Genesis was panicking.
She stared down at the menstrual calendar on her phone, her throat tightening as she swallowed hard. How had she not noticed sooner? This was the second day her five-day monthly cycle was late. It should've come yesterday, but she hadn't even remembered. Today, it was already evening… and still nothing. A tiny red dot blinked on the screen with the word "Due."
Her heart started racing. Too fast. Too loud.
She looked at the phone like it had just delivered the worst news in the world.
Her period was supposed to come yesterday.
Miss Melissa had shown her how to count the days, how to track her cycle. But she'd forgotten. She'd been so caught up preparing for the press conference. She only remembered now because her belly felt strange. Not exactly painful—just… odd. Heavy.
This was day two.
It should've come.
Genesis sat frozen at the edge of the bed, knees pulled up, phone gripped tightly in her small hands. The blankets beneath her were wrinkled.
Maybe the app was broken. Maybe it got it wrong. It was just a calendar app, right? Apps mess up. Don't they?
She tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry. Her chest rose and fell quickly. Her fingers felt cold.
What did it mean when it doesn't come?
Miss Melissa had said something about this—something important. She'd used words Genesis didn't fully understand at the time. Something about being "late," about "signs," and "if you've been with someone…"
She had been with someone.
Kieran.
Her eyes widened. Her fingers tightened around the phone. Her whole body flushed hot, then cold. Her lips parted.
Slowly, she reached down and touched her stomach. She didn't know what she expected to feel. It was still flat. Nothing had changed. But her heart was pounding like it wanted to escape her chest.
Her breathing quickened. Her toes curled into the soft rug under the bed. She didn't know what to do. Didn't even know if she should be scared.
But she was.
She wanted Kieran.
But… What if he was angry? What if this made him mad?
No, wait—this was what they wanted. Right?
She shook her head quickly, willing the tears back. Crying wouldn't fix anything. She'd learned that a long time ago.
So she sat there, phone pressed to her chest, staring at the bedroom door.
Was she really pregnant?
Then the door creaked open behind her.
She jumped up, heart thudding, and turned to face it, quickly hiding the phone behind her back. She didn't even know why. She should tell him. But…
"Princess," came his deep, low voice. Kieran stepped toward her.
With every step he took, her heart thumped harder. He stopped just a few inches away.
"How do you feel?" he asked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
She didn't answer. Just stared up at him with wide eyes.
Kieran watched her carefully. Her big eyes blinked like a startled owl. He smiled faintly and stroked her cheek with his index finger. She swallowed hard.
Something was up.
Then he noticed the way she held something behind her back.
"What do you have there?" he leaned in, his voice a soft tease at her ear. She shivered, and in doing so, he caught a glimpse of the glowing screen—her phone.
She bit her lip and shifted from foot to foot, shaking her head.
His smirk deepened. "So my little wife is hiding things from me now?"
He reached for her collar and gently tugged her forward until their bodies touched. She gasped and looked up at him, her eyes wide with panic.
"Oh? So you're not lying?" His voice dropped an octave. "And I don't need to spank you for keeping secrets from your husband?"
His hand slid down to cup her arse, and she yelped, quickly tossing the phone onto the bed. It landed screen-down.
Kieran turned toward it, then delivered a light smack to her backside, making her gasp again. He reached for the phone.
Before he could look at it, she lunged, trying to stop him, but he easily raised it above his head.
Still too fast. Still too tall.
Genesis jumped on her toes, reaching for it.
Kieran laughed. "What are you hiding, Chicchai oyome-san?"
She froze, chest rising and falling. Her face flushed, her nose red, lips pouting.
He reached out with one hand to stroke her cheek. She pulled away, sulking, which only made him laugh harder.
He still had the phone.
Genesis, flustered and puffing like a kitten who'd lost a toy, stood on her toes again, arms stretched.
"Give it back!" she mouthed in a silent squeaky breath, lips shaping the words silently.
Kieran raised a brow. "You look like you're about to climb me, little monkey."
She huffed and stomped her foot.
Adorable. Not scary.
He lowered the phone just a bit, letting her believe she was winning. Just as her fingers brushed it—
He yanked it back up.
"Mouuu!" she signed with exaggerated frustration, wagging a tiny finger at him.
He grinned. "That's your angry face? Cute. Try again."
Genesis puffed her cheeks like a balloon and smacked her palms against his chest.
"You want it back?" he leaned in, voice husky and warm, "Then kiss me."
Her eyes went wide. She turned away, flustered.
He chuckled darkly, brushing her hair off her shoulder. "Come on, Chicchai oyome-san, don't get shy now. You were bold enough to hide something from me."
She fidgeted, eyes darting around the room.
He dropped the phone gently onto the bed—but didn't step back.
Instead, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "I'm not mad, you know."
She blinked up at him.
"Not yet," he added with a smirk. "But you're going to tell me what's going on."
She bit her lip, hesitating. Then slowly, she raised her hand and tapped her belly twice.
Lightly.
He froze.
"…What's that supposed to mean, hmm?"
She looked up at him, eyes wide and anxious, then pointed toward the phone… then back at her belly… and then down at her still-flat stomach.
Kieran froze.
"…Princess," he said softly.
She didn't move. Just stood there, staring at him, lips parted like she was afraid to breathe.
"Are you saying…" he began, but the words caught in his throat. He stepped closer, slowly, as if approaching a fragile thing. Gently, he placed his palm over her belly.
"You think you're…"
She gave a small nod. Just once. Like anything more might break her.
His jaw clenched. "You missed it?"
Another nod.
"Twice?"
She nodded again—barely.
Kieran didn't speak right away. His hand remained on her stomach, fingers splayed as if trying to feel something—anything. Then, carefully, he reached up and cupped her face in both hands, tilting her chin until their foreheads touched.
"You're scared?" he murmured.
She gave the tiniest nod, and a shaky breath left her lips.
"Don't be," he whispered. "We'll figure it out. If it's true… then this is the best damn surprise I've ever gotten."
Her eyes instantly shimmered with tears.
He kissed her forehead. Then her cheek. Then wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her into his chest.
This time, she didn't hide or hesitate. She melted into him, arms clutching his sides like he was the only thing keeping her together. And in that moment, he was.
Kieran held her like she was everything, because she was to him.