<section>


    ~CLARA~


    I couldn''t believe my eyes. Yet, the bump in Nicole''s stomach told me everything I needed to know.


    She was pregnant.


    </section><section>


    Pregnant?


    How could that be? How long has she been pregnant? And why was I now finding out about this?


    I wasn''t aware that ric was still sleeping with her. He made it seem as though he didn''t have any interest in her anymore, at least until recently, when she returned to his home.


    This was crazy.


    There had to be some kind of a mistake. This couldn''t be ric''s baby. He wouldn''t betray me like this. It wasn''t possible. Someone like ric would never do something this horrible.


    "How are we so sure that this is ric''s baby?" I demand. "You''re full of so many lies that this could be yet another one of your tricks to get him back in your life."


    Her eyes narrowed, and I knew that I had hit a nerve. I didn''t want to believe her, and why should I after everything she''s done?


    "Whether you believe me or not is your problem." She hissed. "The only person I needed to believe me already does. That alone should tell you that I''m telling the truth."


    I swallow hard.


    This would exin everything. This is why he''s suddenly allowing her back into his life. It''s also why he didn''t want to tell me the truth. As much as it pained me to admit it, there was a chance that she was being honest.


    The fact that ric could even entertain her wishes and bring her back to his home without a proper exnation was all I needed to confirm that this wasn''t some lie she''d just made up to push me away from him. There was some truth to this and the only person that could confirm it was the man I was in love with.


    Why was this happening now? Why would of all the days, why was it today when I was finally happy that he was opening up to me?


    I continued to stare at Nicole from head to toe.


    Of course, the bump in her belly was also all the proof I needed. It was definitely real and not a fake bump. But still, I needed to speak to ric at least once. I had to confirm everything with him and hear what he had to say even though I didn''t think there was anything that could defend this.


    "I tried to warn you in the past, ra." She continues to tell me, feigning kindness. "I told you that what ric and I had wasn''t something that could be broken. I admit that I was difficult to deal with, but that never bothered him while we were married. He always worshipped me, no matter what I did. Then you came along, and he found a distraction. But that was all you ever were, a distraction for him. He wanted to hurt me for hurting him, but in order to do that, he needed someone to use, someone that could hurt me."


    I didn''t want to hear this from her, but still, I stayed there and listened to every word. I think that I was in shock. I couldn''t find the strength to move my feet. I knew I had to confront ric, but I was scared to do so.


    How would I react when he confirmed all of this? I knew that it wouldpletely destroy me.


    "You were the perfect candidate for ric to make me jealous. You''re his student; just like all the other girls in his ss, you''repletely obsessed with him. Where else could he find someone more perfect than you to make his n work? Sadly, you got caught up in all of it, and you''re about to get your feelings hurt. Do you think that ric will ever leave me now that he knows I''m pregnant?"


    I bit my lip and tasted blood. It was difficult for him to let go of her even before she was pregnant. She was right; he wouldn''t get rid of her now. The fact that she was back in his home told me that much. He already made up his mind to keep her close to him.


    But the ric I knew would never y with my feelings like that.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Was it possible that I never knew him all along?


    I''d somehow managed to get hurt by yet another Prince. This time, it was the eldest sibling, someone who I thought would be mature enough not to hurt me the way that Carter did. I thought ric at least would know what he truly wanted. But he was no different than Carter; he also would leave me for someone else.


    "I truly am sorry, ra," she apologizes with no sympathy in her voice. "But I did warn you from the beginning to stay away from ric. His family are known yers. They know how to make women think that they''re in love with them. ric was and will always be mine. There is no space for you in his life, especially not now when I will have his baby."


    I couldn''t listen to this anymore. I spun around as the tears poured down my cheeks. I didn''t want her to see me crying. I didn''t want to give her that satisfaction.


    </section><section>


    How could ric do this to me?


    How?


    </section>