Chapter 7 The Doctor's Visit
Lara pov
I had been living with Damien at his mansion for three days, and I still felt like I was dreaming.
A good dream, for once. Not the nightmares that I had for months.
Every morning, I woke up in a very good place, everywhere was cool and for a second, I was scared, thinking I was back at the Ward mansion, waiting for Claire's or Veronica’s mocking laughter.
Then I'd remember. I was safe and away from them.
But safe didn't mean free.
Because I was pregnant.
The morning sickness had started and I'm scared Damien would find out.
Except I was going to lie, he’d already done a lot for me. He gave me a home to stay, food to eat and even shelter, I honestly do not wanted him to have the knowledge that I was pregnant with another man's child.
A man who'd destroyed me.
I was sitting alone in my room trying to read a book I saw on the table when there was a soft knock on the door.
"Come in," I said.
Damien entered, for a moment, his handsome look caught my attention,he wore a navy suit that fitted him. He must have had meetings today.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Better," I lied. "Much better."
He focused on me like he could see that I was lying.
"Dr. Chen is here. She'd like to examine you to make sure you ate getting better.”
My heart jumped into my throat. "Oh. That's... that's not necessary. I am okay now”
"Lara," Damien said . "You almost died three days ago. Please. Just let her do her work."
I couldn't argue any longer. So I just nodded, and forced a smile.”Okay”.
"Good." He smiled. "She's waiting in the library downstairs. I'll walk you down."
Dr. Sarah Chen stood by the window, a kind-faced woman probably in her forties , she gave me q smile.
"Lara," she said, extending her hand. "It's good to see you awake and moving around."
"Thank you for everything you did," I said, shaking her hand.
It's nothing. “She said. "Please, sit. I just want to do a quick check-up. Make sure everything is healing as it should."
Damien took his bag and left to give us a privacy.
Dr. Chen pulled out her medical bag and began the examination. She did varieties of examination.She was thorough and professional, asking questions in a gentle voice.
"Any dizziness? Headaches? Nausea?"
"Some nausea," I said. "But I think it's just... stress."
Dr. Chen nodded, making notes. "That's understandable because of what you've been through."
She drew blood, checked my reflexes and listened to my breathing.
I was thinking I had escaped it, maybe she wouldn't ask or probably I can hide it for some time.
Then she asked the question I'd been dreading.
"Lara, when was your last period?"
My face went white. My hands started shaking and I began to stammered.
Ehn, It, It…
Dr. Chen noticed immediately. She set down her stethoscope and looked at me with knowing eyes.
"You're pregnant, aren't you?"
I was short of words, I wanted to say a lie and deny it. But honestly, I was tired of lying and hiding it. I needed to tell someone.
"Yes," I whispered.
Dr. Chen didn't feel bothered, she was just being professional.
"For how long?"
"Eight weeks, I think. Maybe nine." My voice was shaking. "I took a test a few weeks ago, but I haven't seen a doctor or anything. Everything happened so fast and I—"
"It's okay," Dr. Chen said. "You're here now. That's what matters."
Tears rolled down my eyes. "Please don't tell Damien, I beg you . He's already done so much for me. I can't burden him with this. I'll leave, I'll figure something out, but please don't—"
"Lara, stop." She moved closer, her voice was kind. I'm bound by doctor-patient confidentiality. I won't tell him anything if you don't want me to. But we still need to talk about your health and the baby's health as well."
I nodded, wiping my eyes.
Dr. Chen pulled her chair closer. "You've been through a whole lot. Your body is already under stress, and now it's trying to sustain a pregnancy again."
"Is the baby okay?" I asked, placing my hand on my stomach.
"Right now, yes. But Lara, if you don't take proper care of yourself, you could lose this baby." Her eyes were serious. "You need prenatal vitamins immediately. Proper nutrition—three meals a day minimum, with protein and iron and you need enough rest.”
"I'll prescribe everything you need," Dr. Chen continued. "But you need to follow every steps I gave you. You must not skip meals, you must not stress yourself at all.”
"I will," I promised. "I'll do whatever it takes."
Dr. Chen studied me for a moment. "Can I ask you something?"
I nodded.
"Does the father know?"
My jaw clenched. "No. And he never will."
"Lara—"
"He threw me out," I said, my voice hard. "He took everything from me. My home, my father's company, my dignity. He drugged me, humiliated me and even destroyed me. He doesn't deserve to know about this baby."
Dr. Chen kept mute for a moment before she finally said."That's your choice to make. I just want to make sure you have support. Pregnancy is hard enough without going through it alone."
"I'm not alone," I said. "I have... I have Damien. For now, at least."
"He seems like a good man," Dr. Chen said carefully. "Are you sure you don't want to tell him?"
"No," I said immediately. "He took me in out of kindness. Because he knew my father. I can't... I can't take advantage of that. It's not fair to him."
Dr. Chen wasn't convinced, but she nodded. "Alright. But Lara, it will soon be showing that you are pregnant.
I felt disturbed in ma stomach."I know.
I'll figure something out by then. Maybe I would have found a place to stay."
"You need to focus on staying healthy," Dr. Chen interrupted. "Everything else can wait."
She packed up her equipment and pulled out a prescription pad, writing quickly.
"Prenatal vitamins. Iron supplements. Folic acid." She tore off the sheet and handed it to me. "I'll have these delivered directly here. Damien won't see them, I'll mark them as general supplements for recovery."
"Thank you," I whispered. "Thank you so much for all."
Dr. Chen gave me a hug."Take care of yourself, Lara. And if you need anything, just let me know.
After she left, I sat alone, staring at the prescription in my hands.
Prenatal vitamins.
Iron supplements.
Folic acid.
This was already a proof that I was pregnant and there was a life growing inside me.
Lucas's baby.
The thought made me feel sick.This baby wasn't supposed to be conceived in a loveless marriage.
Not for a father who was cruel and a mother who was broken.
But this baby was innocent.
And I would protect it with everything I had.
Lucas would never know. He'd lost his He didn't have any right to know since he threw me out like a refuse. The moment he chose Lisa over his own wife.
This baby was mine only.
I pressed my hand to my stomach, there was no bump yet.
"I promise you," I whispered. "I promise I'll keep you safe. I'll figure this out. I'll be strong enough for both of us."
The baby didn't respond, of course. It was too early for that.
But I felt it anyway, a connection, a bond that went deeper than blood.
This baby was my second chance. My reason to survive.
And I would do whatever it took to give this child the life I never had.
I stood up and kept the prescription into my pocket, and walked back to my room.
Damien was in the hallway, clearly waiting for me.
"Is everything okay?" he asked. "Dr. Chen said you're recovering well."
"Yes," I said, managed to smile. "She just wants me to rest more and take some supplements. Nothing serious."
Damien studied my face, and for a moment I was scared if he knew I was lying.
But he just nodded. "Good. I'm glad."
"Thank you," I said. "For everything. For the doctor, and…."
"You don't have to thank me, Lara," he interrupted calmly. "I told you. You're safe here."
Safe.
The word got a bit strange to me.
I'd never been safe. Not really. Not with Lucas. Not with his family.
But maybe, just maybe, I could be safe here.
At least until the baby started showing. At least until I had to figure out my next move.
"I should rest," I said. "Doctor's orders."
"Sure." Damien stepped aside, letting me pass. "I'll have someone sent dinner to your room."
"Thank you."
I closed the door to my room and leaned against it and exhaled deeply.
I still have few weeks or maybe a month before my secret be exposed.
A few weeks to figure out what the hell I was going to do.
I walked to the window and looked out at the gardens, one hand resting on my stomach.
"We're gonna be okay," I whispered.
"Somehow, we're gonna be."
I just had to believe it.
Even if it was hard to believe it yet.