, interrogating me with their eyes.
"Seriously, Val. What's going on? Did Leo already find out about your cover?" Juno asked impatiently.
I let out a sigh and slumped onto the sofa in my living room. "No… ugh… how do I even say this? I feel like there's some kind of personal conflict between Leo and Nathan, and I might have just been made into… you know, a new pawn." I answered cautiously.
"What do you mean 'a new pawn'? Are they trying to pin you to your dad's case?" Max asked, his face suddenly turning serious. Too serious.
"No, no. Ugh… how do I even explain this…" I muttered, chewing at my thumb again.
Juno swatted my hand away. "Shut it, Val! Get yourself together! If you can't be clear, we can't help you!" she shouted, her voice shaking the whole room.
"Okay fine! I think I slept with Leo!" I blurted out.
The whole room fell into dead silence. Not even an ant could be heard.
"What?" Max and Juno said in unison.
I finally sat upright. "I think so, yeah. And I think Nathan set it up. I mean, I don't remember a single thing, but I woke up in a hotel room and there were… you know… condoms everywhere…"
Still silent.
"For god's sake, say something!" I snapped, hiding my face in my hands, embarrassed.
"No… Val… wait, you really don't remember anything? Not even what happened before that?" Juno asked, her face shifting to worry.
I gulped down a glass of cold water and set it back down hard. "I… I suspect Nathan. Because earlier that night he gave his 'signature mix' to me and Leo, and he told his secretary to hand it to Leo. But Leo said I was the one who told Rose to give it to him."
Max suddenly grabbed my hand tightly. "Val, are you on the pill? I mean, should I go buy you a test pack? Just in case?"
"Seriously, Max? You're worried about that? Your friend just got drugged and that's what's on your mind?" Juno snapped.
"Well, duh! It'll be a bigger mess if Val ends up pregnant!" Max shouted.
"Guys, it's fine. I take the pill regularly, so it should be safe. Don't worry." I reassured Max, squeezing his hand back. "Thanks for caring, Max."
Juno let out a breath. "Okay, so Nathan drugged you? What's his motive then?"
"Leo and Nathan… I think they've got a complicated relationship. I still don't know who killed my dad. It could still be anyone in that office." I said, resting my head on Max's shoulder.
The room fell silent again, all of us at a loss for what to do.
Then suddenly Max gasped dramatically, making both me and Juno snap our heads toward him.
"What the hell?!" Juno yelled.
"That's it! We'll make Val pregnant!" Max shouted.
~~~~~
"Jonathan! Get out here!" Leonardo stormed into the main house in a hurry, still wearing the same clothes from the OneWay Foundation fundraising gala.
Jonathan whistled mockingly. "Wow, someone didn't go home last night. Beautiful night, huh, lil brother?" he teased from the upstairs landing.
"You little shit! What the fuck did you do?!" Leo's shout froze the whole house in fear.
Eleanor Rhys came out from the dining room. "Leo, darling, what's going on? Why are you yelling at your brother like that?"
"Mom, stay out of this. This is between me and Leo," Nathan shouted from the end of the stairs, holding a steaming cup of black coffee. "Coffee?" he asked Leo.
Leo exhaled in frustration. "Nathan, let's talk in the library," he said, striding quickly toward the Rhys family library.
Nathan set his cup down and walked over to Eleanor. "Don't worry, Mom. It's just Leo's usual tantrum, you know how bad his temper is." He kissed her forehead gently.
Eleanor smiled softly. "Alright then, go settle things with your brother. Be a good old brother," she said, caressing Nathan's cheek.
Inside the library, Leo sat slumped, his face a mess of frustration.
"What is it, brother?" Nathan asked casually, sitting across from him.
"Don't 'brother' me. What the hell were you thinking, drugging Emily's and My..u drinks?! Seriously? When are you going to grow up, Nathan?!" Leo exploded, his anger on the verge of erupting completely.
"Chill out, Leo. Got any proof it was drugged? All I did was give Emily a welcome drink. She insisted on sharing it with you, since you're her boss. So I told Rose to give it to you, because I knew at an event like that you'd disappear into a corner like a lost puppy." Nathan said smoothly.
Leo couldn't reply because deep down, he trusted no one. Not Nathan. Nor Emily.
"Wow, dude. I was just about to make a move on pretty little Emily. Didn't know you had a hobby of stealing your brother's crushes." Nathan folded his arms smugly.
Leo sighed, crushed by frustration. He had no idea how to move forward. Nathan always messed with him, but Emily? Why did she have to be part of this too?
Leo stood and left the room without a word. He knew he had already lost this round.
~~~~~
That morning the room felt unbearably cold for some reason. Valerie kept fidgeting with her fingers, struggling to steady her heartbeat.
In her right pocket was an object that would become her new challenge, a test pack with two lines.
"Shit… damn Max, now I've got to put on a whole new show," Valerie recalled the conversation with her two friends a week ago.
"No, seriously, just imagine Leo's reaction once he finds out you're pregnant. If he's a real gentleman, he'll take responsibility, either pay for everything or end up marrying you. But… if he tells you to abort it… then that proves he could've killed your dad."
"How does that prove anything?" Juno cut in.
"Well duh. If he's willing to kill an unborn baby, killing a grown man wouldn't be a problem. My point is, if he tells you to get an abortion, he's our prime suspect. But if he's willing to pay for it all or even marry you we'll get closer to the Rhys family and catch the killer, especially if it's been Leo all along. It's a win-win." Max explained.
"I didn't know you had brains, Max," Juno teased, chuckling.
"Wait, Juno, you actually agree with Max's idea?" I asked, a little disbelieving.
Juno shrugged. "I mean, it's smart, Val. I'll bet 10 bucks Leo tells you to abort." She pulled out a ten-dollar bill.
"I'll bet 20 Leo marries Val!" Max shouted, digging through his bag for cash.
"Guys… seriously?" I groaned.
.
.
.
.
so
The sound of footsteps snapped me out of my thoughts. Leonardo walked in, dressed in his usual messy way. It had been a week since the OneWay gala, and Leo had been ignoring me, speaking only when necessary.
I mean, if he really hated me that much after what happened, why not just fire Emily?
Five minutes after he entered his office, I finally gathered the courage to knock.
Leonardo was reading a document, glancing briefly at me before closing whatever he had in his hands. "What?" he asked coldly.
God, I wanted to throw a rock at his annoyingly handsome face. But I had to stay strong. Let's play the victim.
"You know, ever since that night—" Leo's jaw tightened. "I… I haven't been able to sleep, i've been thinking all night, because I… didn't take my pill," which was a lie.
"What's your point?" Leo snapped impatiently.
I exhaled, trying to look frightened. "I'm… Mr. Leo, I'm pregnant." I said, placing the test pack with two lines in front of him.