Page 96 of The Fiancé Hoax

“He threatened to tell the judge we’re lying?” Cooper asked, his voice tight.

I nodded. “He didn't say those exact words, but that's what he meant.”

Cooper's free hand clenched into a fist. He gazed off into the distance, his eyes becoming hard.

“I know this is the last thing we need right now,” I said. “I tried to stop him, but he just stormed out.”

“Shit.”

Cooper lifted his arm, removing it from its place around my back. He stood up and helped me to my feet. “I have to go talk to him before he does something crazy.”

I nodded, wiping the tears off my face.

“Are you going to be okay here alone?” he asked. “I came over to help you with the furniture delivery.” He looked at the furniture the guys had unloaded. “I don’t want you moving all that by yourself.”

I gave him the best smile I could manage. “I'll be fine. I won’t be moving any of it today. It can wait.”

“Okay. I'll see you back at the house later.”

He turned and rushed out of the store, hopping in his car that was parked out front and speeding off.

What a mess. Now that my father knew everything, he was going to use it against me. I just hoped he had the decency to not tell Cooper about the pregnancy. I’d made it clear I wanted to tell Cooper myself.

But Dad had never been one for respecting boundaries.

My stomach growled, and I realized I’d skipped lunch. I dug in my bag, finding a protein bar, an apple, and a bag of dried fruit. I devoured it all, washing it down with some milk from the mini fridge. Then I washed my face in the bathroom.

I wanted nothing more than to crawl under the covers and hide from the world, but I didn't have that luxury at the moment.

I had a prenatal appointment to get to.

* * *

I sat on the exam table at the birth clinic. I had just gotten an ultrasound with the technician, and I was waiting for the obstetrician to talk to me.

It was amazing to hear the heartbeat and see the little blur on the screen. I was still early in the pregnancy—ten weeks—but it was thrilling to think I would be a mother in a few months.

But when I thought of how I had almost fainted, panic welled inside me. I had only discovered my pregnancy a few days ago, and already I was so attached to the life growing inside me.

The door swung open, and the obstetrician, a woman with beautiful silver hair and a warm smile, entered the room. She introduced herself as Dr. Temple, and I nervously shook her hand.

“Good news, Felicity,” she said. “Your ultrasound looks great.”

I closed my eyes and exhaled. “Thank God. I was so worried after what happened earlier this afternoon.”

She nodded. “I understand your concern, but it sounds like a case of dehydration and low blood sugar. How have your stress levels been?”

I fidgeted with the paper gown I was wearing. “Pretty bad. I'm going through some major changes with my small business. And, well, a lot of changes in my personal life, too.”

Dr. Temple gave me a sympathetic look. “That sounds like a lot to deal with. I encourage you to do what you can to manage your stress. Reach out to the people who care for you for support. Try to rest as much as you can. And you may find that frequent, small meals help maintain your energy levels.”

I bit my lip. Keeping stress levels down would be tricky. “I'll do my best.”

She patted my knee. “Good to hear. You’ll be fine, Felicity. The baby and all your vitals are perfectly normal.”

“The tech said it's too early to know the sex?”

“Right. But at your next ultrasound, we should be able to tell. By the way, this is for you.”