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Worst Fear 77

Worst Fear 77

Chapter 77 

Lydia 

Zoe is back; that was what I kept thinking about all these while staring at my screen

Why did she refuse to come back all this while? Why is she back now? What if Morn is right

Sigh

This was all too much to handle

I closed my laptop and stood

She is the cause of this all. I don’t blame her for being unable to tell the truth about what happened that day. If I got a chance to go back there and know all these would be repeated, I would choose to do the same

We had a good relationship and could almost pass for sisters

I sometimes miss her

When I gave birth, at the earliest stage of my twins in my life, I found myself dreaming of coming home to meet her and playing with my babies. But that was what it was then, dreams

Why are you back now?” 

I felt a small tug at my leg. Mom.It was Liam. I turned to him, Baby!I picked him up

You didn’t come down for dinner. Marcus said you have a lot of work to do,he looked over to my laptop, but you aren’t working right now?He stated

We walked to the bed and sat, I was till a moment ago.He touched my head

Melanie said you’re sick,” 

I’m fine now.He looks so worried. Sometimes he acts older than his age

He climbed onto my lap, the other day at the mall, we met with that guy. The one that looks like Melanie. He thinks he looks like Melanie, too.He said, resting his head on my chest. Ismoothened his hair

How did he see Melanie?I questioned

I introduced them.He stated

Oh no, he didn’t

Why?My voice is sharp and loud. He flinched and lifted his head from my blossom

I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have yelled at youI shouldn’t have done that, it wasn’t his fault he is just a boy. A litt 

who is amused 

at how much resemblance two strangers can bear. I pat his head

Do you know him?? He asked, staring at me suspiciously

Iscoffed, Why would 17 I still think you are mistaken.I placed his head back on my chest so he didn’t see my eyes. He can tell 

1/4 

Chapter 77 

when lie

I’m not.He said. Oh yes, you are

I’m not, mom

We bantered for a while before finally falling quiet. His head was still on my chest when he requested that I sing for him, and i did 

He fell asleep, and I laid him on my bed

Melanie slept with my mom that night, too

Mia entered my office with a smile plastered on her face. Guess who just contacted me.” 

I blinked, trying to understand what the excitement was for. There was no way all this was about business. Maybe she wanted to gossip. I don’t have enough time for that, but I could surely make some space for her.. 

You got contacted by the man you shagged that night after thinking it was just a onenight stand.That must be it

What?She raised a brow and then burst into laughter

Why would you even think that?She asked, unable to control her laughter

Because you’ve been talking about it, and I’ve caught you staring at your phone a few times, no doubt waiting and praying for a text or call.”” 

You are so wrong.She stated

I wasn’t waiting for his text. Why would I” 

Come on girl, you can be honest with yourself if you aren’t with me.She took the seat in front of me

Well, you are wrong.She then placed the iPad on the table before pushing it towards me with a finger

Mr Redmond has not seen anyone since he arrived. He only meets directly with those he wants to walk with.I knew that, and that was why we met with his assistant the other day

But guess who just got invited to meet with himshe pointed towards both of us

Us!It was followed by a squeal

I smiled. I knew we were going to get it

The meeting has been scheduled to be held in two days.” 

Did they decide the place?” 

Yes.” 

This was another milestone. When I get this contract, the first thing I plan to do is to make sure they never have to do business with the Woods ever again

2/4 

Chapter 77 

Mason was trying to open an airline; maybe that’s where I should begin. Make sure he never gets to do it. Or should I just allow him to open it and then take over it

Rays of sun fell on my face as I stepped out of the car. We were in front of the sevenstar restaurant. The same restaurant Marcus had opened and gifted to me

Let’s go in.” 

Mia walked by my side. She had suggested dropping off information to show that we’d been invited by Mr. Redmond, but I refused

It would be better to do that after we’ve concluded the contract

Lydia.A familiar voice called my name, making me stop in my tracks. I furrowed my brows; what is he doing here

I turned, and just as I suspected, Mason was standing in front of me with his assistant beside him

I looked past him, maybe he was here to have lunch with his fiance, but she was absent

He was here alone

Okay, technically, he’s not alone; with his P.A., that could only mean one thing

I shook my head, not ready to buy the idea that he was invited by Mr. Redmond, right

I didn’t think I’d be seeing you here?He walked closer

After I asked him to stop texting me and blocked him as I suspected, he had tried to do so with several other numbers. However, he wasn’t able to reach me because I changed my private number

It was one thing to make out with him and another to keep in touch with him

Are you here to have lunch?he questioned

No,he is now beside me, and together we walked to the entrance. I hated the attention we were receiving

I’m actually here for a meeting.I said

Me too.He just confirmed it

There’s no way we are meeting the same people, right

Nice.That was all I said, though a part of me wished to rub the fact that I was meeting Mr. Redmand in his face

We walked through the door together. A man wearing a black suit and tie stood a few steps away from the door, hands placed in front of him. He welcomed us in and led us inside

It came as a surprise when he kept taking us through the same hallway and took the same turns. We stepped into the elevator together

Mia stood close to me. I met her eyes, and she furrowed them

I know, I’m wondering, too. She has the same questions as I do shrugged my shoulders and looked ahead, trying to keep a reasonable distance from Mason. Hopefully, we’ll go differently when we step out

3/4 

Chapter 77 

There was a man outside the elevator, he had his back turned towards us. When he turned around, I recognized him as t Redmond’s PA

Welcome; I hope it wasn’t too hard to find your way.He spoke

No, it was” 

Not at all.” 

Mason and I spoke at the same time and then paused. We shared the same expression. Neither had expected to see the other here

Thirty minutes later, we are seated in front of Mr. Redmond

I didn’t expect Mason to be invited. Mr. Redmond said he liked both of our proposals. He wanted to speak to us together

whose proposal to go with

Thank you for meeting with us; we’ll narrow down the things you just said, compare and contrast the pros and cons, and get back to whoever gets the contract.” 

We shook hands and left. There were no emotions in business, so I tried to mask my disappointment all through the meeting 

I excused myself to use the restroom immediately after we stepped out. I’ll grab some takeout.We didn’t have lunch before coming. I nodded, and we walked in opposite directions

I stepped out of the restroom and inhaled sharply. I have to get this contract, but then, even if I don’t, there will be other opportunities

Lydia.I heard my name and turned; Mason leaned on the wall

He pushed himself off the wall, standing straight. Has he been waiting for me here

We need to talk.” 

15 

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Worst Fear

Worst Fear

Score 9.9
Status: Ongoing Type: Native Language: English
Worst Fear Synopsis : Worst Fear

Lydia’s world was already a crumbling ruin long before she collapsed on the cold, bleach-slick tiles of Westgate Prison. She had been serving her sentence with quiet endurance, forcing herself to survive each monotonous day. Cleaning floors, enduring the harsh routine, and trying to numb her thoughts had become her way of life. But as she gripped the mop handle, her body betrayed her — dizziness washed over her, and before she could steady herself, the world went black.

When she regained consciousness, Lydia found herself lying on a thin mattress in the prison hospital. The sterile smell of disinfectant filled her lungs, and her head ached violently. A familiar figure stood by her bedside — Nurse Gloria, a kind-hearted woman often whispered about by the inmates for her compassion. Lydia had never personally interacted with her before; she preferred keeping her distance from everyone. But this time, she had no choice.

Gloria spoke softly, her voice calm and motherly. “You fainted during your shift,” she explained. Lydia, groggy and disoriented, nodded faintly. Fainting wasn’t unusual for prisoners — malnutrition, exhaustion, and stress were daily realities in Westgate. But Gloria’s next words didn’t fit the routine explanation. She leaned in, her tone serious and almost secretive. “I ran some tests to see why you collapsed.”

Lydia’s brows furrowed. Tests? The nurse’s expression made her heart race. Something was wrong. And then Gloria said it — words that hit Lydia like a lightning strike.

“You’re three months pregnant.”

For a moment, Lydia’s world went silent. The walls, the lights, the nurse — everything faded into a blur of disbelief. Pregnant? That couldn’t be right. Her throat went dry as she tried to process the impossible. Three months. Her hands instinctively flew to her stomach, pressing against the rough fabric of her prison uniform. There was nothing — no bump, no sign of life — yet Gloria’s certainty left no room for denial.

Lydia’s first reaction was refusal. “No,” she whispered. Her voice trembled. “That can’t be right.” But Gloria simply nodded, her expression heavy with empathy. “It’s right, Lydia. I double-checked the results myself.”

The truth settled like a stone in Lydia’s gut. The symptoms she’d ignored — the morning dizziness, the fevers, the missed periods — suddenly made sense. Deep down, she knew this was no mistake. Panic clawed at her chest as she realized what this meant. Her past — the one she’d buried so carefully since the day she was arrested — came rushing back. The man she had loved, the night she had tried to forget, the betrayal that had shattered her life.

Tears burned in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall in front of Gloria. She couldn’t afford weakness here. Her voice was barely a whisper when she pleaded, “Please… you can’t tell anyone. No one can know about this.”

Gloria studied her for a long moment. Lydia could see the internal conflict behind the nurse’s eyes — between her duty to report and her compassion for the broken woman before her. Finally, Gloria sighed softly and nodded. “I won’t say a word,” she promised. Relief washed over Lydia like a wave, but it was fleeting. Gloria wasn’t finished. “But you have to promise me something too. You’ll come back for regular checkups. No skipping, no excuses. You and the baby need to be monitored. Do you understand?”

Lydia nodded mutely, emotion choking her voice. She didn’t trust herself to speak. The nurse gave her hand a gentle squeeze before stepping away to inform the guards that Lydia needed rest.

The walk back to her cell felt endless. Two guards flanked her on either side, but she barely noticed them. Her mind was spinning, replaying Gloria’s words over and over — three months pregnant. Each repetition felt like a hammer blow. She stumbled into her cell, collapsing onto the thin, creaky cot. The metal door slammed shut behind her, sealing her inside with the suffocating truth.

She stared at the ceiling for a long time before curling up on her side. Her trembling hands hovered over her stomach, fear twisting in her chest. She could barely keep herself alive in this place — how could she protect an unborn child? Westgate wasn’t meant for fragile things. It was a graveyard of hope, a place that crushed even the strongest spirits. What kind of life could she possibly give her baby behind these bars?

The tears she had fought earlier now spilled freely, sliding down her cheeks as silent sobs wracked her body. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, as if she could shield the tiny life inside her from the cruelty of the world beyond her cell walls.

For the first time in years, Lydia prayed. Not for freedom, not for revenge — just for strength. For the chance to protect this unexpected child growing inside her.

As she turned her hand, the faint glint of her wedding band caught her eye. The ring mocked her, its shine a cruel reminder of the life she had lost. Three months ago, everything had been perfect — or so she thought. Her marriage had felt like a fairy tale. Even though her in-laws despised her, she had still believed love could conquer everything. Her husband had been her safe haven, her anchor.

Until the night everything fell apart.

The memory was sharp and unforgiving — flashing lights, police sirens, his face twisted in disgust as she was dragged away in handcuffs. The betrayal in his eyes had hurt worse than the accusation itself. That image haunted her still, burned into her mind like a scar that would never fade.

Now, lying in that cold, dim cell, Lydia finally understood how deep her despair ran. The baby inside her was both a curse and a fragile glimmer of hope. A connection to the man she once loved — and the life she could never return to.

As exhaustion finally claimed her, her last thoughts were of him — the man she’d once trusted more than anyone. His expression, full of hatred and disbelief, was the last thing she saw before the darkness took her again.

And for the first time, Lydia realized she wasn’t just a prisoner anymore. She was a mother — trapped in a place where love and life were luxuries no one could afford. But no matter what, she silently vowed: she would find a way to protect her baby, even if it meant fighting the entire world from behind these bars.

 

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