The Imperial Grand Hotel's ballroom shimmered with chandeliers, the scent of expensive perfume, and the hum of high society gossip. Amelia Carter's stomach churned as she clutched a small velvet box in her hand.
Tonight, she was going to do something she had rehearsed a thousand times in front of her mirror—confess her love to Adrian Knight, the youngest billionaire CEO in the country. Her palms were sweaty, and her heart raced like a caged bird.
Her best friend nudged her lightly. "Go. Before someone else steals him."
Amelia's legs felt like lead. Each step toward the center of the glittering ballroom felt heavier than the last. Adrian was standing there, talking to a group of industry elites—tall, immaculately dressed, untouchable. That cold gray gaze of his could silence a room.
She swallowed hard. Tonight was her chance. She opened the velvet box. Inside lay a simple silver ring—not an engagement ring, but a promise. She would give it to him anyway.
"I know I'm not from your world," Amelia began, voice trembling but determined, "but I—"
A sudden laugh cut through the room. Sharp, mocking, and loud enough to make heads turn. Adrian's eyes met hers, cold and calculating, then he gestured to the crowd.
"Are you serious?" he said. Every word was dripping with amusement. "This girl thinks she can date me?"
Whispers erupted. People pointed. The velvet box slipped from Amelia's trembling hands and clattered onto the marble floor. Someone stepped on it, crushing the tiny ring.
Amelia felt her cheeks burn. She wanted to run, but something inside her snapped. She bent down, picked up the broken ring, and stared directly into Adrian's gray eyes.
"You'll regret this someday, Adrian Knight," she whispered.
The ballroom erupted in laughter. Adrian turned back to his guests, leaving her standing there, humiliated, heartbroken, and utterly defeated.
As she fled the room, a strange sensation caught her by surprise—a sharp cramp that sent her staggering. She paused, gripping her stomach, a sudden, shocking realization dawning.
That night, she discovered she was pregnant
Her life had changed forever, and she didn't even know it yet.