Chapter 24 : Two Hearts, One Secret

The chill of the early morning seeped through the stone walls of the small, secluded clinic where Emily sat, her hands folded tightly on her lap. The scent of herbs and antiseptic mingled in the air.

Lady Callista stood beside her, arms crossed, face stoic yet gentle.

The healer; a middle-aged woman with wise eyes and a calm voice—had just finished the examination.

Emily's heart thundered so loudly she was sure it could be heard by everyone in the room.

"Miss," the healer said softly, "you're not carrying one child."

Emily blinked.

Callista's hand slid to Emily's shoulder.

"You're carrying two," the healer continued. "And they are… different. A boy and a girl."

The words fell over Emily like a tidal wave, overwhelming and surreal.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Tears sprung unbidden.

Two.

Two lives growing inside her.

Two futures.

Two—different—fates.

.....

A Long Silence

Emily's eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them back fiercely.

Two children.

She had never imagined such a thing.

A double miracle.

But also a double burden.

Her mind raced.

How could she manage this?

How could she protect two lives; especially when she couldn't even tell their father?

Adrian.

The man she had risked everything for.

The man who did not know her.

Who had no memory of their past.

Who had no inkling that she was even alive.

That she was carrying his children.

.....

Callista's Quiet Strength

Callista cleared her throat gently.

"I know this is a lot to take in," she said quietly. "But you are not alone."

Emily looked at her, searching.

"You've been so strong until now. But this…"

She let her voice trail off.

Callista nodded.

"I have been watching over you."

"Why?" Emily asked, voice hoarse.

"Because you're not just a student with a secret," Callista said. "You're carrying the hope of a future we didn't think possible. I won't let you face this alone."

Emily's breath trembled.

"But I'm a student. A scholarship student."

She swallowed hard. "I still have a year and a half before I graduate."

"And your studies matter," Callista said firmly. "But so do you."

Emily looked down.

"I can't tell Adrian. Not yet. I can't just walk into his life and say, 'I'm pregnant—with twins—and you don't remember me.'"

Callista's eyes softened.

"No," she agreed. "That would shatter you both."

.....

The Weight of Responsibility

She closed her eyes, resting her hand gently against her still-flat stomach. Her thoughts tangled into a storm of overwhelming truths.

Her studies weighed heavily on her; more than just lectures and grades, they represented the future she had carved out with her own hands. The scholarship wasn't simply financial support; it was her freedom, her hope, her pride. With more than a year and a half to go, every assignment and exam now felt like a mountain she had to climb with trembling feet.

And then there was her pregnancy; unplanned, unbelievable, unimaginable. Twins. A boy and a girl. The odds so rare that even the healer had stilled in quiet awe. And yet, they were growing inside her, as real as her heartbeat, as constant as her breath. Her body was no longer hers alone—it was a vessel, a battleground, a sanctuary.

She could feel them sometimes, not as kicks or fluttering limbs, but as a soft, sacred fullness. A presence. Like her heart had somehow expanded beyond what it was ever meant to hold.

And finally, there was Adrian's absence—the cruelest weight of all. Not the absence of distance, which she might have endured, but the absence of recognition. The absence of her.

He didn't remember her voice, or her laughter, or the way their fingers had once intertwined like promises. He didn't remember the whispered dreams, or the midnight touches, or the way he had looked at her like she was the only truth in a world full of lies.

Adrian is alive.

But she had been erased from his world.

Callista sat beside her, taking her hand in a rare gesture of warmth.

"You're not alone," she said. "You have me. And we will face this together."

Emily lifted her eyes, meeting Callista's steady gaze.

"But I need to prepare," Emily said slowly. "I have to tell my parents."

Callista nodded. "Yes."

....

A Plan Takes Shape

The next day, under the soft morning light, Callista and Emily sat in the garden of the manor, sheltered from the world's eyes by tall hedges and ancient oaks.

Emily's fingers toyed nervously with the hem of her cloak.

"I want to tell them," she said. "But I also want to be clear. I won't be able to come home for a long time."

Callista considered.

"Good," she said. "Because once your pregnancy shows, you won't want the gossip and judgment of the town following you around."

Emily bit her lip.

"I can't risk losing my scholarship."

"You won't," Callista said firmly. "You're smart and determined. You'll finish your studies."

Emily exhaled.

"Will you… will you let me stay here? At the manor? For the pregnancy?"

Callista smiled softly.

"I was waiting for you to ask."

Emily's eyes filled.

"Thank you."

Callista's expression grew serious.

"But first… you need to go to your family. Tell them the truth."

Emily shook her head.

"What if they reject me?"

"Then you know who you can count on," Callista said.

Emily's courage sparked.

She was terrified, yes.

But she had to try.

For her children.

For her future.

....

Preparations to Leave

That afternoon, Emily packed a small bag for her brief visit home.

Clothes.

Books.

A letter she would leave for Adrian, unread and unsigned.

Callista watched as Emily stood by the window, her gaze distant.

Emily's voice was quiet but steady.

"I'm going to tell them I can't visit for a while because of my studies. But I won't say why."

Callista nodded approvingly.

"You're protecting yourself."

Emily turned, tears pricking at her eyes.

"But when my belly grows, I won't be able to hide this anymore. That's when I'll stay here."

Callista crossed the room and hugged Emily fiercely.

"You're stronger than you know."

Emily hugged her back.

"Thank you for being my strength."

...…..

Evening Shadows

As night fell over the manor, Emily lay awake, staring at the ceiling.

Two lives stirring inside her.

Two tiny futures depending on her.

Her heart ached for Adrian.

For the life they once dreamed of.

But that life was gone.

She was a stranger in his world now.

And yet, somehow, she felt an ember of hope burning faintly within her chest.

Because she was not alone.

And maybe, just maybe,

Two hearts were beating together in the dark.

Waiting to be born.