la'

consciousness was the sound of beeping

lla

was weak, but slowly, everything began to clear. I could see the ceiling

My husband, Cole. He sat at the edge of the bed, his hand covering mine. His eyes were bloodshot with sleepless

led out in my

s shoulders dropped, and he cuppe

My love, you scared me half

ing of dizziness pushed me back. His h

too quickly,

ned?" I croaked. My

he priest had asked us to kiss, and the next thing, you were..." his vo

so afraid that I could see the fear in his face. But before I co

. Wa

t of her. Martha, the head of our household staff. The woman who had run Cole'

smile. "We've been worried sick,

't have to worry about me. Look, I'm

him off. The doctor entered. It was a middle-aged man with kind eyes, hol

ow are you feel

"But still, I feel g

and adjusting his glasses. "We ran a few tests while y

on my hand tightened. "That's grea

itated. "Perha

was loud. He frowned, glanced at the screen, and after a few seconds

y love. I'll be right back." He kissed my forehead, reluctant to let go of m

oftly. "Should we wa

ll tell him after

ren," the doctor sighed. "

"Okay. What..

n back at me. "We discove

ike as if stones were throw

at's not possible," I whispered. "I can't be pregnant. No, doctor. I am not. You

n. And you are one hundred percent pregnant. Based on the test

Then my breath hitched, and my vision went blurred as I realized something tragic. The baby wasn't Cole's. It couldn't be. B

baby wa

arm. My body shook and I trembled with shock, fear, and

had what's called a cryptic pregnancy. It's rare, but it

s tremblin

turned toward the door. "We'll need to schedule more checkups and ens

ling freely from my eyes. I was pregnant. Seven months pregnant

Martha ca

staring at her. "Did

tely. Your appetite... but I thought, perhaps, stress, because

thudded.

h motherly comfort. "Child, breathe. You shoul

choking on the words. "Martha, don'

flinch. "Do

ust keep it that way. He can

Bel

"You don't understand. If Cole

ole was coming back. I tightened my

m, or anyone else. No one must