Worst Fear 146

Posted by Sara Lili, ? Views, Released on September 15, 2025

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Chapter 146

Mason

A wave of anger surged through me. Everyone’s eyes fell on me. “Now what did she plan?” I asked under my breath. This was supposed to be a peaceful night with Lydia. I should have known from when Mom walked in with Julia that there was going to be nothing peaceful about it.

“You should go,” Lydia said beside me. “But I can’t allow her to offer that necklace as a donation, it’s yours,” I

said

“Doesn’t matter. For now, you should be up there like she requested.” I inhaled a scent of breath and stood pushing the chair backwards. My jaw ticked as I walked, trying to keep my anger hidden as I got closer to

mom.

Mom kept a smile on, her eyes twinkling with excitement. “Here’s Mason, my son.” She said when I stood beside her on the podium, her voice thick with pride. She spread her hand apart, inviting me for a hug. I grind my teeth together as she crashed into

my chest.

The hug lasted for a few seconds before I pulled away. She hasn’t earned my forgiveness yet, and unlike her, I can’t go on pretending we were cool even in public.

“Everyone’s interested in the special meaning behind the necklace, do you mind sharing?” She asked,

stretching over the microphone. “Do you really want me to talk about Lydia?” I asked in a low voice. She knew who the necklace belonged to.

“I don’t mind, she is in the past.” She said with certainty, “Here, take the microphone.” I took the microphone and turned to the crowd, who cheered.

“Who did you give the necklace to, and what motivated you to give it for donation?” The auctioneer asked. I had almost forgotten he was here. The crowd was silent, everyone anticipated my reply.

My eyes skimmed through the crowd and settled on Lydia. “It was a gift to the woman I love,” I stated, my voice soft.

“The woman must be so lucky.” The auctioneer said. I ignored his remark and continued, “She is the only woman I have ever loved, hence, this necklace means a lot to her, to us.” My breath caught in my throat as a wave of nostalgia hit me.

I could vividly remember giving this necklace to Lydia and the smile that brightened her face that night.

“Then, why are you giving it off for donation?” The auctioneer asked.

I scrunched up my face and then raised a brow, “When did I do that? I don’t know what this is all about, but I never gave this necklace up for sale or donation. I never agreed to it.” My voice was loud and clear. Mom tensed beside me, her eyes widening in shock.

“Mason, what are you saying?” She asked in a stiff voice. The auctioneer squinted, then looked between me and Mom. He let out a shaky laugh, trying to dispel the thick air that surrounded us. “I think Mr. Woods is

mistaken.” He said.

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Chapter 146

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I faced him, “No, I am not.” I enunciated each word and then turned to face the crowd, outrightly ignoring Mom’s signal to stop. She invited me up here, which I’m quite sure she must be regretting already.

“I didn’t know about the donation till right this moment, and I don’t give approval.” A flurry of whispers swept through the hall, as the audience expressed their surprise but thrill at the unfolding event.

“What do you mean, Mr Woods?” The auctioneer asked.

“It means this necklace won’t be up for auction,” I said, moving my gaze to Mom. She shifted from one foot to another, “If you want to make a donation, I have nothing against that, but use your necklace.” She squirmed under my harsh gaze, her cheeks turning into a dark shade of pink.

“Mason, why are you-” she began, but was cut short by the auctioneer. “Mr. Woods, is there any way you’d be able to give your consent, as you can see, the auction for the necklace is about to begin, it’s too late to stop it.” He seemed fixed on auctioning the necklace.

I was silent for a while. It wasn’t my decision to make. Before our marriage, it was my duty to provide the gift, and after our divorce, it was my duty to keep all her things safe. It is then left for Lydia to decide if she would accept the gift or reject it.

“There is.” The auctioneer’s face softened, “If the rightful owner of the necklace agrees to it, then I’ll give my consent.” The auctioneer stepped forward, his face rigid. “That’s not possible, it will be hard to get her consent right now.”

Although mom didn’t expressly say Lydia was my past, she had implied it from the way she phrased her sentence, calling Lydia my then–love. Naturally, everyone would think Lydia wasn’t part of my life anymore.

“Why?” I asked, and he pressed his lips into a thin line. “If you are worried about how to contact her, it won’t be an issue.”

“That’s part of the issue, but we don’t even know who this woman is.” He scratched his neck. One side of my lips pulled to the side.

“The woman is my ex–wife. Lydia.” There was a gasp in the hall. Everyone knew we were divorced, although no one knew the details. The reason for our divorce had been kept tightly under wraps. Save for those close to us, only a handful of people knew, and they hadn’t said a word about it.

“Oh… I… I did…n’t know,” he stuttered. Then paused, I could tell he was putting everything together, “This will make it more difficult.” He said, but his eyes held other questions, the same question I knew would be brewing in everyone’s mind. ‘Why would I keep a necklace of my ex–wife?‘

“It won’t. In fact, she is right here in this hall.” Mom’s eyes widened; she obviously didn’t expect me to introduce Lydia as my ex–wife in public. She shook her head, mouthing, “Don’t, don’t, don’t.” But it was too late, it had been decided already.

I looked over to Lydia. I didn’t talk this through with her; if she doesn’t want me to do this, then I won’t. Much to my delight, she had a small smile playing on her lips, proof that she didn’t mind. It was high time the public knew.

I extended one hand towards her direction, pointing at her, ignoring the mummering in the hall. The auctioneer traced my hand, and his jaw dropped. “Miss Alyssa Brooks, also known as Lydia.” There, I said it, what I wanted to say for a long time. It felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest, replaced with something

11:53 Mon, Sep 15

Chapter 146

lighter because at that moment, a cocktail of emotions rushed through me.

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“You mean her?” The auctioneer asked in disbelief. I nodded. The woman everyone admired and held in high esteem was my partner. “She is my ex–wife and my date for tonight.”

The mummering increased. I didn’t care; they were welcome to share their thoughts and create their theories. But we had to get back to the matter at hand. I was beginning to get tired. This night was supposed to be drama–free.

“If she agrees to the donation, then I’ll give my consent too, but if she doesn’t, then I’m sorry, no donations will be happening,” I repeated, dragging the last part for emphasis. Lydia made the call, not me. I left the ball in her court.

She became the center of attention immediately.

“Will miss Alyssa Brooks, please step on the podium,” The auctioneer said. Mom had her palm fist, behind her sharp look was a look of helplessness. I bet when she planned this out, she never thought it would go this way.

Lydia was soon on the podium, standing by my side. She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Miss Brooks, what do you say? Will you give up your necklace for donation to children in need just as Mrs Woods over here wishes?” The auctioneer asked.

Lydia smiled. I wrapped my hand around hers, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” I told her.

She let out a breath and straightened, “No. I won’t be giving out my necklace for donation.” She stated firmly. The hall erupted, Mom smiled, and Lydia’s statement got her on the wrong side of the audience.

Lydia didn’t

go further to explain, she stood still until they quieted down, “instead, I’ll be making a donation myself. This necklace means a lot, it’s a symbol of love.”

This seemed to pacify the people. The thing about humans is that they are never fully on one side. They can be easily swayed. The same people who expressed their dissatisfaction over her earlier statement jammed their hands together for her.

After the applause died, Lydia turned to mom, “I know you don’t approve of me, but using my necklace as a donation without my knowledge or approval doesn’t sit well with me and has forced me to question your motive. Why would you do that?”

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Sara Lili

Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.

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Worst Fear

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Status: Ongoing Type: Alpha 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.