Chapter 56
56 iii. Test
After that night, her whole life changed. Suddenly everyone stopped bullying her and instead everyone wanted to befriend her.
She was suddenly thrown into the spotlight and she was no longer the invisible girl she used to be.
With everyone trying to court her favor, she is getting more tired than ever. She is not used to being a celebrity and she never wished for it before.
For her, all she ever needed is to live a simple life with the guy she loves. But she loves Dominus, and Dominus is the heir to a business empire.
A multi-billionaire tycoon who is feared and admired by everyone around him. And because it is him she loves, then naturally her life will undergo some complications.
She felt her stomach turn upside down as the smell of pizza greeted her. It was her officemate from her old department who gifted her the food.
She didn’t want to look like a snob so she accepted it. But now she feels sorry for herself as she tries to hurl out everything from the depths of her intestines.
The officemate looked worried only for a second and then her face lit up and she even congratulated her. When Mary asked why she is being congratulated, the officemate looked at her stomach and then at her face, that’s when she knew her thoughts.
Of course she did not believe her officemate’s hunch at first but she feels uneasy unless she tested negative. So she hurriedly bought a pack of pregnancy test kits from the pharmacy and went to the comfort room just to assure herself she is not.
.....
Not satisfied with the findings, she repeated the process over and over until she has used up at least 6 different brands of test kits, all with the same results.
She couldn’t decide whether to be happy or to be sad about it. Surely they are about to get married, but this is still so fast for either of them.
Dominus still has not fixed his relationship with his family and is being pressured by the board to make difficult business decisions.
He hardly even takes breaks now and would stay awake even until the wee hours of the morning, studying documents he needed to sign and statistics he needed to consider before he signed them.
Mergers, partnerships, and acquisitions, all were laid on his table all at once. She worries about the amount of work the board of directors has been dumping on him.
Aware he does not have the backing of his family, the hyenas are waiting for one significant mistake on his part so they can finally oust him from being the CEO.
A baby is hardly ideal for them both, her mom will surely be disappointed in her for getting pregnant before her wedding day. Her best friend will of course have something to say about it too.
But mostly it will be Dominus who will be forced into the corner yet again, on top of all the worries he is facing right now because of their relationship, once again she is about to add to that burden.
Of all the things she wished to bring to Dominus’s life, hardships is not one of them. And yet here she is adding to his plate just when he already has so much to think of.
Dominus is the only person she ever loved, needed, and wanted this much. Can she bear looking at his face filled with disappointment when he found out he has knocked her up?
She paced back and forth and then stared at the window, clutching the test strip in her hands. What was she doing? It’s not like she can hide this from him.
Plus, she couldn’t lose the baby, this is Dominus’s seed growing inside of her. She will nurture and love this child more than anything in the world because she loved the father just as much.
But what if he is not ready for this? What if he asks her to lose the baby? What should she do then?
She shook her head, she doesn’t want to hide from him again. Nor does she want to hate him. But losing the baby will never be an option for her.
Gods, do all pregnant women have these thoughts? As she silently looked out the window, her mind clouded with worry and despair.
What should she do now? She loves him so much to leave and she loves this child too much to lose it?
“Darling, are you okay,” Dominus just had a meeting with the board of directors and he found Mary inside his office just staring at the glass window.
She looked back at him and forced a smile. She was nervously clasping something in her hands. Her lips trembled a bit as he stepped forward.
He walked towards her and pulled her closer to himself. “Are you okay, my queen? You look so pale. Do you need to see the doctor?”
“I- we need to talk. I have something important to tell you, I mean if you have the time right now. You know I can just come back later if you are busy,” she whispered almost inaudibly.
He carried her in his arms and sat her on the couch. He sat beside her and caressed her cheek gently.
“Nonsense. I will always have time for you no matter what. What is it, baby?” he asked worriedly.
“Is anyone causing you any discomfort? Because you just have to tell me their names and I assure you they won’t ever bother you again.”
She shook her head, unable to say anything. Her throat felt like it was scorched dry and her insides felt like they have melted. She doesn’t know how to tell him.
“Please speak up, I am getting so worried seeing you in this state. Just tell me what I need to do to make you feel better. You look so anxious about something, I need to fix it. Just tell me whatever it is you need,” he held her hands and opened up her tightly clenched fist.
He stared dumbfounded at the piece of strip that greeted him, unable to figure out what it is exactly. To him, it is just a rectangular plastic with a strip inside.
“What is it?” he asked, worried why such a thing seems to have affected her so much.
“It’s a test...” she bit her lower lip, frustrated that he doesn’t seem to know what it means.
His hands tightened around hers, “A test for what? Are you sick, darling?! We should get you treated right away! We should go to the hospital right this instance! Why didn’t you call me earlier? You shouldn’t have waited for the meeting to finish when the matter is this urgent!”
She looked at him like horns just popped out from his head. Is he seriously this clueless?
How is she even supposed to explain everything when even she is overwhelmed by the results? He is so clueless it would have been so comedic if only she can see the humor past her anxieties.
“I don’t need to get treated,” she pouted, feeling a little bit of her nervousness go away and a bit of irritation replace it.
“Then tell me clearly,” he begged her, still apparently overly worried.
“You are terrible, you should know that,” she pouted. How can he not guess it? Even a high schooler should have guessed by now.
“I know how terrible I am. So now tell me, please. What is it? Tell me what it is that has been bothering you, I need to know before I do anything drastic like call for an ambulance,” he kissed her forehead and she melted in his arms.
“Baka! Don’t do something as embarrassing as that! I already told you I am not sick in any way,” she scolded him.
“Then tell me already! You keep blaming me and yet you won’t tell me what’s going on? How am I supposed to find peace of mind, honey?” Dominus pleaded.
He couldn’t help it, if it concerns her health then it is already a given that it concerns him as well.
After all, his life depends on her well-being. If anything were to happen to her, he simply won’t be able to survive it.
“I’m pregnant,” she whispered, nervous about what his reaction will be.
They have not planned this. What if he expected her to take precautions? Will he be blaming her?
She tried to calm her mind as she waited for his reaction. She finally said the words so now all she needed to do is to wait for how he will take the news.
He froze, hearing her words. His hands gripped her shoulders tightly as he looked at her.
“You are what?” he asked, wanting to be sure if he heard her right.
“I said, the test is for finding out if I’m pregnant. And I am... I am pregnant with your child,” she bit her lip as she waited for his reaction.
His facial expression changed instantly from worry to that of complete joy, his eyes lit up as pure adoration stares back at her.
“You- you are not mad at me, are you?” she asked nervously.
“How can I be mad at you, honey? That’s the silliest thing I have ever heard,” he laughed heartily supposing her question was a joke.
He gently caressed her cheek, “I couldn’t be happier. I am finally going to be your family. How can I not feel anything except happiness?”
“You want the... you want the baby?” she asked, turning red as she recalled all the thoughts that crossed her mind prior.
“Do you want the baby?” he asked, leaning closer towards her, making her knees tremble as his lips met with hers.
He wanted to breed her, to fill her stomach up with their babies, and to tie her with their children so she never can leave him, but if she is not ready. If she didn’t want it, she only have to say it.
No matter how hard it is for him to do, he will follow whatever her choice is. It is her body, and for as long as it doesn’t endanger her health, she is free to do as she pleased.
“I do, I want the baby. I want our baby,” she said, blushing as their lips parted.
“Then I like it too. If it brings you joy and happiness... whatever it is, I like it too,” he said as he caressed her cheek again.
How could she have thought all those thoughts about him earlier? She is hopeless. What a horrible thing to think about one’s fiance!
She felt tears glide down her cheeks as guilt gripped her heart. She does not deserve him at all.
“Why are you crying, honey? Does anywhere hurt?” he asked her, holding her closer.
“No, I am just so happy. I am sorry for thinking you will be mad or disappointed. My insecurities took a hold of me and,” he claimed her lips before she can finish her sentence.
“Don’t say sorry, baby. Today is a happy day for us both. We should be celebrating instead,” he wiped her tears away and stared adoringly at her.
“I love you,” she whispered as she felt his thumb tracing the corners of her lips.
He smiled at her, “I love you too, always... beyond forever. I will never get mad or disappointed at you, except if you were to disappear. That’s the only thing I can’t tolerate, my queen. For you are the air that I breathe. I need you, more than anything in this world. I need you.”
This time it was her turn to pull him closer to her. “I love you... beyond forever as well, Dom. I am sorry for making you worry.”
“If you really are sorry, then pay me with your body,” he teased her and claimed her lips.