Chapter 234: More Time

LEITANA

I watched as Elias Monroe walked away with mi Ravial toward the study, my lips curled into a small, polite smile. I didn’t think I would see Mr. Monroe again after that masquerade party, but I was glad he was here. He seemed nice enough, even if mi Ravial always got a little tense around him.

Now that the truth was out, the guests at the dinner party treated me differently. They smiled at me warmly, called me “Mrs. Leitana Ashbourne” without hesitation, and some even congratulated me on the pregnancy. It felt strange but nice, no more pretending to be Avery.

I moved around the ballroom slowly, greeting guests, making small talk, and trying my best to be the graceful wife Ravial deserved. My champagne-colored maternity gown flowed beautifully around me, and I kept one hand resting on my bump, feeling our baby move every now and then.

But halfway through the evening, something felt wrong.

A sharp wave of queasiness hit me. My stomach twisted painfully. I rubbed my belly gently, trying to breathe through it, but the discomfort only grew stronger.

Mama noticed immediately. She came to my side, placing a worried hand on my arm.

“Are you okay, honey?” she asked softly, searching my face. “You look a little pale.”

I forced a smile, not wanting to worry her. “Yes, Mama. Mi fine. Just a little tired. The baby is very active tonight.”

She didn’t look fully convinced but nodded. “Go rest for a bit if you need to. Don’t push yourself.”

I excused myself politely and slipped away toward the kitchen. The delicious smells of Rose’s cooking filled the air, roasted herbs, garlic, and fresh bread. It usually made my mouth water, but tonight it turned my stomach.

Rose looked up from stirring a pot and beamed at me. “Missus! You came to check on me?”

I smiled weakly, leaning against the counter. “It smells delicious, Rose. Thank you for working so hard tonight.”

She waved her hand, cheeks pink with pride. “Anything for you and Mr. Ashbourne. You go rest, ma’am. I’ll send a plate to your room if you want.”

I thanked her again and stepped out, but the pain came back sharper this time, like something was twisting inside me. I hurried down the hallway toward the private bathroom near the ballroom.

The moment I locked the door, I dropped to my knees in front of the toilet and vomited.

It wasn’t normal.

Thick, black substance came out first, the same dark, unnatural fluid I had seen before. But this time it was mixed with streaks of bright red blood. I coughed and retched again, tears stinging my eyes as my body trembled.

I sat back on the cold floor, breathing hard, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. My stomach still hurt, a deep, aching pain that felt like it was coming from somewhere much deeper than just my belly.

I rubbed my bump slowly, tears slipping down my cheeks.

“Papa God…” I whispered, voice shaking. “Please give me more time. Please… let me carry this baby safely for mi husband. Let me give him this gift. Mi don’t want to leave him yet. Please… just a little more time.”

The pain slowly eased, but the fear remained. My body was failing me again. Whatever had been wrong with me since the beginning, the mysterious sickness, the black vomit, the weakness, it was getting worse. I could feel it.

I stayed on the floor for a few more minutes, trying to steady my breathing and fix my makeup in the mirror so no one would notice. When I finally stepped out, I forced a calm smile back onto my face.

Ravial was still in the study with the guests.

I placed both hands on my belly and whispered again, almost like a prayer.

“Please hold on, my baby. Mi need to stay strong for your Papa.”

I walked back toward the ballroom, heart heavy but determined.

I would keep fighting.

For Ravial.

For our child.

For as long as I possibly could.

I walked back toward the ballroom with a calm smile fixed on my face, even though my stomach still ached and my legs felt a little unsteady. I didn’t want anyone to notice. Not tonight. This was an important dinner for Ravial’s business, and I wanted to be the wife he could be proud of.

But as the minutes passed, I started to worry.

Ravial still hadn’t returned from the study with Mr. Monroe. The other guests were mingling, laughing, and chatting, but my husband was nowhere in sight. That wasn’t like him. He usually stayed close, especially when I was in a room full of people.

I tried to focus on the conversation with an older couple, friends of the Governor who were asking me about the baby and how I was adjusting to married life. I smiled and answered politely, one hand resting on my bump, but my eyes kept drifting toward the hallway that led to the private study.

Something felt… off.

After a few more minutes, I gently excused myself.

“Please forgive me,” I said with a small smile. “Mi need to check on something.”

They nodded kindly, and I slipped away, walking slowly but purposefully down the hallway toward the study. My heart beat a little faster with every step. The mansion was quiet in this part of the house, the sounds of the party fading behind me.

I stopped in front of the heavy wooden door.

I couldn’t hear anything. No voices. No conversation. Just silence.

That made me even more nervous. Ravial and Mr. Monroe had been gone for too long. What could they be talking about that required this much privacy?

I raised my hand to knock, but before my knuckles could touch the wood, the door suddenly swung open.

It nearly hit me in the face.

I gasped and stumbled back a step, one hand flying to my belly protectively.

Elias Monroe stepped out.

He stopped short when he saw me standing there, his eyes widening slightly in surprise before quickly smoothing into a charming smile. He was tall, well-dressed, and carried himself with the same kind of confidence Ravial had, but there was something different in the way he looked at me.

“Mrs. Ashbourne,” he said smoothly, voice low. “I didn’t expect to find you here.”

I took another small step back, heart racing. “Mi… mi was just looking for mi husband. Is he still inside?”

Elias didn’t answer immediately. His gaze dropped for a brief second to my belly, then slowly trailed back up to my face. The hallway suddenly felt too quiet and isolated.

He took one small step closer, his smile never fading.

“Ravial is… finishing up a call,” he said softly. “But since I have you here alone for a moment…”

He paused, eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

“…there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you.”