Forced To Marry My Cousin's Fiancé

Chapter 15: Chapter 15

The smell of spicy noodles filled the quiet kitchen while Lane stood near the stove slowly stirring the pot in front of her.

Outside, the evening sky had already darkened completely, soft city lights glowing faintly through the massive windows of Blackwood Estate. The mansion remained calm tonight, the maids already finished with most of their work while silence stretched comfortably through the halls.

Lane rested one hand absentmindedly against her stomach as she cooked.

Three months.Almost four now.

The baby bump had become impossible for her to ignore lately.Not large.Not obvious beneath loose clothing.

But visible enough that every movement reminded her constantly now.

Sometimes she still caught herself staring at her reflection for several seconds in quiet disbelief.

She was really carrying Ethan’s child.

The thought still made her chest ache softly.

Her phone buzzed against the counter nearby before her mother’s name appeared across the screen.

Lane smiled faintly and answered immediately.

"Hi, mom."

"How’s my baby?"

Lane laughed softly. "You mean me or the actual baby?"

"Both."

Warmth spread quietly through her chest at the familiar affection in her mother’s voice.

"I’m okay," Lane replied softly while lowering the stove heat slightly. "Just cooking."

"At this hour?"

"The baby wanted spicy noodles."

Her mother sighed dramatically through the phone.

"You and these strange cravings."

Lane smiled again.

Her mother’s voice softened afterward.

"You have your appointment tomorrow, right?"

Lane nodded automatically before remembering her mother couldn’t see her.

"Yes."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

The question made Lane pause briefly.

Part of her wanted to say yes immediately.

Because going to appointments alone had slowly become one of the loneliest parts of pregnancy.

Watching couples sit together in waiting rooms while fathers held ultrasound pictures and mothers smiled beside them always left something heavy inside her chest afterward.

Still...

Lane forced lightness into her voice.

"I can handle it."

"You don’t always have to handle everything alone."

The sentence nearly cracked something inside her emotionally.

But Lane still smiled softly to herself.

"I know."

A brief silence followed before her mother spoke again carefully.

"Is Ethan going with you tomorrow?"

Lane’s hand tightened slightly around the spoon.

The truth sat painfully inside her chest.

Ethan had never attended a single appointment.

Never asked about appointment dates.

Never asked how the baby was growing.

Lane lowered her gaze toward the stove quietly before answering.

"Yes."

The lie came softly.

Naturally.

Her mother sounded relieved immediately afterward.

"That’s good."

Lane shut her eyes briefly.

Guilt settled heavily inside her chest now.

But she couldn’t bear hearing pity in her mother’s voice tonight.

Couldn’t admit that she had been doing every appointment alone for months.

So instead she changed the topic gently until the conversation eventually ended.

After eating dinner alone quietly in the kitchen, Lane cleaned everything carefully before heading upstairs afterward.

The exhaustion lately felt stronger than before.

Her back hurt more often now.

The nausea came unexpectedly.

And emotionally...

She felt fragile some days.

Still, after showering and changing into soft sleep clothes, Lane carefully placed her appointment papers inside her bag for tomorrow before slipping beneath the blankets.

Her hand rested gently over her stomach again.

"Tomorrow we’ll get a picture of you," she whispered softly.

A tiny smile touched her lips afterward.

Maybe this time Ethan would look at it properly.Maybe seeing the baby growing would change something.

Maybe—Lane stopped herself.

Hope had become dangerous.And yet somehow...She still couldn’t stop hoping completely.

The next morning arrived quietly.

After getting ready slowly, Lane drove herself toward the maternity clinic while soft music played faintly through the car speakers.

Traffic moved steadily around her while sunlight spilled warmly across the streets.

But despite the calm morning, loneliness lingered heavily inside her chest today.

Especially when she arrived at the clinic.

Couples filled most of the waiting room again.

A man rubbing his wife’s shoulder gently.

Another helping his pregnant girlfriend sit carefully.

Someone laughing quietly while holding ultrasound photos proudly.

Lane lowered her eyes slightly while sitting alone in the corner.

Jealousy tightened unexpectedly inside her chest.

Not cruel jealousy.

Just sadness.

Because for one selfish moment, she wished Ethan would walk through the doors and sit beside her.

Even silently.Even coldly.Just... beside her.

Lane stared quietly at her phone afterward.

Her thumb hovered briefly over Ethan’s contact.

Should she call him?

Tell him she was at the clinic?

Ask him to come?

The thought disappeared almost immediately.

He wouldn’t answer.

Or worse—

He would.

Only to sound irritated.

Lane slowly locked the screen again before exhaling softly.

"It’s okay," she whispered quietly toward herself.

But somehow it didn’t feel okay at all.

When her name was finally called, Lane stood carefully and followed the nurse inside.

The appointment itself went smoothly.

The baby was healthy.

Growing perfectly.

And hearing the heartbeat again nearly made Lane emotional every single time.

Dr. Faith smiled warmly afterward while showing her the screen.

"The baby’s getting bigger now."

Lane smiled softly while staring at the blurry image.Beautiful.Perfect.Tiny little movements visible now.

Emotion filled her chest painfully fast.

"Can I..." Lane hesitated slightly. "Can I get ultrasound pictures?"

"Of course."

A few minutes later, Lane held several printed ultrasound images carefully between her fingers.

Her baby.

Their baby.

She stared at them quietly while warmth spread through her chest again.

Maybe Ethan would like them.

Maybe seeing the pictures would make the baby feel more real to him too.

That hope followed Lane all afternoon afterward.

She even stopped by several stores afterward to buy snacks and foods she had been craving lately.

Strawberries.Chocolate milk.Spicy chips.

Sweet pastries.

By the time she finally drove back toward Blackwood Estate, evening had already settled over the city.

Lane parked slowly near the entrance before pausing slightly.

Ethan’s car was already there.

He was home early.

Her heartbeat immediately quickened faintly.

This was her chance.

Maybe tonight...

Maybe he would finally look at the pictures properly.

Lane carefully grabbed the shopping bags and her purse before heading inside.

The mansion remained unusually quiet.

And when she entered the kitchen—

There he was.

Ethan stood near the counter reading something on his phone while drinking coffee.

Lane slowed immediately.

Nervousness wrapped tightly around her chest while her fingers unconsciously tightened around the ultrasound pictures safely tucked inside her purse.

She hesitated for several seconds before slowly walking closer.

"Ethan..."

Her voice came out softer than intended.

Ethan looked up briefly.

Expression unreadable.

Lane swallowed nervously while trying to step closer.

Then suddenly—

Her foot caught awkwardly against the edge of the rug.

Everything slipped from her hands instantly.

The shopping bags crashed loudly against the floor while snacks rolled everywhere across the tiles.

Bottles tipped over.

Fruit scattered.

And the ultrasound pictures slipped free too—

Sliding directly across the floor near Ethan’s feet.

Lane froze in horror and embarrassment.

Her heartbeat pounded painfully against her chest.

And before she could even react properly—

Ethan’s cold voice cut sharply through the silence.

"Stop being so clumsy and pick up your trash."

The words hit immediately.Hard.

Lane’s breath caught painfully in her throat.

Her eyes instantly darted toward the ultrasound pictures lying near his shoes.

Without thinking, she grabbed them first.

Carefully.Protectively.Like she feared they could somehow be hurt.

Tears burned fiercely behind her eyes now while her hands trembled slightly around the pictures.

Trash.

Was that what he thought of their baby too?

Lane bit down hard against the emotion threatening to break free before gathering the rest of the groceries silently.

But this time...

Something inside her hurt differently.

Because she could survive Ethan hating her.

She already had been.

But the thought of him hating the baby too shattered something unbearably deep inside her chest.

Lane slowly stood afterward clutching the ultrasound pictures tightly against her chest.

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she finally looked at him properly.

"You can hate me as much as you want," she whispered shakily.

Ethan’s expression shifted faintly.

"But don’t hate the baby."

Silence filled the kitchen instantly.

Lane’s breathing trembled now despite her efforts to stay composed.

"I didn’t choose this..." her voice cracked softly.

The words landed heavily between them.

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