Chapter 189 So What If Your Wife Is Pregnant?
Alexander's reply came instantly. [I'm outside. Can take Arabella home whenever she's ready.]
Daisy felt a wave of emotion. He'd never left at allhe'd been waiting out there the whole time. Suddenly she felt bad. Such a good man, and Arabella was just... letting him go. What a waste.
"You know what I think?" Daisy grabbed Arabella's arm. "Maybe you should actually talk to Alexander about all this stuff you're worried about? You might be stressing over nothing. Or maybe he has ways to avoid all those problems. And if there's nothing else.
, spend more time with him,who knows, you might decide he's worth making some sacrifices for?"
Arabella was quiet for a moment. "I don't want to make things hard for him."
Love had to be mutual. If she couldn't accept a relationship with such a huge status gap, that was her issue. Making him compromise for her wouldn't be fair to him. Arabella didn't want to be that person.
Daisy kept pushing. "You liked him so much before. And now you finally found out the feelings go both ways. Doesn't it seem like a waste to just throw that away?"
Arabella paused while putting on her shoes. After a long moment, she smiled helplessly. "But if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. What am I supposed to do about that?"
Daisy opened her mouth but couldn't find any more words of comfort. All she could do was silently pray for Alexander.
Arabella had planned to call a cab home, but the moment she walked out of the complex, she spotted Alexander. His car was still parked in the same spot, and he stood in front of it, his shadow stretching long and lonely under the streetlights.
She'd never seen anyone wait like this before. He wasn't looking down at his phone or finding other ways to kill time. He was just... waiting. Simply waiting.
He was the head of the FitzRoy family. His time had to be valuable, right? Arabella knew that even when waiting for Daisy, she'd mindlessly scroll through her phone. She could never wait the way Alexander waited for her.
It was a feeling that struck straight to her heart—like to him, she was everything. The only color in his world. At least during the time he waited, she was his entire universe.
In that moment, Arabella's already wavering resolve crumbled a little more. Because he was good. He was truly, genuinely good.
Alexander had already spotted her. The corners of his mouth curved up instinctively into a gentle smile. "Did you eat?"
Arabella nodded. "Yeah, I did."
Then she realized something was off. Thinking back to those beautifully packaged dishes with their incredible flavors—food that was clearly way above Daisy's usual standards—she paused. "You sent that food, didn't you?"
Alexander raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised she'd figured it out. "Had our chef prepare it and send it over." Worried she'd think he was overstepping, he quickly added, "I wasn't trying to control you or anything. I just noticed you didn't eat much at dinner, and I was worried takeout might not be clean or that you wouldn't be able to keep it down."
Arabella nodded silently and walked to the car. She opened the door but didn't get in, asking instead, "After you dropped me off, you never left?"
Alexander thought she was angry. "I wasn't spying on you! I just thought... in case you wanted to come home, it'd be hard to get a cab this late."
Arabella paused, then smiled faintly. After a moment she said, "Thank you."
Then she got in the car.
That single "thank you" turned Alexander's heart cold. When they'd first gotten together, she'd been this polite too. After spending so much time together, she'd finally become close with him, comfortable. But now that she knew his real identity, the walls were back up.
All his efforts, wasted.
Alexander hesitated before saying, "It's what I should do."
He started the car and heard Arabella say, "There's no 'should' about it. We're getting divorced. You don't need to lower yourself like this. You're not my servant—you don't need to bend over backward for me."
Every word came from a place of consideration for him, yet every word pushed him further away.
Alexander's grip tightened on the steering wheel, knuckles going white. Then he laughed. "Like I said before—you have the right to refuse me, and I have the right to pursue you. You can't stop me from trying, can you?"
Arabella looked at his reflection in the rearview mirror, her chest tightening. After a long pause, "Alex, can't we just part on good terms?"
"No." Alexander's response came immediately, his tone almost petulant. He paused, then relaxed slightly with a smile. "You rejecting me is your business. Me pursuing you is mine. Arabella, you can't bully me just because I like you."
Arabella turned her face to the window and stopped talking.
"Let's not think about all that right now," Alexander said gently. "Just go home and rest."
Arabella made a sound of agreement. He was being so gentle she couldn't even bring herself to say a harsh word.
They arrived home quickly. Moris was sitting in the living room. When he saw Alexander, he stood immediately. "Mr. FitzRoy, Becky's already asleep. She finished all her homework and reviewed her lessons for tomorrow."
Alexander nodded. "Thanks for your help."
Moris touched his nose a bit sheepishly. Truth was, Mr. FitzRoy had called him over to watch Becky, but he hadn't helped with anything. The girl was incredibly self-sufficient—didn't get a single homework problem wrong, didn't need any supervision at all. He'd just sat there and watched her methodically work through everything after sharing a meal with her.
That little girl made him feel inadequate as an adult.
After greeting Arabella, Moris left.
Arabella looked at Alexander thoughtfully. "Last time you were drunk, you lied and said he was your coworker."
She'd rushed over to take care of him, never imagining that this big-shot CEO didn't need anyone's help—he could summon an army of people with the snap of his fingers. But he'd still tricked her into coming over, then gotten handsy with her at home, and finally lost control...
Thinking about it made Arabella's face burn. What was wrong with her, bringing this up?
Alexander clearly followed her train of thought back to that night, looking uncomfortable. "I didn't mean to. I'd had too much to drink. Moris called you on his own."
Afraid the conversation would get more awkward, Arabella quickly agreed and headed for the shower.
While she bathed, Alexander stood guard right outside the door. The moment he'd learned about her pregnancy, he'd contacted a renovation company to eliminate every potential hazard in the house. The bathroom floor couldn't be replaced on such short notice, so he'd covered it with non-slip mats instead.
But he still worried. He was terrified she might fall.
Inside the bathroom, Arabella noticed the changes too. Non-slip mats on the floor, soft covers over every sharp corner, the tile walls given an anti-slip treatment, and grab bars installed at heights perfectly suited to her. She stared at those grab bars, her chest aching.
Alexander was so good to her. At this rate, she felt like continuing to refuse him would just make her seem ungrateful.
She sighed softly, pushing down her emotions, and turned on the water.
When she emerged after washing up, Alexander was still standing guard outside. She opened her mouth but didn't know what to say. She could guess his reasoning without asking.
At bedtime, it was still one bed, two people. Alexander tried to pull her into his arms like before, but Arabella gently evaded him.
They needed to finalize the divorce soon, Arabella thought. If she stayed with him much longer, she was afraid she'd lose all rationality.
She had a dream that night.
In it, she was back at the Watson family home, not long after marrying Anthony, full of hope about integrating into his world. But at the gathering, those high-society wives had mocked her. When she'd tried greeting people, she'd been met with disdain and sneers. Jennifer had scolded her for being an embarrassment. Anthony had complained she wasn't classy enough, wasn't sophisticated...
Drowning in everyone's criticism, she'd been completely lost. In that moment, she'd felt like she couldn't even breathe.
She woke in the middle of the night. Alexander turned on the bedside lamp, looking at her with concern. "Why are you crying? What did you dream about?"
Arabella took in the familiar scene before her, feeling like she was waking from a trance. She exhaled softly. It was over. Those nightmare days were over.
She gave Alexander a faint smile and shook her head. "Nothing. Probably dreamed about something scary, but I forgot it the moment I woke up."
The deflection was too obvious. Alexander didn't believe her, but seeing the thick wall of guardedness in her eyes, he decided not to press. He just said softly, "Go back to sleep, then."
Ignoring her resistance, he gently patted her shoulder, like he was soothing a child. Arabella found it strange at first, but gradually, under the rhythm of his touch, she actually fell asleep. This time there were no nightmares—only peace.
The next morning, Arabella told Alexander her decision. "I want to have the baby."
She paused, then added, "If you need to, we can each take one."
Alexander's heart, which had been suspended in anxiety, finally settled. He smiled. "No. The children you carry should stay with you. I'm already so happy you've decided to have them. I'll pay full child support—I won't make things difficult for you financially. Whatever issues come up with their growth and education, I'll help you handle them."
This time Arabella didn't refuse. Daisy was right—these were both their children. What was she being so proud for? And she couldn't deny him the right to be a father.
"So when should we go get the divorce finalized?" Arabella couldn't look at him. "We can wait to tell Grandma. I'll go along with whatever you need. But I'd like to get the divorce certificate first."
Alexander's movements froze, but then he nodded. "Okay. Though it can't be today—I need to take you to the hospital for a thorough checkup first. Carrying twins isn't easy. I need to make sure you're healthy."
Arabella didn't refuse.
At the hospital, she discovered he'd had Frank arrange for Majestic City's top OB-GYN to come in. In Frank's office, after giving Arabella a full physical assessment, the doctor said, "Mild anemia—nothing serious, but you need to watch it. Anemia during pregnancy can affect both the fetus and the mother's health. Otherwise everything looks good. Just keep up with regular prenatal checkups."
Alexander carefully wrote down everything the doctor said. After the doctor left, he was about to take Arabella home when Frank grabbed him and pulled him into the inner office.
Frank waved apologetically at Arabella. "Um, Arabella, I just need to have a word with Alex. Sorry to keep you waiting."
Arabella smiled quickly. "Of course, take your time. I'll just wait here."
In the inner office, Frank paced back and forth rapidly, rubbing his hands together and sighing. Alexander's patience wore thin. "You got something to say?"
If you've got something to say, spit it out. Otherwise get out of my way. Arabella's waiting outside.
Frank sighed again, pointing his finger at Alexander's nose. "You, you..."
Then he slapped his thigh. "Alex, what were you thinking?!"
"How did you already knock her up?"
"Last time I saw you, you didn't even know how to win her heart! That was just a few days ago! How did you manage to get her pregnant already?"
"Be honest—did you do it on purpose? You trying to trap a woman with a baby? Let me tell you, you're dead wrong! Women aren't that easy to control. This could totally backfire. What if she ends up resenting you? You'll be screwed!"
"She already doesn't like you, and now you've thrown a baby into the mix. What if she fights you for custody in court?"
After his frantic tirade, Alexander said calmly, "We've already talked about it. She's keeping both children. I'm paying child support."
Frank's eyes went wide.
"Wait, Alex, are you seriously going to sleep with her and then bail?" Frank stared at him in disbelief. "She's pregnant with your kids and you're still planning to divorce her? I thought you were crazy about this woman?"
Alexander shot him a warning look. "Don't talk nonsense."
What if Arabella overheard and misunderstood?
"She's the one who wants to divorce me," he sighed. "I don't have a better plan right now. I'm just stalling, buying time."
Frank was momentarily speechless. All he could do was give him a thumbs up.
Finally he clapped Alexander on the shoulder consolingly. "Well, at least you've got hope. That's more than I can say. The guys can't all be this unlucky, right? I'm sure you and your wife will grow old together."
Alexander was quiet for a moment, then spoke honestly. "I'm different from you. No matter what happens, I won't let her go. Even if she ends up hating me for it, I'm never letting go."
Frank lit a cigarette with a smile. "Don't say things like that too soon. When the time comes, you'll understand. Watching her suffer will hurt you more than it hurts her. In the end, you'll have to let her go so she can be happy."
Alexander pushed away the cigarette Frank offered him, his expression resolute. "Her happiness can only come from me."
Frank shrugged noncommittally.
Alexander glanced with distaste at the cigarette in Frank's hand. "If there's nothing else, I'm heading out. Arabella's pregnant—she can't be around smoke. It'll irritate her stomach and it's bad for the baby."
Frank was incredulous. "Dude, I'm the one smoking, not you. I'm smoking in here, not out there. Is it really that serious?"
Alexander snorted. "I was in the same room with you. I'll smell like it."
Translation: I'm disgusted by you. Extremely disgusted.
He walked out, leaving Frank glaring at the closed door, furious.
So what if you've got a wife? So what if she's pregnant? Asshole!