What's that beeping sound? I feel so tired but I still open my eyes. I see two men talking next to my bed. Uncle Jason and Harry. I try to get up and JJ comes to my side in a second and helps me up.
"You've got to stop these hospital visits Bella. I've seen you on this bed enough times." I noticed he's so dramatic and sometimes I wonder if it's a family thing. I mean, everyone complains that I'm so dramatic. Though I'm not.
"It's only twice JJ. In fact, the bed gets even comfier." I try to joke. I look around and notice I'm in a private room. No annoying disinfectant smell, a larger tv and a bigger room. It looks exactly to which Sydney had been in. Speaking of him. "Where's Sydney?"
Harry lets out a frustrated sigh. "He left. His fiancé needed him." I try to let out a nonchalant shrug but somehow it hurts. I got the anxiety attack when I was with him and I blame him for it. He leaves when he gets a phone call from his annoying Bianca? Okay. Maybe not annoying but I'm annoyed. He's supposed to be here. He really doesn't care about me or the baby.
"What happened? What did the doctor say?" I try to break the awkward silence. Has Harry told JJ about Sydney?
"I'll go get Dr Greene." JJ says and I nod at him. Talk about deja vu.
*****
Apparently I've been so stressed lately and since I'm at the beginning of the second trimester, I could still be in danger of losing my baby. Stress is so harmful to the foetus. Noted. No stress. I also get to have a bed rest for 3 days and Harry is back to being a mother hen therefore less time for him and Amelia even though she says she understands. To cheer him up I invited her over for a sleepover.
Mr Keels forbade me from going back to work until six months after the baby is born. Says he can handle the work and I should avoid stress. I was so used to the place. I'll miss Bill. His position is still secured as my PA and he was transferred temporarily to another head of department. He's so efficient in his work.
A week after I'm from the hospital and I'm so bored and out of my mind. Maybe I should go for a walk for an hour. We also need some items from the store.
After I ensure I have my phone and cash with me, I start my walk using the longer routes. I buy the items which are not so much. I really I'm happy that I don't feel so easily exhausted and apart from the slight bump that I have, no other physical changes can be seen. Yeah I know there will be increase in my body size, bla bla bla but I'm already mentally prepared. I don't have anyone to feel insecure about for and I'm really trying not to have any kind of stress especially from normal things like this.
I pick up the few items and start heading home. Fifteen minutes later I see a black Porsche in front of our house and I groan. Now what does he want? I think about going for another round but I know I'll be so exhausted by the time I'll be back. I take a deep breath and go to the house passing the car but the voice that stops me isn't Sydney's.
"Hi. I didn't expect you here." I try to smile at Bianca but she gives me a tight lipped smile. OH! UH! Does this have to happen now?
"Come in. Let's talk inside." I hold the door open for her and she gets inside without a word. "Can I get you some..."
"Drop the act Isabella. You're pregnant with another man's baby and now you're after my fiancé?" Wait, what? She thinks I'm after Sydney Kings?
"Did you talk to your fiancé before you came here to accuse me of such things?"
"I don't need to when I have the proof here. I know you've been meeting at different places. Don't you dare deny it." She throws some papers on my chest and they fall. I bend to pick them and notice they are photos. I study them and dread fills me.
They are photo shopped. One looks genuine enough when we had the forced -well, on my side- lunch together. Another one is when we were outside the hotel when Sydney was trying to tell me about his plan. Well, in this one we seem to be... kissing? Just when I have to avoid stress. Great!
"Can we call Sydney and talk about this? Maybe he can explain everything to you. This," I say showing her the photos. "are not real. Apart from this." I show her the real one. "I'm not into engaged men." Apart from yours.
"I really hope I can trust you Isabella. I don't take things lightly and I would rather not mess with me." What is she....?
"Are you threatening me Bianca?" She tries to smirk but fails. Or maybe I'm used to her fiancé’s smirks. Gosh! That's sick.
"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not." I glare at her as she does the same and the front door opens.
"Hey I saw a Porsche outside. Is he..." Harry stops when he notices us.
"Harry. Bianca here was just leaving." I give him a smile. Bianca leaves without a word but when she reaches at the door, she stops. "Isabella. You better watch your back. The business world is too dangerous for armatures. No offence." With that she leaves. NO OFFENCE? I will show you offence.
"What's that about?" Harry asks in a concerned voice.
"Long story short, she insinuated I'm a slut going after her husband to be when I'm expecting someone else's baby." I might be attracted to Sydney but there are boundaries. She is.
"So she doesn't know about his fiancé’s secret?" I shake my head no. It's now or never to tell Harry about Sydney's plan.
"There's something I have to tell you after you promise me something Harry."
"You called me Harry." He only picked that up. I glare at him. “Okay. Okay. I promise." He lifts his hands in a surrender position.
"Promise me you won't go after the person I'll tell you about." I show him my please face. He looks at me for a minute until he obliges. "I promise. Or promise to really try not to."
"Fair enough." I take a deep breath. I have to tell him.
"Sydney planned all this. He wanted this baby." I say pointing to my tummy.
"WHAT?" Harry shouts. I hold his hand still to calm him down.
"He confessed to me three weeks ago when we had Lunch but I never told him his plan succeeded." My voice lowers.
"He said he needed the baby and even though he didn't know me, he planned to make me his surrogate and pretend to be wife for a year. A picture perfect family for a business deal." I stand from my seat and look away.
"We would divorce and I would get paid and leave him and my baby for good." I never thought about this and talking about it makes me feel like I need to cry. "That day he took me to hospital, he found out he's the daddy." Aarrggh! Hormones. Harry takes me in his arms and the familiar scent engulfs me making me feel better but suddenly the flood gates open and I cry on his chest until no more tears are seen.
"I'm going to kill that man you know." Harry states as he plays with my hair as he always does whenever I'm upset. I don't respond since I'm too sleepy to understand what he says.