She fought through the darkness and slowly came out confused surrounded by an unfamiliar man that was smiling at her and asking her questions in french. He helped her sit up and explained to her that she fainted. One question led to another, he observed her and began to check her. After a brief moment of poking and prodding he put his stethoscope away in his bag and sat at her bedside with a smile as he pat her hand.

"Docteur quel est le problème avec moi ?(Dr. What is wrong with me?)"

He chuckled.

"Ma belle fille, êtes-vous avec enfant(You my beautiful girl, you are with child!)"

Before she could comprehend what he was saying a wash of warmth flooded her cheeks as reality of his words set in.

She was pregnant.

Instinctively, she placed her hand over her stomach and lowered her head. Her vision began to blur with unshed tears. She was carrying Adrians child.

She let out a shakey breath as the Doctor stood and continued to talk about her health and regimen she needed to follow to bring the baby to term. He bid his goodbye with instructions to see him in 2 weeks and exited the room.

In that instant she heard her Uncle and Reynaud speaking to him. All numbness cloaked her the moment he congratulated Reynaud. She sat mute and rivited to the spot at what was happening.

As the Dr.left and her uncle followed, Reynaud entered the room and slowly closed the door. Her heart heavily beat in her chest. Sharp unbearable thumps after the other followed as he came closer and stood at the foot of the bed.

He held her gaze and was silent for a moment. A chill swept across Evangeline. The hair rose at the back of her neck and her fingers gripped hard at her stomach as his gaze lazily lingered their with a wicked smile.

"Isn't it odd how changes in certain events bring on entertaining circumstances?" he questioned.

Her brows furrowed.
"What do you mean?" her voice quivered.

He chuckled. " I must admit, I honestly did not know how long I could hold you up to your bargain with the threat of killing your dear cousin if you did not comply."
He said.

"I really wanted to see St.James suffer in the process for sticking his nose were it did not belong. But....the tables have changed to my advantage. Your circumstance seems quite just to me. I just realize the most entertaining and just situation of all of this......St. James's child could be mine."

He smiled at her as though he was talking of a regular everyday occurrence.

He sighed and sat at the foot of the bed.
"Imagine his child brought up by me. I could turn it into anything I' de liked, good or bad."

Evangeline shook her head and looked into his eyes.
"This child is mine."

"And mine too, now that we are here. You have put yourself in my hands, Evangeline, and the child also."

Blood drained from Eva's face as she shook her head.

"You will not harm my child. I will not let you," she whispered, not looking at him but staring at her fingers clasped at her abdomen.

Her gaze returned to him as he let out a benevolent laugh.

"Harm your child!, what do you take me for?" he slowly edged closer to her until they were inches from eachother.

She swallowed heavily at the lump forming in her throat as he leaned closer to her. She watched as his pupils dialated and his grin filled with malice.

"See now that the house of cards have fallen on my deck I plan to use every last one to my advantage. The simple idea that you are here with me and a child is in the mix, will make St. James angry. He will think it is mine." he leaned forward as their noses touched.  He slowly traced his finger along her jaw line before she could pull away he held her in place and rubbed his lips along hers.

" I want to parade you around as mine just to see him squirm." he whispered before covering her lips with his.

It was brutal and demanding. He cupped the back of her head and held her in place as her fingers curled into his lapels and forcefully pushed him away but he did not budge. She whimpered in protest and a soft sob escaped her lips as the kiss deepend and he pushed her deeper into her pillows. She fought roughly against his hold but he sucked, nipped and bit at her lips.

Their silent fight continued until he felt the metallic taste of blood mixed with tears and he harshly pulled away. His hungry gaze fell on hers and peared into red rimmed eyes then she recoiled in disgust wiping at her swollen lips.

Shaken with anger before she could stop herself she slapped him.
Her tears fell heavily as he lunged for her and tangled his fingers in a vice grip in her hair pulling her close until his nose touched hers.

"I will let this one offense pass because of your condition, but do not think for once it will ever happen again," he pressed his lips hard against hers again bruising them.

And like that he let her go giving her one last furious glance before storming off. She watched with a hateful glare as he walked out the room closing the door behind him. She did not realize at that moment how her fingers squeezed tight in fists held the comforter.

She felt hopeless and angry that she wanted to scream. She shut her eyes forcing herself to hold in the tears that threatened to spill.

She was going to have a child for Adrian. One which Reynaud will use at his advantage and she could not let that happen. But she brought all of this on herself. A self-mocking smile stirred her lips. She flinched from the pain of it.

She had made a dreadful, reckless, decision. And possibly she and her child would pay the price.

********

~Four months later~

Evangeline was sitting on the cushioned windowsill, looking out at the rain which fell in sheets across the expanse of it estates lush grounds. She absently rubbed at the swell of her abdomen as it was more aparent and growing each day.

With her small frame at 5 months she was showing already.

Her mind wandered with all that has transpired since she arrived. Her uncles hearfelt confession of his fears that his daughter had disappeared trying to find her in London. It pulled at her heart how his suffering laid in her grasps. How she ached to scream out Reynauds threats. But she feared for their safety.

She slowly began to spend her days like this curled up by the window. Others she walked the garden in her uncles company while he spoke of the family and her ancestry. Other days she reluctantly abhorred the presence of Reynaud and his false affections before her uncle.

Ever so often he would bring a letter from her cousin staing her well being. Silently she was glad he did not understand or read french and she made it clear to her cousin that all was well to do as he said and no harm will come to them. But she swore if its her last breath she took she would find a way out of this.

She raised her fingers to lightly place them on the glass as droplets of water slid down the crystal surface. She closed her eyes and began to pray for some sort of deliverance from this nightmare she found herself in.

How she missed Adrian. She sighed.

"Again, we're locked up in this room moping" Reynaud spoke leaning up against the doorjam.

She stiffened.

Slowly she turned to look at him. How she despised him and she readily showed in her glare.

He slowly walked towards her. By now he had accepted her hostility and toyed with her anger at times only to remind her that it will harm her child. Their child. He would enphasize.

Before all they were the exemplar couple. Behind closed doors she was defiant and cold towards him. Many a nights he tried in vain to subdue her in her bed only to loose by being kicked off the bed and her threatening to crack his skull with a lamp.

She had become a spitfire that boiled his blood overnight all in the name of protecting her child.

When he came close she cooly turned to face him. Her expression emotionless and hard. When he stood before her their gazes steadily watched one another.

"What do you want?" she asked.

He watched her intently as she turned to face him. Her boldness evident and it bothered him. He took in the view of her she had grown more gorgeous and glowing with the small bump on her belly. How she changed and how this pregnancy of hers emboldened her to the point that her fierceness only made her more beautiful more desireable.

With hands in his pocket he stepped closer and observed her.

"We have one more week to celebrate your 18th and you get your title," he said slowly raising his hand to tip her chin up to look at her face.

She silently watched him. Her eyes began to smoulder with his touch.

"I wanted to know what you want." he said.

She scoffed at his cynisism.

"From you nothing," she spat.

With that she stood facing him. But before she could walk away he gripped her arm tightly and pulled her close. His lips pressed tightly to her cheek before he whispered heatedly in her ear.

"You have four more months to hide behind this belly. After that, your recalcitrant ways will be no more. Be advised that I will have you even if I have to keep you tied to my bed and do you into submission I will." he threatened.

She struggled in his hold trembling with anger.

He chuckled and pulled her close.

"Why fight the inevitable? Sooner or later you will give in," he pulled her struggling closer until his lips pressed hard on to hers.

Before she could pull away the soft chuckle of her uncle came from behind him making him stiffen. And she noticed.

Before she could pull away, she pressed her lips to his ear as well.

"No....because the day that happens....be sure that a blade from a dagger either meets your throat in the process...or mine," she whispered than leaned back with an unflinching gaze that met his own.

With a loving smile towards her uncle she ignored him and left him standing there. The slight tingle of something bad was to come sent a shiver up his spine. With that he decided to put things into motion to gain her inheritance more sooner than he planned.

He needed to act fast. Very fast.

********

Hello My lovely readers
Happy New Years
to all of you....
Forgive me for this short chapter I was so anxious to get this one out of the way.
Well there are a couple more chapters to go guys I am super excited and looking to end this book with a bang.

A little heads up for all my new followers....first off thank you all for the follow and likes unfortunately I cant add you because I exceeded the limit Wattpad allows....but....I will make it my best effort to place you all in my shoutout list at the end of my next chapter.
With that said...Thank you all so much for the follows, like and comments.

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