Page 141 of Ruthless God

“You didn’t come here because you’re worried about me or even because of what I’ve been up to. You came here because you’re worried about yourself.”

She smiles. “Of course I’m worried about myself, but that’s not why I’m here.” She leans forward. “Does Claudius know?”

“Know what?”

Turning, I find Claudius in the doorway. I’m not sure how long he’s been standing there. How much he’s heard…

Beatrice doesn’t react to his presence. She doesn’t stiffen. Doesn’t flinch. She just smiles. Like she knew this was going to happen. Like she was counting on it.

“Know what?” Claudius repeats, his voice low, controlled.

My stomach twists. I haven’t told him. I was going to. Eventually. But now? Now, Beatrice is dangling the truth between us, waiting for it to snap.

I turn back to her, my pulse hammering.

“You need to leave.”

She tsks, shaking her head. “Oh, Cecely. You’re still so naïve. You can’t hide something like this forever.” Her gaze flicks to my stomach and then to Claudius. “Especially not from him.”

Claudius steps forward, his eyes narrowing.

“What the hell is she talking about?”

Beatrice just smiles again, leaning back in her chair like she didn’t just light a match and toss it.

I force myself to breathe. To think. To decide what to say before this spirals out of control. Because this isn’t how he was supposed to find out. But I know one thing for sure. I won’t let her be the one to tell him.

I turn to Claudius, meeting his gaze head-on.

And before she can open her mouth again, I say it.

“I’m pregnant.”

The words hang in the air between us, and I see the moment Claudius registers them. The subtle shift in his expression. It’s not shock, not anger, not even disbelief. Just stillness.

His eyes lock onto mine, unreadable. He doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak. Doesn’t react at all. And that? That’s worse than if he had yelled, laughed, or walked out.

I feel my pulse pound in my ears and I force myself not to fidget. Not to fill the silence. Not to panic. But my stomach twists, tightens, and knots because I don’t know what he’s thinking. And I haven’t even told him the worst part. That it’s Gabriel’s baby.

The seconds stretch until Beatrice’s smug, satisfied voice cuts through the quiet. “See? Like mother, like daughter.”

I whip my head toward her, rage flaring hot. “Get. Out.”

Her lips curl. “Of course. My work here is done.” She rises, adjusting her dress and turns to Blanc. “Let’s go, darling. There’s so much we need to catch up on.”

I don’t turn to watch them leave. Because Claudius is still standing there. Still silent. Still not reacting.

When it’s just the two of us, I tell him the next part.

“It’s not yours. It’s Gabriel’s.”

His entire body locks up like I just punched him.

I swallow, my throat aching. “It happened… that night. Five months ago.”

Still, he says nothing.

I force the words out, needing to fill the silence.

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