Chapter 1

After an intense night, Sophia Lane suddenly realized that Caleb Lancaster hadn't used protection. Panic surged through her. "Wait... when did you take it off? Where am I going to get the pill this late at night? What if... What if I get pregnant?" Caleb, however, only chuckled, his grip around her waist tightening. "What's there to be afraid of? We'll just have the baby if that happens." She was at a loss for words. Before she could react, his slender fingers had already made their way to her lower abdomen. "But Sophia, your belly is so small." He smirked mischievously. "All I have to do is to put it in once, and it'll swell up. Do you think such a tiny belly can bear a child for me?" His dirty talk made her face turn crimson. She turned away, unwilling to meet his gaze. Caleb let out a soft laugh. "Oh, Sophia, I told you before—I love seeing you blush, especially when I'm the reason." He leaned in, his warm breath brushing against her ear. "I'm not done yet. Come on, let's have another go at it..." That one night, he took her three more times. It was almost dawn when Sophia finally slipped back to her dorm. Just as she walked in, her phone rang, catching her off guard. It was Caleb. "Hello?" she answered, only to hear chaos from the other end. Caleb must have butt-dialed her. She was about to hang up when she unexpectedly heard laughter from his close friends. "The deadline for the guaranteed grad school spot is coming up soon, Cal. Are you sure you can knock Sophia up before then?" Sophia's body stiffened instantly. Then, she heard Caleb's unhurried voice. He drawled, "What's the rush? There's still plenty of time." More laughter erupted on the other end of the line. "Caleb is such a romantic! Even after Christine dumped him, he still holds her in his heart. He's so worried Sophia Lane would take her graduate spot that he's sacrificing himself!" Caleb's tone plunged in temperature. "Who said Christine dumped me? We only separated because she didn't want distractions before grad school applications." His buddies all chimed in with laughter. "Right, right. We're talking about the great Caleb after all! Who cares if Christine Sawyer is the campus belle? She couldn't possibly forget Cal!" "No doubt! Even a goody-two-shoes like Sophia Lane didn't escape his charms. She even sneaks out every night to hook up with him on the field!" "But Cal, let's not stray from the topic. Sophia Lane is a rare gem—she's innocent yet seductive. She's nothing less than Christine! After all these nights, are you sure you haven't caught feelings for her?" One of them spat, "What are you talking about? Everyone knows Cal only has eyes for Christine. He only went after Sophia and got in bed with her for Christine's sake!" "Exactly! Christine is dead set on grad school, but there's only one spot guaranteed for those in finance. Cal was worried that Sophia, the top student, would take it from Christine, and thus approached her!" "If Cal puts a baby in Sophia and gets her to give up graduate school before the selection is finalized... That spot will automatically go to Christine. Isn't that right, Cal?" A brief silence settled before Caleb's cold voice came through the phone's speaker. "That's right. That's exactly my plan." Hearing every word they shared, Sophia felt all the blood drain from her face. She had been obedient since childhood, dedicating her whole life to her studies. Because of that, she never had a boyfriend until her junior year. It was a year ago when Caleb Lancaster, a sophomore in computer science, barged into her life. With little regard for the consequences of his actions, Caleb had spelled out her name with candles on the field. When the warden arrived to chase him off, he ran like the wind, yelling in the direction of the girls' dormitory, "Sophia Lane, I'll make you my girlfriend! You mustn't forget me—I'm Caleb Lancaster, sophomore in computer science!" Sophia wasn't new to being pursued, thanks to her beauty. But no man had ever courted her in such an unconventional way. Little by little, she was drawn in. With Caleb's dedication and commitment, she ultimately agreed to date him. Six months into their relationship and after endless coaxing, she gave herself to him completely. She could still remember their first time, how he skillfully stole her breath as he slipped his hand under her skirt. She was a bundle of nerves and couldn't stop trembling, but he had only chuckled against her ear, nibbling. "You're so cute when you're shy, Sophia. You're so pure... Can you promise to keep this look solely for my eyes from now on?" Then and there, Sophia thought she had met her destined one. She was ready to give everything up for him. But now that the truth had come to light, she finally understood. It had all been a lie. Caleb had only been using her for his ex-girlfriend, Christine Sawyer, the girl who also majored in finance but always ranked just below her—all of this, just for the sake of a grad school spot. What a joke. Her first time… Her reputation… Her sincerity… All her efforts meant less to him than the guaranteed grad school spot. Sophia lowered her head, and tears began to fall. … That night, she didn't sleep a wink. Thinking back to their rough activity, Sophia made up her mind. She took a cab out of campus in the middle of the night to buy emergency contraception. Then, she sat outside the convenience store, waiting for sunrise. As dawn broke, she dialed her mother's number. "Mom, I've thought about it. I've decided to go abroad for graduate studies." Unbeknownst to Caleb, Sophia had never been interested in the guaranteed spot. She boasted excellent grades and had authored multiple papers alongside professors during her undergraduate years. Prestigious universities overseas had sent her admission letters long ago. All along, her plan was to further her studies abroad. It wasn't until she met Caleb that she debated staying in the country for him. But now... Pauline Hinton was a little taken aback on the phone but no less supportive. "Alright. But international universities start their terms earlier. Since you've completed all your credits here, why not head there sooner to adjust? You could leave next week—how does that sound?" Sophia's gaze fell to the ground. "That sounds perfect. The sooner, the better."