1. A Baby With Her

Not again! 

It had to be right this time.

Violet cupped her palms together, her eyes shut as she muttered every word of prayer. 

Sitting in the Doctor's office, she tapped her feet rapidly on the floor, her nerves tingling with anxiousness.

As if this was the purpose of her existence, every day she stood on tenterhooks. 

Violet was losing patience, and so was her husband, Clyde.

Many times he tried to hide it, masking his worry with indifference. 

Yet, it was always evident in his demeanor whenever they spoke about having a baby. 

“If you were a researcher, Mrs. Crawford, I bet you'd endure decades for a single breakthrough.”

The Doctor's words jolted her out of her thoughts. 

Violet stiffened, her heart skipping a beat, anticipation and nervousness filling up her chest. 

“W- What do you mean?” Her voice came out as a soft whisper as she rose to her feet, studying the middle-aged man's expression. 

But the Doctor was all smiles. 

Violet had never seen him so happy.

“Mrs. Crawford, congratulations. You're pregnant!”

Three years. 

After three years, she was finally pregnant. 

The news she looked forward to every day now sounded strange in her ears, inciting a foreign emotion. 

She was pregnant!

Violet shook her head, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. “Don't pull my legs-”

“I wouldn't play such an expensive joke!” The Doctor chuckled. “For three years, you've been coming here every month. Isn't it to hear this single news?”

He was right!

And her dream was finally true. 

Their dream. 

Clyde would be over the moon. 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!” Violet hugged the middle-aged man, letting her tears fall freely. “Clyde must reward you!”

“It's all due to your hard work, Mrs. Crawford.”

And Violet couldn't wait to share it with her husband. 

She stormed out of the hospital with the pregnancy test results in her hands. 

How would Clyde react? 

Gosh! She couldn't wait to see the look on his face!

Heart brimming with happiness, Violet cuddled her abdomen as she sat in the backseat of the car. 

What would her baby be like?

What gender would it be?

Would it look like her or Clyde?

Maybe she should give Clyde a phone call and tell him the news.

But what if she broke into tears and wasn't able to speak coherently?

Then Clyde might be worried she'd fallen into danger. 

“Madam, I've never seen you unhappy.” The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “So I guess these are tears of joy. What's the good news?”

Violet wiped her tears. 

Indeed, to the outside world, she was the happiest woman in a blissful marriage with a perfect husband. 

If only the whole world knew how she'd cry herself to sleep every night. 

Sometimes, Clyde would comfort her. 

Sometimes, he'd just stay on the balcony, smoking cigarettes, and sharing her grief.

He'd stand up for her whenever his parents questioned her barrenness, telling them the problem was from him.

While the Doctor had assured them both that they were of sound health!

Violet chuckled, the driver's question slipping her mind. 

He definitely wasn't supposed to be the next person to know she was pregnant. 

Before others, Clyde had to know first. 

What better way to do that than by surprising him? 

“Take me to CJ Group.”

“Right away, Madam.” 

After instructing the driver, Violet closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to calm down. 

She never knew too much happiness could hurt. Her heart felt like bursting and her cheeks ached from smiling. 

When the car pulled over in front of the skyscraper, she literally jumped out, racing inside the company.

“What's wrong with her?”

“Isn't that Mrs. Crawford?”

“Is she alright?”

Violet paid no heed to the employees’ murmurs. 

A hundred pairs of eyes followed her, curious with questions. 

She strode ahead and stepped inside the elevator that took her to the top floor. 

The President's area was empty. Even the secretary wasn't present.  

Hopefully, Clyde wasn't busy with an important meeting.  

One thing Clyde was strict about was work.

Whenever he was at it, she'd move mountains and he wouldn't spare her his attention. 

But Violet couldn't wait. 

She paused in front of his door and lifted a hand to knock-

Then someone giggled. 

Weird!

Was that a woman's voice?

Was Clyde watching TV?

“Clyde, stop it, please…” the sweet voice sounded again. “...Not here.”

“It's not like this is our first time,” said the familiar deep voice. 

Clyde's voice.

Violet gasped, and her palm flew to her chest, feeling her rapid heartbeat.

Did she hear wrong?

That female voice… Cora. 

Cora, his secretary?

“Why don't you ever use protection?” She giggled again, then came the shuffling sound of fabrics. “Will you be responsible if I fall pregnant?”

“Haven't you guessed why I make Violet eat birth control pills every day?” Clyde murmured. “It’s because I only want a baby with you.”