The moment the convoy pulls into the supermarket parking lot, I spot Ivy immediately.

She’s standing near the entrance in oversized jeans and a pink hoodie, scrolling through her phone dramatically like she hasn’t been blowing up my messages for the past twenty minutes.

The second she sees my car, her entire face lights up.

"Oh my God!"

Before the driver even fully opens my door, Ivy is already hurrying toward Mr and she practically squeaks when I step out.

"Look at you!" she says excitedly, grabbing both my hands. "Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve seen you outside that giant prison mansion?"

Despite my nerves, I huff out a weak laugh.

"You saw me literally last week."

"That doesn’t count. You were emotionally unstable and crying."

"Fair."

She keeps rambling anyway.

"And your security is terrifying by the way. One of them looked at me like he was deciding whether to shoot me."

I glance toward the line of black SUVs surrounding the parking lot.

Honestly...Fair again.

"Ivy," I interrupt weakly. "You know I love you, but now isn’t really the time."

Her expression immediately softens.

"Right," she says quickly. "Sorry."

The anxiety comes rushing back full force immediately afterward. My stomach twists painfully while we start toward the supermarket entrance together.

Thomas steps out behind us automatically.

I stop walking and he stops too.

"I’ll come inside," he says firmly.

I shake my head instantly.

"No."

His brows pull together.

"Ma’am...."

"It’s a girl thing Thomas."

That earns the tiniest flicker of discomfort across his face and I continue quickly before he can argue.

"Trust me, you’ll be bored to death."

Thomas still looks unconvinced. His gaze shifts briefly around the parking lot before settling back on me.

"I was instructed not to leave your side."

"And technically you won’t be." I gesture toward the entrance. "You’ll literally be right outside."

He opens his mouth again but I immediately point at him.

"Thomas."

That makes Ivy snort beside me.

Thomas exhales slowly like we’re both personally stressing him out. Then he finally nods once.

"Ten minutes."

"Sure."

"That was not convincing."

I wave him off anyway before quickly pulling Ivy into the store. The second the automatic doors slide open, cold air hits my face along with the overwhelming smell of baked bread and cleaning products.

Instant regret.

My stomach rolls violently.

"Oh no," I whisper.

Ivy grabs my arm immediately.

"You okay?"

"Why does everything smell so loud?"

"That sentence alone is concerning."

I groan softly while dragging her quickly toward the pharmacy section.

My heartbeat gets worse the closer we get.

This feels unreal, Leike this is happening to somebody else, not me. Definitely not me. And I’m just watching frm the side lines.

I stop abruptly in front of the shelf lined with pregnancy tests.

There are way too many options, different brands and sizes.

Different words screaming PREGNANT in giant bold letters.

I suddenly feel dizzy again.

"Oh my God."

Ivy gently grabs a box before I can spiral further.

"Breathe sis."

"I am breathing."

"You look seconds away from fainting."

"I genuinely might."

We head quickly toward checkout afterward, and I avoid eye contact with the cashier so aggressively it’s honestly embarrassing.

Five minutes later, Ivy is dragging me toward the restroom near the back of the store while I clutch the small pharmacy bag like it personally offended me.

The bathroom is thankfully empty so I lock myself into one of the stalls while Ivy waits outside.

"You’re taking forever," she complains lightly after a minute.

"I’m panicking!"

"That’s obvious."

I glare weakly at the door before focusing on the instructions again with trembling hands. I do as instructed and pee on the stick my pulse pounds loudly in my ears the entire time.

Then finally... i place the test carefully on the closed toilet lid and stare at it hard, like maybe intimidation will somehow change the result.

Outside the stall, Ivy speaks softly now.

"You okay?"

"No."

Silence stretches.

I sit there frozen, hands clasped tightly together while trying desperately not to completely lose my mind.

Please don’t let me be pregnant. Please. Please. Please.

Every second waiting feels unbearable. My leg bounces nervously while my thoughts spiral faster and faster.

What if I am? What if Zane doesn’t want this?

What if I’m not ready? What if nothing between us survives this?

My chest tightens painfully and I squeeze my eyes shut briefly.

Then slowly...Very slowly...I look down at the test.

Two lines, two very pink, very obvious and Very life-ruining lines.

I stare at the stick for a full second without breathing.

Then another then suddenly...

"Oh my God!"

My scream practically echoes through the bathroom.

Outside the stall, Ivy yelps.

"What happened?!"

The door rattles immediately as she tries to shove it open.

"Elaine?!"

I unlock it so fast my fingers almost fumble.

The second the door swings open, I shove the pregnancy test toward her with trembling hands.

"LOOK!

Ivy’s eyes widen immediately.

"Oh shit."

"OH SHIT?!" I whisper-scream. "What do you mean oh shit?!"

My heart is beating so hard now I genuinely think I might pass out.

Ivy quickly grabs my shoulders.

"Okay. Okay. Calm down.

"I am literally incapable of calming down right now!"

"Breathe first."

"I DON’T WANT TO BREATHE!"

A woman entering the bathroom gives us a deeply alarmed look before quickly deciding to use another stall farther away.

I start pacing instantly.

"No no no no no."

"El...."

"There are two lines!" I whisper harshly, waving the stick around like it insulted me personally. "Why are there TWO? Two means pregnant right?."

Ivy carefully takes it from my hand before I accidentally throw it across the room.

"Okay first of all," she says gently, "these things are not always fully accurate."

Hope slams into me so fast I almost grab her face.

"They’re not?"

"Not always."

"Oh thank God."

"So don’t panic yet."

I immediately cling to that sentence with my entire soul.