Emily Turner had always lived quietly. At 24, she was hardworking, cautious, and the kind of woman who planned every detail of her life.
Except for one night.
One careless, impulsive night with Ryan Carter — the handsome, wealthy, charming heir to the Carter Group. A man so far outside her world that she still couldn’t believe he’d even looked at her.
She told herself it meant nothing.
He certainly acted like it meant nothing.
He disappeared the next morning without a goodbye, and Emily tried to bury the memory.
But two weeks later, she woke up with a stabbing pain in her lower abdomen — so sharp it took her breath away. At first she tried to brush it off, thinking it was cramps, stress, anything but something serious.
But by afternoon, the pain became unbearable.
Her roommate rushed her to the hospital.
Emily could barely breathe as the nurse helped her onto the exam bed, placing cool gel on her stomach.
“Don’t worry,” the nurse said gently. “We’ll figure out what’s going on.”
Emily nodded, but her hands trembled uncontrollably.
The screen flickered.
The doctor’s brow furrowed.
Silence filled the room like a weight.
“Is… is something wrong?” Emily whispered.
The doctor sighed. “Emily… this is unexpected. You’re… pregnant.”
Emily felt her heart crash into her stomach. “Pregnant? No. That’s impossible. I— I only— it was just once…”
The room spun. Her breath caught. She felt like the ground had dropped out from under her.
But the doctor wasn’t finished.
“That’s not all,” he added quietly.
“There’s something else you need to know.”
Emily’s blood ran cold.
The doctor pointed to the screen. “You’re not carrying one child. You’re carrying two. Twins.”
Emily’s vision blurred. She grabbed the edge of the bed just to stay upright.
Twins.
Children she wasn’t ready for.
With a man who didn’t even remember her name.
But the worst part — the part that shattered her completely — came next.
The doctor hesitated, then spoke carefully:
“Emily… the scan also shows evidence of a rare condition. Your body may not be able to carry the pregnancy safely. There’s a very high risk of complications — for you, and for the babies. We’ll need to run more tests, but…”
Her throat tightened. “But what?”
His eyes softened with pity.
“You could lose them — and possibly your own health — if this continues untreated.”
Emily broke.
She wasn’t ready to be a mother.
She wasn’t ready to face Ryan again.
She wasn’t ready to tell anyone.
But now she was staring at the impossible:
Two lives depending on her…
and a medical condition that could cost her everything.
She curled into herself and sobbed, the reality hitting her with unbearable force.
Her one reckless decision — one night she thought she could forget — had turned into the moment that would change the entire course of her life.
And the man responsible had no idea.