ASTHERIEN'S POV :-
I don't know what exactly is going on with me.
I woke up in the morning with the same exhaustion I've been feeling for days.
But the moment I saw him lying beside me, a strange sense of relief washed over me.
I don't know why, but I just wanted to stay there.
With him.
Forever.
I wish I could.
I had no appetite, so I refused breakfast. Kai tried to convince me to eat something, but I stubbornly shook my head.
Eventually, I somehow managed to send him off to the office.
Because, apparently, this man had completely forgotten that he was a CEO and had a company to run.
If I hadn't practically pushed him out of the house, he would've stayed with me the entire day, leaving those poor piles of files untouched.
Ugh.
This man!
Anyway, going with Aki seemed like a much better plan.
I picked up my phone and called her.
No answer.
I frowned and called again.
Still nothing.
I tried for the third time.
Nothing.
By the fourth call, I was officially worried.
I was just about to call her again when she finally picked up.
[Calling Aki...]
"Aki! What are you doing? Why haven't you answered any of my calls?"
"I was sleeping," she mumbled sleepily.
I frowned.
"Sleeping? At this hour?"
There was a brief pause.
Then I heard a muffled voice in the background.
"Fix your clothes!"
I froze.
My eyebrows shot up.
"Wait."
Silence.
"Who's there?"
"No one!" Aki immediately replied.
That was suspicious.
Very suspicious.
I narrowed my eyes at absolutely nothing, as if she could somehow see me through the phone.
"Uh-huh. Sure."
"Why did you call, anyway?"
"I've been calling you four times!"
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!"
"I had an appointment with the doctor today, and you're coming with me."
"Today?"
"Yes, today."
There was another pause.
Then, from the other side—
"What about our date?"
My eyes widened.
I immediately sat up straighter.
"WAIT."
"What?"
"WHO'S THERE?"
"No one!"
"What date?!"
"Ash-"
"Are you in a relationship again?!"
"What?!"
"When did this happen? With who? And why didn't you tell me?!"
"Girl, calm down!"
"CALM DOWN?! You just said DATE!"
Aki let out an exasperated groan.
"Ayy! It's no one!"
"Then who was that?!"
"Okay, fine! Let's meet. I'll tell you everything."
I narrowed my eyes.
"You're definitely hiding something."
"I'll tell you when we meet."
"Hmm."
I wasn't convinced.
"Fine. Be ready by ten."
Aki chuckled.
"Wow. Seems like you're the responsible one now."
"Shut up and get ready."
"Yes, ma'am."
I rolled my eyes.
"Bye."
"Bye!"
I hung up.
And immediately stared at my phone.
She had just left me with even more questions.
She was dating someone?
Since when?!
And who was that mysterious person in the background?
And why did she sound so suspicious?
I gasped dramatically.
"She's been hiding a whole relationship from me!"
I flopped back onto my bed.
"Why is everyone keeping secrets from me?!"
I buried my face in my pillow.
"I wanna cry!"
I stayed there for a few seconds.
Then I lifted my head.
"...Actually, I really don't want to get up."
So I dramatically collapsed onto the bed again.
Yep.
I wasn't moving.
Not until ten.
Maybe.
----------------------------------------
At the doctor's office
I told the doctor everything that had been happening lately.
The dizziness.
The lack of appetite.
The constant tiredness.
The strange feeling of being low for no reason.
And everything else I'd been experiencing.
The doctor listened carefully, occasionally making notes.
Then, after a moment, she looked up at me.
"Based on what you've told me, I think you should take a pregnancy test."
I blinked.
"A... pregnancy test?"
My heart suddenly started beating faster.
Could it actually be possible?
I swallowed.
Was this what I'd been waiting for all this time?
I nervously bit my lower lip before getting up to take the test.
A few minutes later, I stepped out of the bathroom.
The test was still in my hand.
I stared at it.
I couldn't bring myself to look.
What if...
No.
I slowly closed my eyes.
My fingers tightened around the test.
Could it really be?
Are we actually going to be parents?
I took a deep breath.
Then, slowly, I opened my eyes.
I moved my hand away.
Two red lines.
I froze.
Two.
Red.
Lines.
My lips parted.
"Means...?"
My eyes widened.
"Posi-"
I stopped.
"WAIT."
My heart nearly jumped out of my chest.
"Positive?!"
I stared at the test in disbelief.
"Are we... actually going to be parents?"
I looked at Aki.
She was staring at the test too.
For a moment, neither of us said anything.
Then her eyes suddenly went wide.
"WAIT- WHAT?!"
Before I could react, she grabbed me and hugged me tightly.
"OH MY GOD!"
"Aki- "
"YOU'RE GOING TO BE A MOTHER!"
"I- "
"YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A MOTHER!"
I burst into laughter.
"I can't believe this!"
"No, no! I should believe this!" I corrected myself, looking down at the test again.
My hands were trembling slightly.
"Jaff is going to be so happy for you two!"
I froze.
My smile disappeared.
"...Jaff?"
Aki blinked.
"Yeah?"
I slowly turned my head toward her.
"Why did you say Jaff?"
She stared at me.
I stared back.
Then she casually shrugged.
"My boyfriend."
My jaw dropped.
"Your... boyfriend?"
"Yeah."
"BOYFRIEND?!"
Aki flinched.
"Why are you shouting?!"
"You've been dating Jaff this whole time?!"
She blinked at me.
"Yes?"
"WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!"
"Uh..."
She started counting on her fingers.
"A while ago?"
"A WHILE AGO?!"
I grabbed her shoulders and shook her lightly.
"HOW LONG IS 'A WHILE AGO'?!"
"Astherien!"
"YOU NEVER TOLD ME!"
"I was going to!"
"When?! On your wedding day?!"
Aki burst out laughing.
"I don't know!"
I stared at her in disbelief.
Then suddenly, the room spun.
I immediately let go of her shoulder.
"Okay..."
I took a small step back.
"Oh, no."
Aki's expression changed instantly.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine."
"I'm just dizzy again."
She quickly held my arm.
"Sit down."
I sat down, taking a deep breath.
Aki looked at me worriedly for a second before her expression suddenly brightened again.
"You should call Kai!"
I shook my head.
"Not now."
"Why not?!"
"He's already called me like eight times."
Aki's eyes widened.
"Eight times?!"
"Yes."
"Girl, he's definitely panicking."
I sighed.
"I'll tell him tonight."
Aki slowly nodded.
"Umm-hmm."
I narrowed my eyes.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Aki."
She smiled innocently.
"Yeah. Tonight."
I immediately pointed a warning finger at her.
"Don't."
She raised both hands.
"Okay, okay!"
I sighed.
"I'm literally pregnant right now."
Aki's eyes widened dramatically.
"Oh!"
"Exactly."
"Oops. My mistake."
I rolled my eyes.
"You're impossible."
"And you're going to be a mother!"
"Oh my God, stop saying that!"
Aki burst into laughter.
And despite everything, I couldn't help but smile.
----------------------------------------
On the ride back home, I couldn't stop thinking about everything that had happened.
How did we even come this far?
From hating him with every ounce of my soul...
To becoming his wife.
And now...
The mother of his child.
It had already been three years since we got married.
Three years of fighting.
Loving.
Crying.
Laughing.
Growing together.
It all felt like yesterday.
It felt like just yesterday when I kicked his ass because he had crossed my path.
Oh, those days.
I couldn't help but smile at the memory.
And then...
I suddenly felt tears slipping down my cheeks.
"Why are you crying?"
Aki's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
I blinked.
"Huh?"
She quickly reached for a napkin and handed it to me.
I stared at it.
I hadn't even realized I was crying.
"Oh."
I wiped my cheeks.
"Nothing."
Aki glanced at me for a moment before smiling softly.
"I know how you're feeling."
I looked at her.
She continued driving, her eyes focused on the road.
"I still remember the day I practically forced you to go to that reunion."
I smiled faintly.
"I didn't know you'd again meet someone there who would end up becoming your destiny."
I raised an eyebrow.
"These dramatic talks don't suit you."
Aki gasped dramatically.
"Shut up! I said something emotional for the first time!"
I laughed.
"Okay, okay!"
"And you ruined it!"
"I'm sorry!"
"No, you're not."
"Not even a little."
She rolled her eyes, and we both started laughing.
For a moment, everything felt peaceful.
Aki returned her attention to the road, while I turned toward the window.
My hand slowly moved to my stomach.
There was still no visible sign of the little life growing inside me.
But now, I couldn't stop imagining it.
A tiny baby in my arms.
Our baby.
I smiled to myself.
Would it be a girl?
Or a boy?
I hadn't even thought about names yet.
Wait.
I suddenly sat up a little.
I had one!
If we had a girl...
Kaisha.
And if we had a boy...
Ather.
I smiled.
Cute.
My hand gently rested over my stomach again.
A little girl with his eyes?
Or a little boy with my attitude?
I couldn't help but laugh softly at the thought.
But then, reality hit me.
I had to tell Kai.
I didn't know how I was going to put this in front of him.
I could already imagine his reaction.
Would he be shocked?
Would he cry?
Would he laugh?
Knowing him...
Probably all three.
I smiled to myself.
One thing was certain.
Our lives were about to change forever.