Worst Fear 171

Posted by Florence, ? Views, Released on October 21, 2025

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9:40 Tue, Oct 21

Chapter 171

Lydia

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My heels clicked loudly on the floor as I walked to the car, which was parked at a distance. Mia walked by my side. Once we got close, she stepped forward and opened the door for me to enter.

Gold breeze slapped my face as I entered the car. Once I settled into the warm car, I pulled my jacket, watching Mia walk around to sit beside me.

The driver ignited the engine and drove off. Mia scrolled down her screen, “How many hours do we have before the next agenda?” I asked as I looked out of the window. The sky was covered by dark clouds, which drifted lazily.

“The next agenda will start in twenty minutes, we have to be present before then.” She said just as the car stopped in front of a black Hyundai. I groaned as I lay my head on the headrest and closed my eyes.

“Can it be moved?” I asked, exhausted from the just-concluded meeting.

“No, the president of City C will stay in the hotel for a few days, and as a VVIP, it’s required that you accompany other politicians to welcome him,” She said.

“Is it today?” My eyes flung open. The arrival of the president of City C was no news to me, nor was the fact that he would be staying at my hotel.

“Yes,” came Mia’s swift reply.

I dipped my hand into my purse and grabbed my phone, staring at my reflection. I smoothened my hair and then turned my head to each side, studying my face to ensure I was looking my best. “If I had known, I’d have worn something else.” I returned my phone to my purse.

My eyes rested on a couple who had their hands interlocked as they walked by the side of the road. The car drove slowly past them once the red light turned green.

“You look good, nothing is wrong with your clothes,” Mia’s voice was soft but firm.

I turned to her, “You sure?”

“Of course.”

Once the car pulled up in front of the building, I stepped out and was presented with a bouquet. There were other men all suited present, soon, I learnt that they were the representatives of our president.

I exchanged greetings with the men who had arrived. Soon, a toll of black cars drove into the hotel and stopped in front of the building, lined up in perfection.

“He’s here,” Mia said, a hint of excitement hung in her voice. You couldn’t blame her, it wasn’t every day you got to see a president. Besides, he wasn’t just any president, but the youngest President in the world. And as he got out of the car and stood to his full height, it was clear that the picture on the internet didn’t do justice to his looks.

9:40 Tue, Oct 21

Chapter 171

I held the bouquet I was to present to him. My lips stretched into a smile. Mia nudged me by my side, “he’s so hot,” she whispered.

I stepped out, standing beside the representative who had been sent to welcome him, clutching the bouquet, “It’s an honor to have you at our hotel, your excellency,” I said once he shifted his gaze to me.

I handed him his bouquet, “The pleasure is mine, Miss Alissa.” He said in a deep voice, leaving me momentarily stunned at the fact that he just addressed me by my name.

Or, was it normal for a president to master the names of all hotel owners? If he saw the look of surprise on my face, he didn’t say; his eyes lingered briefly on me before he turned his attention to the man in a black suit in front of him.

After the pleasantries outside were done, we went to the VVIP session of the restaurant to have lunch.

There were five chairs around a tablet, but just four of us were present. “It seems Dee is running late,” the president said, “Well, he’s always late, we don’t need to wait for him.” I had to stop myself from asking who Dee was. I had forgotten about his arrival, so I had little knowledge of all that was supposed to be here.

Behind us, stood Mia and a man who had a tight expression spread across his face. I guess he was the President’s personal guard.

“Miss Alissa,” he called again as we started eating, “it’s an honor to finally meet you,” he said. I met his gaze briefly. The mischievous undertone his voice carried forced me to question if he had prior knowledge about

Definitely Julia’s and Victoria’s posts would not have gotten to City C, and even if they had, there was no way a president would have so much leisure to read all the gossip on the internet.

“I never realized I was popular,” I said out loud before I could stop myself. I raised my eyes to meet him. Amusement simmered in his gaze. He nodded, “I didn’t mean to, I’m-”

“You are popular.” He answered. My eyes widened briefly, especially as I saw the look on the other men’s faces. “You were on the news for a while.

“I didn’t think His Excellency had the time to go through anyone’s gossip, especially that of another country,” I said softly, mostly to myself.

“Not just anyone, you.” It was as though the other men were not present, and the commanding presence he gave remained; the air around him was lighter than before.

“Me?” I pointed to myself before taking a slow sip from my glass of juice. He nodded. Just then, the door pushed open and clicked shut. A familiar smell of cologne hit me. I didn’t need to turn, it was Mason.

I smiled as I watched him walk in, though I was surprised to see him here. His eyes met mine, and his hardened expression softened. I opened my mouth to speak, but a voice beat me to it, “You are late.” The president said, and I drew my brows together.

Mason drew the empty chair out. As he sat, he placed one hand on the back of my chair and slowly dropped it on my shoulders briefly. “I’m sorry, Your Excellency, I was caught up in traffic.” Mason apologized. Although he kept his voice respectful, the mock smile on his lips was proof that he wasn’t sorry at all.

Chapter 171

Did they know each other?

I wanted to ask them questions, but I could tell it wasn’t the right time. Not in the presence of the other men. After lunch, the men left, and the president was to retire to his suite, but he didn’t.

Instead, he sat back in his chair and crossed his hands, then he alternated his gaze between us. “You both even look better in person.” He commented, and I tilted my head to the side while raising a brow.

“I see you’ve already seen her. I wanted to do a proper introduction,” Mason said. He reached for my hand underneath the table and wrapped it around mine.

“You know him?” Mason nodded. It finally made sense, while he knew my name.

“Lydia, this is his excellency…”

“Skip the formality, I’m Tim,” he said in a more relaxed vibe, “she’s Lydia.”

“He’s my friend, I’ve known him long before he became president,” Mason explained. How come I’ve never seen him or heard him mention him? As if Mason saw my unasked question, he explained, “We were briefly separated.”

We spent the rest of the afternoon together. Mason and Tim had attended the same university and didn’t make contact; it turned out they had a fight, which they only had the chance to settle last year. He never told me why he called Mason Dee.

Mason entwined his hand with mine as we walked back to the car. “What are you doing later today?” He asked.

“My schedule is filled, still making up for the days I missed.” My shoulders slumped at the thought of more work.

He squeezed my hands lightly, and we stopped in front of my car. “Can I drive you back?” He asked.

“We have other places to be.”

“How about tomorrow?” He questioned.

“That will work.”

He dropped a kiss on my lips before he left. After he left, we went back to the office.

It was past 5 pm when I concluded the sixth meeting for the day with a pile of files to review and two more meetings.

Mia stood in front of me. She had just finished briefing me about the objective of the last meeting.

“An invitation has been sent over for the Arts and People awards. You are a special guest.”

“When will it be held?”

“Three days. Should I accept it?”

9:40 Tue, Oct 21

Chapter 171

I didn’t need to think too much of it before saying, “Yes.”

Just then, Mia’s phone rang, she took the call and placed the phone against her car. “Hello…” she drew her brows together as she listened, her face darkened slowly, and I straightened.

Once the call ended, I didn’t need to ask before she spoke. “Julia is at the gate, and she has refused to leave.” She paused and added, “She wants to see you.”

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Florence

Florence is a passionate reader who finds joy in long drives on rainy days. She’s also a fan of Italian makeup tutorials, blending beauty and elegance into her everyday life.

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Worst Fear

Score 9.9

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.