Page 5 of Pregnant By the Bratva

I force a smile, giving him a slight nod. “You’re welcome, Professor,” I reply, keeping my tone light and Sophia’s polished mannerisms intact. The name still feels strange to my ears, but I’ve gotten used to it. For now, I am Sophia Preston, the dutiful daughter, the university student.

I turn and leave the hall, the door closing softly behind me. The fresh air outside is a relief after the stifling quiet of the exam room. I spot the car waiting for me just down the street, a sleek black sedan that blends in perfectly with the other high-end vehicles lining the curb. I make my way toward it, my steps quick and purposeful.

When I open the passenger door and slide in, the real Sophia Preston is behind the wheel, her blonde hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. She glances at me, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. “How was my exam?” she asks, a light chuckle in her voice.

“Piece of cake,” I reply, leaning back in the seat as I pull out the brown contacts that have been irritating my eyes for the past few hours. “These things are killing me.” I toss them into the small case I keep in my bag, rubbing my eyes as the world sharpens back to its normal colors.

Sophia laughs, shifting the car into drive. “You’re a lifesaver, you know that? If it weren’t for you, I’d be failing half my classes.”

“Yeah, well, I’d rather be hacking into databases than taking your psych exams,” I tease, though there’s a thread of truth in my words. Exams are easy—too easy, really—but they’re boring. There’s no challenge, no thrill in it for me. Sophia needs me, and I owe her father more than I can ever repay. So here I am, playing the role of the perfect daughter, just another part I have to perform.

We merge into traffic, the city buzzing around us. I notice the two black SUVs trailing behind us in the rearview mirror, their presence a constant reminder of the world we live in. Sophia catches my glance and sighs. “Yeah, the security’s a bit much, but it’s necessary right now.”

“Trouble with the Bratva?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

Sophia nods, her expression growing more serious. “Apparently, my father had a clash with the Sharovs. I don’t know the details, but it’s bad enough that he’s got extra men on us whenever we go out.”

I keep my expression neutral, but inside, there’s a twinge of guilt. I know exactly why things have escalated between the Prestons and the Sharovs. I was the one who hacked into the Bratva’s database, helping Kace steal a significant amount of money from their accounts. It was risky, but I pulled it off. Now the fallout is making its way back to Sophia and her family.

“I’m sure your father has everything under control,” I say, trying to sound reassuring. “He always does.”

Sophia gives me a sidelong glance, her lips twitching into a half smile. “Yeah, he does. Sometimes I wish things were different, you know? I didn’t sign up for this life.”

I nod, understanding more than she realizes. “None of us did.”

The silence stretches between us for a moment, comfortable but heavy with unspoken thoughts. We’ve had this conversation before, in different ways, different words. Sophia and I come from entirely different worlds, yet we’re bound together by the roles we play, the lies we live.

She was born into this life, a life of privilege and danger intertwined, while I stumbled into it, desperate and reckless.

As we drive, the city blurs past us, the tall buildings and crowded streets fading into the background. Sophia’s phone buzzes on the console, and she glances at it briefly before ignoring the call. Probably another security check-in or her father wanting an update. I can tell she’s exhausted by it all, theconstant pressure of being Kace Preston’s daughter wearing her down.

“Do you ever think about what life would be like if you weren’t… well, you?” Sophia asks suddenly, her voice soft, almost wistful.

“All the time,” I admit, my voice matching hers. “Then I remember that this is what I’m good at. Honestly, I don’t know if I’d want anything else.”

Sophia looks at me, really looks at me, and I wonder if she can see the truth in my words. If she realizes that for all the pretending, for all the lies, there’s a part of me that thrives in this world. It’s not the life I would have chosen, but it’s the one I’ve made work. That has to count for something.

We pull up to the Preston estate, the high walls and iron gates looming ahead. The security detail follows us in, their cars peeling off to different areas of the property. Sophia parks the car and turns to me, a small smile on her lips. “Thanks again, Sarah. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“You’d probably still pass your exams, just not with flying colors,” I joke, but there’s warmth in my tone. Despite everything, Sophia has become more than just a job. She’s a friend, someone who sees me beyond the role I play.

“Let’s hope we don’t have to find out,” Sophia says, her smile widening as she gathers her things. We both know that in this world, nothing is ever certain. The only thing we can count on is each other.

As we step out of the car, Sophia sighs, her usual lightheartedness tinged with something heavier. I can sense it before she even speaks—there’s something on her mind,something she’s been holding back. She glances at me as we walk toward the house, the grand estate looming over us like a fortress.

“Tomorrow’s my last exam,” she says, her tone casual, but I can tell there’s more to it. “After that… well, according to my father, I need to leave New York for a while. For my own safety.”

I pause, turning to face her fully. “Leave. Where are you going?”

“Vancouver,” she replies, her lips curving into a small, almost apologetic smile. “He thinks it’s best if I get out of the city until things cool down with the Bratva. It’s safer there, away from all this.”

I nod, understanding the logic even if I don’t fully agree with it. Kace Preston isn’t taking any chances, not with the way things are escalating. Keeping Sophia out of harm’s way is his top priority, and Vancouver is as good a place as any to lay low. But the thought of being separated from her, of not having her around, leaves an uneasy feeling in my gut.

Sophia, as if sensing my unease, reaches out and takes my hand, her smile turning playful. “Come with me, Sarah. It’ll be like a vacation. We can relax, have some fun, get away from all this chaos for a bit.”

I can’t help but grin at her suggestion. The idea of a break, of escaping the suffocating tension that’s been building around us, is more tempting than I’d like to admit. “A vacation, huh? Sounds like just what I need.”

Sophia laughs, a genuine sound that lightens the mood. “Exactly! We’ll get away from New York, from all the craziness. Just you and me, living it up in Vancouver. What do you say?”

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