255 This Is Strange!
Just thinking about it was enough to twist Evelyn’s stomach.
She almost texted him…
<i>“</i><i>Are </i><i>you </i><i>okay</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
Then, “What <i>happened</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
Followed by, <i>“</i><i>Are </i>you injured<i>? </i><i>Again</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
She deleted all three.
No. She needed to stay calm. She needed to breathe. She needed… To panic privately.
Evelyn stood from the couch and paced around the cabin’s living room, running a hand through her hair.
Her heart was pounding so fast she felt dizzy.
Meanwhile, Oliver sat on the floor quietly, ying with his wooden soldiers. He didn’t seem to notice her spiraling thoughts.
“Mommy, look!” he said proudly. “I built a fortress!”
“Good job, sweetheart,” she smiled at him before Oliver’s attention returned to his toy.
Evelyn’s gaze dropped back to her phone.
<i>“</i><i>Tomorrow </i><i>morning</i>, we are <i>going </i><i>to </i>the hospital.”
She swallowed hard after rereading the text.
This man… was going to give her a heart attack.
Evelyn sat down again, gripping her phone, staring as if it would magically give more exnation.
But nothing came.
Just silence.
Evelyn exhaled sharply and pressed the back of her hand to her forehead before resting her back. Shey on the sofa.
She waited another minute.
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255 This Is Strange!
Finally, she typed a slow message, hesitant but unable to stop herself.
<i>“</i><i>Why </i><i>the </i><i>hospital</i><i>? </i><i>Hubby</i><i>, </i><i>is </i><i>something </i>wrong<i>?</i><i>” </i>
Her thumb hovered over send.
But before she could press it, she stopped.
She took a deep breath, then pushed, <i>“</i><i>Send</i><i>.</i>”
…
While in the Apex Tower.
Axel sat behind his desk, staring at the screen but not actually seeing anything.
The open document in front of him was a financial report he usually would have read in under a minute.
Today, he had spent ten minutes staring at the same paragraph without absorbing a single number.
He leaned back, exhaled, and pinched the bridge of his nose.
His mind kept circling back to one thing.
Evelyn.
More precisely… the possibility she might be pregnant. He was excited.
Finally, they will have a new family member.
Finally, he will be there with them to guard and take care of them.
However now,
He wasn’t sure. He had no proof. And, he didn’t want to assume. He didn’t want to ask her without knowing. And he definitely did not want to worry her unless he had
answers.
He had already called his personal doctor, David Hamm, first thing this morning. While David shares his perspective, he rmends that Evelyn visit the OB–Gyn* to confirm the results.
Just thinking the word baby made something tight, warm, and terrifying twist in his chest.
“Get a grip, man…” he muttered to himself. “You’re acting like a nervous teenage boy.”
210
<
255 This Is Strange!
Well, he wasn’t a boy. He was the man who wanted to give Evelyn everything she ever dreamed of… including a family she would feel safe in.
Axel tried to go back to work, but his phone buzzed again before he could even pretend to focus.
He wanted to say something to her, something he needed to tell her before he backed
out.
Axel typed before he could overthink.
“Eve, tomorrow morning, we are going to the hospital.”
He stared at the sent message.
Then, he immediately imagined her expression… Her eyes widening, her brows knitting together, her mind jumping to a hundred conclusions. She would worry. She would panic. She would overthink.
Precisely what he didn’t want.
But they needed to go. He needed answers.
And he refused to risk missing something important, especially something involving her health.
Axel dropped his phone on the desk and rubbed his temples.
He had spent the entire morning rearranging his schedule, clearing tomorrow, and instructing his staff to keep a subtle eye on Evelyn during her hike today. Ryan and Lisa were there. Jimmy was following discreetly.
Of course, she would notice them. Of course, she wouldin. But he would rather have her irritated than unsafe.
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaled, and stood up from his chair,pletely forgetting about his work.
Therge windows behind him overlooked the city. People rushing, cars honking, skyscrapers glinting in the afternoon sun. The world kept moving.
But for him, it felt strangely still.
Because Evelyn’sughter–echoing in his mind from breakfast–kept reying, it kept echoing too because Oliver kept calling him <i>“</i><i>Daddy </i><i>who </i><i>stole </i><i>Mommy</i>,” making him smile like an idiot.
<
255 This Is Strange!
After some time, he cleared his mind, went back to his desk, grabbed his phone again,
and wrote a text to Ryan:
“<i>How </i><i>are </i><i>things </i><i>there</i>?”
He checked the time. Evelyn and Oliver should already be at the mountain by now.
<i>“</i><i>Lady </i>Boss and the <i>young </i>master are still in the cabin, <i>both </i><i>looking </i>happy<i>. </i><i>We </i>have <i>already </i>returned to the house as instructed<i>.</i>”
Good. He needed her and Oliver to be unquestionably happy today.
Because tomorrow might bring questions.
He ced his cell phone and forced himself to review his schedule.
However, it didn’t take long…
His phone buzzed.
Axel straightened immediately.
One message from Evelyn.
He unlocked the screen.
“Why the hospital? Hubby, is something <i>wrong</i><i>?</i><i>” </i>
Axel read it twice. Then once more, because she was calling him “Hubby”
He leaned back, staring at those words with a slow, growing smile.
God, he loved this woman.
He typed instantly.
<i>“</i>Meeting <i>my </i>friend<i>…</i>”
When he hit send, a smile appeared on his lips. He knows that’s the correct answer to make her feel less suspicious or worried.
Just when Axel thought Evelyn would stop asking about the hospital, another message arrived.
<i>“</i>Axel<i>, </i><i>do </i><i>not </i><i>overly </i>concern yourself about me. Take <i>good </i>care <i>of </i>yourself<i>, </i><i>too</i><i>. </i>If <i>you’re </i>hurt<i>, </i><i>let’s </i><i>go </i>to the hospital. <i>Now</i>.”
Axel stared at the text, thenughed. Of course, she would think that.
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255 This Is Strange!
He leaned back in his office chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Evelyn was probably pacing in the cabin, overthinking every possibility. And here he was, trying to figure out how to drag her to the hospital tomorrow without giving away that he suspected she might be pregnant.
He nced at his watch. He still had one more meeting this afternoon, although his entire mind was already halfway home.
He typed back, firm but gentle.
<i>“</i><i>No. </i>I’m <i>not </i><i>injured</i><i>. </i><i>Not </i>even a scratch. Stop <i>imagining </i>things. I’mpletely healthy and fine<i>.</i><i>” </i>
He sent it right away before she could worry more.
Then he put his phone on the table and exhaled slowly.
“This is strange… Shouldn’t the woman have known first? Why am I the one uncovering this? Are there any husbands out there like me?”
*A/N: OB–GYN is an abbreviation for obstetrician–gynecologist, a medical doctor who specializes in women’s reproductive health.
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Sara Lili
<strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.