Ch. 226..230: Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire Chapter 226-230

Chapter 226: Abducted

Xander finished showering and threw on the two-piece loungewear set Aurora had picked for him before leaving the room. But as soon as he came downstairs, he heard her saying,

"I told you. Try it with the dipping sauce."

There was something persuasive about her voice that piqued his curiosity. He wondered just what she was trying to force his best friend to do. But as he stepped into the living room, the scene he saw was unexpected.

His wife, and his best friend were eating together.

Xander was a bit surprised by the situation, seeing the two people sitting on different sofas eating from the same plate.

Even he rarely ate with the same plate as his wife. Since when did they grow that close?

Just as Xander took another step, Aurora and Asher looked up and glanced his way.

As soon as Aurora saw him, the first thing she did was beckon to him to taste the fish fingers.

"Darling, you need to these. The taste bangs."

Xander shook his head as he made his way over. He wasn’t even surprised at how she managed to rope Asher into eating from the same plate.

While wondering just how delicious the fish fingers that she was dragging everyone to eat with her were, he exchanged quick brotherly greetings with Asher before picking one of the fish fingers.

Then dipping it in the sauce, he brought it to his lips and took a huge bite as the two people before him watched in anticipation. His eyes immediately narrowed at them, but as the burst of flavours from both the fish and the sauce hit, he shut his eyes briefly, relishing the goodness.

"Is this fish actually so good because the chefs perfected the taste or because my wife says it’s good?" Xander asked, glancing at Aurora before dipping the remaining fish fingers in his hand in the sauce before throwing it into his mouth.

"Maybe, because she says so," Asher said, picking an extra finger from the plate and shifting away the armrest, totally giving up that position to Xander, who immediately settled in.

The corners of Aurora’s eyes crinkled like she had won an award. She was happy her recommendation was accepted therefore, continued to eat while sharing the rest of her snacks.

What she did, at least, lessened the tension that could have been between the two friends who had an urgent topic to discuss.

Three minutes later, something finally clicked in Aurora’s head. She just realized that Asher must have come over to talk about something important, so she gave an excuse for needing fresh air.

"I will leave you two to your discussions while I go bask in the beautiful ambience of my lovely flowers."

Xander and Asher both nodded as the latter happily thanked her for the fish fingers she let him try.

At the same time, Nene and two servants came to take what was left of Aurora’s snacks before escorting her to the in-house flower garden.

---

Back in the living room, Xander and Asher were finally left alone. After they washed their hands and dried them with warm towels, Asher broke the silence.

"Your wife is acting weird today," he said, meeting Xander’s question brow before proceeding to explain. "I was surprised when she asked me to join her eat the fish. I have never had a friend’s wife ask me to eat from the same plate with her. Plus, your wife was overly excited. Does this happen often?"

Xander’s brows relaxed immediately as the corners of his eyes curved into crescent moons. "Lately, she’s been acting a bit differently," he confirmed before meeting Asher’s gaze. "I think she’s pregnant."

Instantly, Asher’s gaze grew wide in shock. He wasn’t expecting that news, but as he was about to congratulate Xander, he shushed him.

"Although I’m sure of the games I played, since the news hasn’t been confirmed yet, let’s not get ahead of ourselves."

Asher chuckled, pointing a finger at him and calling him out for being so smart just before the mood turned serious.

"Do you think Stella knew you and the police had people following her, so she leveraged whatever opportunity she had and decided to disappear before the scheduled time?" Asher asked immediately, his brows furrowing in curiosity.

"That was my thought, but not being able to find any traces of her leaving that Spa even after a month seems to hint at something more serious."

Xander’s mood dropped, and so did the tension in the room. For once in a long while, he blamed himself for not preparing for the worst with Stella.

If he had known, he would have given an order for his men to go inside whatever saw she visited. At least if they had done that, today’s story would have never happened.

As the two friends tried to analyse the situation by themselves, Liam arrived in casual jean pants and a crisp white shirt tucked into it. He bowed politely as he greeted them before straightening his back.

"You mentioned over the phone that you found something. What is it?" Xander asked almost immediately, trying to gauge his reaction.

"Sir, the analysis the team and I came up with after going through wherever pieces of evidence and clues we could find is that Stella Swift was abducted and taken away from the Spa."

Instantly, Asher sat upright, his gaze deepening as he and Xander watched Liam assemble every piece of item in his bag on the table.

"The spa has two entrances. How is it possible for her to be abducted, and none of the men keeping watch saw them leaving?" Xander asked, and almost immediately, he quickly added, piecing the situation together, "Perhaps there was another entrance we overlooked?"

Liam nodded, confirming his suspicions before explaining, spreading the blueprint of the spa building on the table.

"Stella couldn’t have left the Spa by herself even if she knew people were keeping an eye on her. Also, even if she had a little help escaping, she wouldn’t have left her purse, which had her important IDs, even if she wanted to leave her phone behind in case it was tracked."

Releasing a deep breath, Liam added, looking between the two men who had all their attention on him, "She left abruptly with no trace. Since she left without her IDs and the fake ones she had processed, she was abducted by experts."

 

Chapter 227: The Only Reliable Theory

Liam reported his findings regarding Stella’s abduction before moving on to explain his theory by talking about the Spa’s building blueprint, which had proof of how Stella was taken away without leaving the building despite the constant eyes on it for the past month.

"Though some clips seemed to be missing at first, we went through all the CCTV footage we could get our hands on. And the last place Stella entered after the massage was the sauna private room."

Almost immediately, Xander and Asher exchanged glances with similar thoughts in their heads, yet they let Liam continue.

"Stella never stepped out of that room after going, and according to the little mess that was made on the CCTV footage, we were meant to believe that some part of it was cut off, having us conclude at the initial time that it might have been the opportunity she abductors took her. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case."

Asher nodded as he finally understood what happened. "So, a few minutes of that particular footage was wiped off after Stella entered the sauna to make us believe that she left the room after her abductors went in and captured her, but in the actual sense, she never left that place?"

"Exactly," Liam confirmed, his tone growing serious.

Though Xander believed him, he was curious to know how he managed to finally fix those pieces together despite the efforts of those people to distract him and plant another theory in his head.

"How did you manage to find this out?" he inquired.

Liam straightened his back and fixed his gaze on him. "Something wasn’t adding up with what we were forced to believe. If Stella left the Sauna on her own whether in disguise or not, where did she leave from? And if her abductors had taken her away, from which non-existing door did they leave from? Or could it be that they have been holding her hostage somewhere in that spa?"

Liam added that his team had searched the entire Spa building and never found a secret room where Stella could have been locked up.

"Stella was indeed abducted and taken out of that building," Liam dropped the bomb unexpectedly, making Asher shift uncomfortably in his seat.

Asher tapped Xander, who let out a scoff and drummed his fingers on the couch’s armrest. "Your man does know how to keep people in suspense. I would have died already from the heart attack if I didn’t have a strong heart in the first place."

"Liam is a good storyteller. Just continue to hold onto your heart strongly before you lose it." Xander gently tapped Asher on the shoulder before moving his gaze back to Liam and gesturing for him to proceed.

Although he was very curious about what other bomb Liam was going to drop, he could already make a guess thanks to his special identity.

At least all those training, drills and missions he had taken in the past weren’t all for physical training’s sake. It was for mental drilling as well.

"Today, I visited the Sauna as a guest and insisted on taking those rooms Stella used during her visit. Since she disappeared in the Sauna, I paid more attention after failing to find anything from the other rooms. And that was when I discovered that Stella Swift had indeed never left the Sauna and was taken away from there."

"There is a secret passage in the sauna?" Asher scoffed as he finally pieced everything together. It did take him time to finally understand this as he hadn’t been using his head at all with his full focus on Liam’s storytelling abilities.

On the other hand, Liam confirmed his response with a nod. "Under my feet," he added. "I had thought the secret passage would be on the wall that might link to the building next to the Spa, hence the reason I requested the blueprint. But surprisingly, there was a tunnel right under my feet at the Sauna."

Loam went on to explain how he stepped on the wood floor padding and felt the slightest difference in sound and decided to check it out only to prove his doubts rights.

"Stella was indeed abducted. Even if she knew of the secret passage and wanted to escape without taking any of her properties from the Spa, how could she leave in only the bathrobe?" Xander concluded.

Asher agreed with him, and a triumphant smile appeared on his lips. "This could only mean that those who took her are the building owners or have a close tie to them."

Liam folded the building’s blueprints and stuffed them inside his bag along with other materials he had taken out. According to him, the Police had Stella’s belongings in their possession and had been carrying out more investigations.

"The police still think Stella might have left the Spa in disguise. And they have been re-watching every footage since then."

"That’s okay. We will find Stella on our own now that we know who might have done this clean job and fooled us for so long." Xander concluded with a sharp look.

Liam straightened his back and pondered over what he had just said while Asher narrowed his eyes. "You already know who did this?" he asked.

"Mmm." Xander nodded, shifting his gaze to him. "The Major."

As soon as he mentioned that name, Asher and Liam felt goosebumps on their arms, and without needing Xander’s theory, their mind pieced everything together.

"Wow!" Asher exclaimed as he leaned back on the couch in total awe. Their big boss’s connection to this case really left him dumbfounded.

"This means he has always known how Stella has been treating his daughter all this while but kept mute until that day when he finally decided to get her. And someone like him would know when the police got the arrest warrant if he has been keeping an eye on her affairs," Asher concluded, as there was no other reason for Major Walker to abduct Stella other than this.

"Only God knows what the hell that woman has been going through for the past month," Liam commented and let out a sigh. He actually pitied Stella.

Chapter 228: Battered and Bruised

"Liam, get the guys to find out who owns the building. Visit the Spa again and scout the underground tunnel to see where it leads. Check the CCTV cameras around that vicinity for the cars that took Stella away," Xander instructed Liam with a relaxed tone.

Liam nodded in understanding, bid ’byes’ to them, picked up his briefcase and left.

Asher turned to Xander after that and asked with suspicion, "Do you think the Major knows you will be after him soon as he’s aware you had people watching Stella? Actually, I think he would be very disappointed if you don’t notice the foul play and come after him."

"I won’t go after him. It will be impossible to infiltrate the hideout location since this is a private mission. It’s not a serious deal where we have to keep people at will," Xander said with regret in his tone then meeting Asher’s gaze and seeing that narrowed gaze, he slapped his arm.

If only this were a secret government mission, then Xander wouldn’t hold back from taking all the men down to get in. Unfortunately, even attempting to go there armed or unarmed without the intention to kill and Major Walker’s approval will result in him being whisked away with sprays of bullets. And he wouldn’t want that.

"Be careful being so bloodthirsty around your wife this period," Asher cautioned before swiftly changing the topic. "How will you get Mrs. Swift then? The Major doesn’t look like he will let her off soon."

"I only need to provide all the pieces of evidence and theory that implicates him and ask him to release Stella," Xander replied after a few calculations in his head.

He just had to provide proof of the Major’s involvement to him. That’s the only way Stella can be released.

"And he will do that?" Asher probed with doubts glinting in his eyes.

"He will," Xander confirmed. "His daughter already hates him. He wouldn’t want her to hate him any further, even if he doesn’t care about her."

Xander hinted subtly at using Aurora to threaten the Major. Asher grasped it immediately, smiling to himself.

"But I will take my time getting the remaining pieces of evidence I need," Xander added, giving Asher a glance that suggested his little tricks.

A wild grin found its way to Asher’s lips, realising Xander’s intentions. "After all, it is a good thing for Stella to suffer a bit."

Xander nodded with a playful smirk on his lips. But then, he cautioned Asher not to mention it to his wife’s hearing.

"Her soft heart won’t accept this. It’s better to help her take revenge this way before handing Stella over to the court of law to be dealt with."

---

Underground Military Dungeon.

The cold air clung to Stella’s skin as she regained consciousness. Her wrists burned from the metal cuffs, chaining her hands above her head. The clang of the chains echoed in the desolate dungeon, mocking her helplessness.

A flickering torch cast long shadows on the stone walls. The room reeked of mould and decay, the stench of fear hanging heavy in the air. Stella’s ragged breathing broke the silence. Her face, swollen and bruised, bore the marks of her torment, one eye nearly shut, her vision hazy.

The metallic clang of a door unlocking jolted her from her stupor, signalling the commencement of her never-ending torture. Her pulse spiked with dread as she whispered hoarsely, "No... please, not again..."

The door creaked open, heavy boots closing in. Stella flinched, panic coursing through her as a bucket of ice-cold water crashed over her, shocking her into full awareness. She gasped, choking on the freezing liquid as her body convulsed, the chains rattling above her.

"Wake up," a gravelly voice ordered, cold and merciless.

Blinking water from her eyes, Stella’s lips quivered as tears mixed with the icy water. "P-please... I can’t... I can’t take this anymore... please..." she whimpered, her faint voice trembling from starvation and torment.

A cruel laugh broke the silence. "Begging, are we? Pathetic," sneered a figure, gripping her chin roughly and forcing her battered face upward. Stella winced as pain shot through her bruised jaw.

"Where’s all that arrogance now?" the voice taunted, leaning close. "Did you ever think the people you trampled would let it slide?"

"I-I will do anything," Stella croaked, her voice breaking. "Just... let me go... please..."

The captor smirked, releasing her chin so harshly her head snapped to the side. She hung limp, trembling, her sobs the only sound in the dungeon.

Another figure stepped forward, uncoiling a leather whip. Stella’s blurred gaze landed on it, terror gripping her as she weakly struggled against her restraints. "No... no, no..." she whimpered, but her body was too weak to resist.

"You think you’re in any position to bargain?" The calm, venomous voice sent chills through her.

The whip cracked against her back, the pain searing through her as she screamed. Each lash tore a fresh cry from her throat, growing weaker until only shallow breaths remained. Blood dripped from her back, staining her tattered clothe.

"Remember this the next time you think about crossing someone more powerful than you," the voice spat, retreating into the shadows.

Stella sobbed, her faint pleas for mercy unanswered. Her body hung limp, trembling in the chains. As the figures left, her cries echoed in the cold silence, her dignity shattered.

She was the respected Mrs. Swift whom most women fought to associate with but today, she was hung with chains above her head like a sack of potatoes. She was flogged mercilessly like a destitute.

And her pleas and cries did nothing to reduce her pain. No one was coming to her rescue. Her family didn’t know where she was.

One thought burned in Stella’s mind through her despair: Who had done this to her?

’Could it be Stephanie?’ She thought, recalling her sister-in-law’s threats.

At this point, Stella thought that Stephanie was capable of doing this to her if she had found out that she had caused her brother’s death. But what could Stella do in this situation? Nothing.

Chapter 229: Humbling Moments

Aurora sat in the glass-walled flower garden, sipping a fragrant cup of flower tea as soft instrumental music played in the background.

The space’s tranquil ambience, with sunlight filtering through the glass and casting a warm glow on the vibrant blooms, brought her much-needed peace.

Nearby, Nene diligently watered the flowers, her movements practised and precise.

Aurora absentmindedly scrolled through her phone, her thoughts a million miles away. Her thumb hovered over the screen when she suddenly looked up and asked, "Nene, do you think I’ve been acting weird lately?"

Nene paused, the watering can still in her hand and turned to Aurora with a kind smile. "A little different, yes, Ma’am," she replied.

Aurora set her cup down and hesitated for a moment before exhaling softly. "I think Xander might have gotten me pregnant," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Nene’s brows lifted slightly as she tried to hide the amused smile tugging at her lips. "Oh?"

"My period’s late by a few days, and..." Aurora paused, fidgeting slightly. "I’ve been feeling so fatigued and keep having these odd cravings. But I don’t have morning sickness, so I’m not sure."

"Well, Ma’am," Nene said gently, placing the watering can down. "That does sound like you might be pregnant." She met Aurora’s eyes reassuringly. "Would you like me to send someone to get a pregnancy test kit?"

Aurora nodded, her expression a mixture of nervousness and hope. "Yes, please," she said, her fingers clasped tightly around her phone.

Nene stepped aside to make the call, and Aurora sat quietly, staring at the vibrant flowers in front of her. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, and for once, her normally calm demeanour gave way to quiet anticipation.

---

After some time had passed, Aurora walked into the main house with Nene at her side. Nene handed her the test kit with a warm smile and a thumbs-up. "Good luck, Ma’am," she said.

Aurora returned the smile, albeit nervously, and made her way upstairs. As she climbed the steps, her heart pounded in her chest. Entering the bedroom, she headed straight for the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

After using the kit, she set it down on the counter and began pacing the room, her bare feet padding softly against the tiled floor. Her hands fidgeted as she stared at the timer on her phone, waiting for the longest few minutes of her life to pass.

When the timer finally buzzed, Aurora hesitated, her breath caught in her throat. Slowly, she picked up the test and stared at the result. Two lines. Two clear, undeniable lines.

Her lips parted in disbelief, and her eyes widened with surprise. "Oh my God," she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. She clutched the test tightly as a radiant smile spread across her face.

She was about to shout for joy when a knock on the door startled her.

"Sweetheart?" Xander’s deep voice called. "Are you in there?"

"Yes!" Aurora replied, quickly trying to compose herself.

"Can I come in? I need to tell you something," Xander said.

Aurora opened the door, the test still in her hand. "What is it?" she asked, her joy momentarily interrupted.

Xander’s expression was serious as he looked into her eyes. "Stella was abducted," he said, his tone grave. "And I know who’s behind it."

Aurora’s mouth opened in shock. "Wait, what? Who—" she started, but her words faltered when she noticed Xander’s gaze drop to the pregnancy test in her hand.

His eyes widened as he realized what it was. Snatching it gently from her, he stared at the two lines before his face broke into pure joy. "Sweetheart, you’re pregnant!" he exclaimed, his voice ringing with excitement.

Before Aurora could respond, Xander swept her off her feet and twirled her around, his laughter filling the room. "You’re pregnant with our child!"

Aurora completely forgot all about Stella’s abduction as her heart filled with happiness. Wrapping her arms around Xander’s neck, she gazed into his jubilant eyes and said, "Yes, I’m pregnant with our child."

---

Swift Family Residence.

At the Swift Family Residence, Olivia stormed into the house, her shopping bags hitting the floor of her bedroom with a thud. Her face was flushed with anger as she ripped off her coat and threw it onto the bed.

Her day at the shopping mall had been a nightmare. Shop attendants had ignored her, their thinly veiled disdain clear in their fake smiles and refusal to help. Even the other shoppers had whispered behind her back, their laughter cutting through her like knives.

"Who do they think they are?" she muttered, pacing the room angrily. "How dare they treat me like that?"

After freshening up, Olivia made her way to the dining room for dinner, her mood still sour. She sat at the table, only to realize there was no plate set for her. Her brows furrowed as she scanned the room.

"Where is my plate?" she snapped at the servant bringing food to the table.

The servant froze, her face pale as she realized the mistake. "I-I’m so sorry, Miss Olivia. I’ll set it right away."

Moments later, the servant returned with a plate and poured water into Olivia’s glass, but Olivia’s anger only deepened. "Why didn’t you put the glass where I can reach it?" she barked.

"Miss, I—" the servant stammered, but before she could explain, Olivia swept her hand across the table, sending plates and food crashing to the floor.

The loud noise echoed through the room, drawing Stephanie’s attention. She entered just in time to see the mess, and her face twisted with fury as she approached Olivia.

"What is the meaning of this?" Stephanie demanded.

The servant hurriedly explained the situation, her voice trembling, while Olivia stood with clenched fists and gnashed teeth.

Stephanie’s anger boiled over. Without hesitation, she slapped Olivia across the face. "How dare you throw my dinner to the floor over such a trivial mistake?"

Olivia held her cheek, her eyes wide with shock. "Aunt, you slapped me?"

Stephanie’s voice was icy. "You’re spoiled, Olivia, and it ends now. You’re not allowed to eat for the next twenty-four hours. Servants, drag her to her room! She’s not to leave until tomorrow’s dinner."

"You can’t do this to me!" Olivia screamed as two servants grabbed her arms. "Is this because you think I don’t have anyone? Is that why you’re treating me like this?"

Stephanie sneered. "You still have your mother. Oh wait—she’s a murderer and nowhere to be found."

Olivia’s face twisted with rage. A few days after her mother had gone missing, Stephanie revealed the murder charges against her mother. The news did break her, and now being reminded of it, she felt like punching her.

Olivia tried to resist the servants, but they held her firmly, dragging her toward her bedroom. Her furious screams echoed through the halls, but Stephanie didn’t flinch, her expression cold and unyielding.

Chapter 230: The Joy of Motherhood

~Xander’s Private Residence~

As Xander twirled Aurora joyfully, she laughed, though the dizziness soon caught up with her. "Okay, okay! Stop, I’m dizzy!" she said, tapping his shoulder.

Xander immediately stopped, his arms steadying her. "I’m so sorry," he said, his brows furrowing with concern. He gently placed her back on her feet. "Are you okay now?"

Aurora nodded, still smiling as her hands rested on his chest for balance. "I’m fine. Just maybe no more spinning me around for now."

Xander exhaled in relief and leaned down to kiss her forehead tenderly. His hands rested on her shoulders as he smiled at her, his eyes soft and brimming with joy. "I will book an appointment with your OB-GYN tomorrow," he said. "I will pick you up from work, and we’ll go together, okay?"

Aurora gave him a small nod. "Sounds good to me," she replied.

The moment hung in the air, warm and happy, until Aurora’s expression shifted as she remembered something. "Wait," she said, frowning slightly. "You were saying something earlier about my stepmother being abducted. What was that about?"

Xander’s smile faltered, and he shook his head. "Sweetheart, let’s not ruin this beautiful moment with irrelevant news. We can talk about later tomorrow."

Aurora’s eyes narrowed. "Xander, I want to know. Don’t brush it off. Besides, my interest is piqued. You don’t want to disappoint a pregnant woman, do you?"

Xander released a deep breath. They had just confirmed she was pregnant, and she was already using it to pave way for herself. He laughed inside of him, wanting to pull her legs, but the determined look on her face left him no choice.

He sighed again, stepping back slightly and crossing his arms. "Fine. After some thorough investigation, Liam and the team confirmed that Stella was abducted. And it was Major Walker who orchestrated it. So, currently, he’s probably holding her hostage in either his private or government owned dungeon."

Aurora furrowed her brows, confusion flashing across her face. "What? Why would he kidnap her? I thought they were on good terms," she said with sarcasm dripping in her tone.

Xander chuckled softly, leaning down to gently grab her nose between his fingers. "Will you stop pretending you don’t know the reason?"

Aurora shrugged, looking away as if to avoid his gaze.

Xander released her nose and peered into her eyes with an almost teasing intensity. "Since you’re playing innocent, let me explain. Your father—"

"He’s not my father," Aurora cut in sharply, her tone firm, her brows knitting together.

"Fine, fine. The Major," Xander corrected, lifting his hands in mock surrender, "probably knew how she’s been treating you all these years and used this opportunity to get revenge for you. I bet he’s been planning on how to skin her alive while playing oblivious to her schemes."

Aurora rolled her eyes. "Well, I don’t need his help," she said stubbornly. Why would she be needing the help of the man that abandoned her and refused to acknowledge her existence?

Just in case Major walker was punishing Stella for mistreating her, Aurora thought it was just a waste of time. She won’t be easily bought over.

Xander smirked, stepping closer and taking her hand. "Maybe not, but what you do need is dinner." He tugged her hand gently. "Come on, let’s go eat before you start craving something random again."

---

At the dinner table, the air between Aurora and Xander was light and filled with excitement. Aurora’s cheeks were rosy, her joy unmistakable. Xander couldn’t stop smiling as he served her some braised pork.

"What do you think we’re having? A son or a daughter?" Xander asked, his eyes twinkling as he placed the food on her plate.

Aurora chuckled heartily. "It’s way too early to know," she said. "And honestly, I don’t care as long as the baby is healthy."

Xander nodded in agreement, his grin widening. "You’re right. I just can’t wait to meet our little one." His tone turned serious as he added, "I want to be there for every stage of this pregnancy. I’ll read every book, go to every appointment, and make sure I’m the best father and husband I can be."

Aurora’s heart swelled at his words, and she smiled to herself, feeling blessed to have such an intentional and caring partner.

Suddenly, she looked up and said, "Xander, let’s not tell anyone about the pregnancy until after tomorrow’s doctor’s appointment."

Xander stiffened slightly, guilt flickering across his face. He had already shared the news with Asher earlier, but he didn’t want to spoil Aurora’s mood. Swallowing nervously, he forgot to respond.

Aurora narrowed her gaze, her fingers tapping the table impatiently. "Darling, you’re not saying anything."

He snapped out of his thoughts and quickly nodded. "Of course. I agree with you completely. No other person will hear a word from me until then."

Satisfied, Aurora leaned back in her chair and focused on her food. Xander silently vowed to avoid any slip-ups moving forward.

---

Private Hospital.

The next day, Aurora and Xander arrived at the private hospital for their doctor’s appointment. The nurses at the front desk greeted them warmly, ushering them straight into the doctor’s office.

"Mrs. Scott," the doctor greeted with a smile, "you look very happy today."

Aurora smiled shyly and took the cue to speak. "Well, I took a pregnancy test yesterday, and it came out positive," she said, her voice tinged with excitement.

The doctor’s smile widened. "That’s wonderful news! Let’s run some tests to confirm and then move forward with a scan."

The tests were completed quickly, and a nurse returned with the sealed results. Aurora’s fingers fidgeted on her lap as the doctor opened the envelope and read the report with a neutral expression.

Finally, the doctor’s lips curled into a warm smile. "Congratulations, Mr. Scott, Mrs. Scott. You’re pregnant."

Aurora and Xander exchanged joyful glances. Aurora’s eyes glowed with excitement, and she struggled to keep her emotions in check. Xander took her hand, squeezing it gently as his own happiness radiated from his face.

"Let’s move on to the scan now," the doctor announced, leading them into an inner room.

Aurora lay on the examination bed while Xander stood by her side, phone in hand, ready to record. The doctor explained the procedure and spread gel over Aurora’s abdomen before placing the device on her skin.

"Focus on the monitor," the doctor instructed. "In no time, the foetus will apply."

Fifteen seconds later, she pointed to a tiny form on the screen. "There’s your baby. It’s about four weeks along."

Aurora’s breath hitched, and Xander’s grip on her hand tightened. They exchanged a quiet, emotional glance before Xander whispered, "That’s our child."

"Yes," Aurora mouthed briefly before moving her gaze back to the monitor. Her joy knew no bounds seeing that tiny human growing in her belly.

As Xander watched the screen for a while, he requested for their baby’s picture. And the doctor smiled and assured him they would receive the scan pictures before leaving.

---

Returning to the doctor’s office, the couple resumed their seats as the doctor handed Xander a dietary plan and prescribed routine medications for Aurora.

"How’s the pregnancy treating you so far?" the doctor asked Aurora.

"No difficulties, thankfully," Aurora replied. "No morning sickness, just a bit of fatigue."

The doctor chuckled. "Sounds like your baby is very cooperative."

She then advised Aurora to avoid strenuous activities and emphasized rest during the early weeks. Xander nodded intently, committing every word to memory as he collected the prescription.

Before Aurora and Xander left the doctor’s office, she scheduled another appointment for them. Meanwhile, the nurse assisting in the room brought in the scanned pictures of their child.

Xander and Aurora departed from the doctor’s office. Rather than allowing anyone else to handle this, Xander took it upon himself to stop by the pharmacy situated in the same hospital building to collect the doctor’s prescribed routine medications.

---

As they left the hospital, Xander held Aurora’s hand. His face was thoughtful, but a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. "The doctor said no vigorous activities. Does that mean I can’t slam into you or pound you from behind anymore?"

Aurora stopped abruptly and glared at him. Then she snatched her hand from his grasp and asked, "Xander, am I a wall or an object that you would want to slam into me?"

Her glare lasted only a second before she turned away and started walking ahead, pretending to be angry while stifling her laughter inside her.

Xander panicked, thinking she was serious. "Sweetheart!" he called, hurrying after her and catching her hand in a firm grasp, refusing a chance to be flung away like a wall-fly. "I was just joking! I’d never think of—" he said quickly.

Aurora burst out laughing, cutting him off. "You’re too easy," she teased, sparing him a glance before looking ahead. "I’m famished. Please take me to that Bistro restaurant nearby. I want to eat Tacos and Tarts."