Monica's POV
"Wow, I never knew Nicholas could be this caring," Anthony teased the instant he saw us both stepping down from the car with Nicholas by my side, helping me take each step.
"Shut the fuck up, Anthony," Nicholas fired back, and I saw a deep frown on his face. It was the kind of frown that meant business, and I could tell he was still on edge after everything that had happened.
We walked inside the house, and the aroma from the kitchen hit me so hard that I inhaled deeply with my eyes closed. The comforting smells of home-cooked food made my stomach growl despite my lack of appetite.
"Come, let's eat," Nicholas said beside me, ushering me to take a seat at the dining table. His tone was calmer now, but the underlying tension was still there.
"Welcome, sir. Welcome, ma," Patricia greeted us with a bright smile as she began serving the food. Patricia was an elderly woman in her late fifties, her hair a mixture of black and white strands that showed how old she was getting. Her presence was a comforting constant in the household.
I looked at the food-a spread of roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and steamed vegetables. It all looked delicious, but I just didn't have the appetite to eat. My stomach churned, and I turned my face away, trying to suppress the nausea that was bubbling up.
"Open your mouth," Nicholas ordered calmly, holding a spoonful of mashed potatoes in front of my mouth. "You know you can't just remain like this. You have to eat something to keep your energy."
"I don't want to," I said, turning my face to the other side. The food smelled wonderful, but the thought of eating it made my stomach turn.
"But you have to at least do it for the sake of the child in your womb," Nicholas yelled, his patience wearing thin. I knew I had pissed him off again by disobeying him, but I couldn't help it. The very sight of food made me nauseous.
"Hey, chill, Nicholas," Anthony said, chewing on his food with enthusiasm. "She'll eat when she's ready."
"But I don't feel like it," I responded, my voice barely above a whisper. The fatigue and stress of the past few days had taken a toll on me.
"But this food tastes so good, Monica. Just have a spoon," Anthony suggested, his mouth full.
"No," I replied, shaking my head. The more they insisted, the less I wanted to eat.
"I'm taking from my precious time to try and make you eat, and you're refusing. If you don't eat, you will starve my baby," Nicholas said coldly. His words stung, but I knew he was right. I had to eat for the baby's sake.
"You fainted today, and the doctor said you need food and rest. Here you are, refusing to eat just because you have no appetite," he continued, frustration clear in his voice.
"Nicholas, you don't shout at a pregnant lady like that. Have some dignity," a stern voice from the door interrupted, and everyone turned to see an elderly woman in her mid-sixties walking into the dining room.
"Hi, Aunt," Nicholas greeted, running his hands through his hair. It was clear he was frustrated, and his aunt's unexpected arrival had thrown him off balance.
"This must be our bride," the elderly woman said, her gaze shifting to me. I forced a smile, though my strength was waning. "I'm Mrs. Ella, and I'm Karl's wife."
"Nice to meet you, ma," I said politely.
"You're so pretty. Now I see why Nicholas couldn't leave you," she complimented, her warm hands softly holding my chin up to meet her gaze.
"Thank you, ma," I said, feeling my cheeks heat up.
"Call me Aunt," she suggested, and I nodded in agreement.
"Why are you yelling at her, Nicholas?" Mrs. Ella shifted her gaze to Nicholas, who just went mute, staring back at her speechless.
"Don't you like the food, honey?" she asked, turning her attention back to me.
"No, I don't. It smells nice, but I don't feel like eating," I admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"You better eat something because I'm not ready to lose my baby," Nicholas barked, but Mrs. Ella's stern look made him mute instantly.
"What do you want to eat, honey?" she asked with a soothing and lovely voice. The attention she was giving me was comforting. I thought deeply about what I wanted to eat, and instantly apples came to mind. The moment I thought about apples, I had a deep craving for them. But looking at the murderous gaze Nicholas kept shooting at me, I swallowed hard and became nervous about asking for apples. "Come on, honey, whatever you want to eat will be brought to you."
"Apples," I blurted out, surprising myself. Anthony choked on the water he was drinking, shooting me a surprised look. "I want apples," I repeated, more anxiously this time.
"Wrong move, Monica," Anthony said, shaking his head.
"Shut up, Anthony, and what are you even doing in Nicholas's house?" Mrs. Ella asked, her tone sharp.
"Nicholas, get her some apples," she ordered.
"No, I won't do that. Aunt, you know that apples are my favorite, and I don't share my apples with anyone," Nicholas protested, just as I had predicted.
"Will you stop behaving like a five-year-old kid and get your wife an apple," Mrs. Ella said sternly.
"She is not my wife," he spat angrily.
"She will be soon, and that's why I'm teaching you how to share your things with her. Very soon, you both will have to start sharing everything."
"Aunt, I'm not doing it," Nicholas replied stubbornly.
Mrs. Ella walked past him and, after a few seconds, returned with a knife, plate, and four apples. The sight of the apples made me salivate as I started imagining how they would taste. She peeled them and sliced them into tiny bits, and I ate them all in one go. After eating five extra apples, my stomach was so tight that I had no space for any other fruit or food.
"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Mrs. Ella said, smiling warmly at me.
I nodded, feeling a bit better. "Thank you, Aunt," I said, genuinely grateful for her intervention.
"You're welcome, dear. Now, Nicholas, take better care of her. She's carrying your child, and she needs your support," Mrs. Ella admonished, giving him a stern look.
Nicholas nodded, looking a bit chastened. "She is just too_"
"Hard to control?" Mrs Ella asked and Nicholas just sighed. Mrs. Ella patted his shoulder. "Do you want her to lose the baby?"
"Of course not" Nicholas responded with his eyes widened.
"Good then do what a good fiance and father would do. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to have a word with your uncle. Monica, if you need anything, just let me know."
"Thank you," I said, watching her leave the room. The warmth of her presence lingered even after she was gone.
Anthony leaned back in his chair, still chewing. "Well, that was entertaining. Apples, huh? Never would have guessed."
Nicholas rolled my eyes at him. "You're such an idiot, Anthony."
He grinned. "Maybe, but I'm a well-fed idiot."
Nicholas shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "Please, go home and give us some peace."
Anthony saluted playfully. "Aye, aye, Captain. Call me if you need anything, Monica."
I nodded, smiling at him. "Thanks, Anthony."
As he left, Nicholas turned to me, his expression neutral. "I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier but you were being a pain in the ass. I just... I worry about the baby. This baby means a lot to me and I can't risk losing it so please cooperate and make this easy for both of us"
"I know, but please, try to understand what I'm going through. It's not easy. Being pregnant with a child does a lot to the body and messes with our emotions. If you ask me why I wanted apples, I have no idea but I guess the baby wanted it"
"I understand. We're in this together." Nicholas responded.
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief. For the first time in a while, I felt like we were truly a team.
The doorbell rang but Nicholas just sat back unbothered. Moments later, Greg walked in, a smug look on his face.
"Greg, what are you doing here?" Nicholas asked, his voice tense.
"Just checking on my favorite brother and his lovely fiancée," Greg said, his eyes glinting with mischief.
I felt a chill run down my spine. Greg's presence always made me uneasy. There was something about him that I didn't trust, that I also didn't like.
"Well, you've checked. Now, you can leave," Nicholas said, his tone cold.
"Oh, come on, Nicholas. Don't be like that," Greg said, stepping further into the dining. "I just wanted to see how Monica is doing."
"I'm fine," I said, forcing a smile. "Thank you for your concern."
Greg's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at me. "I heard you had a bit of a scare today. Fainted, didn't you?"
I nodded, feeling the tension in the room escalate. "Yes, but I'm feeling much better now."
"Good to hear," Greg said, his gaze shifting to Nicholas. "You must be thrilled, brother. A baby on the way and a beautiful fiancée by your side."
Nicholas's jaw tightened. "Yes, I am. Now, if you don't mind, we were just about to relax for the evening."
Of course," Greg said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "But I'm just curious as to why Ethan Knight keeps coming to my office to ask about Monica."