Chapter 40 Absolutely Must Not Let Her Give Birth to the Child!
Rachel's hand froze, her heart sinking. She glanced up at Nancy's intense stare, her brows knitting together.
"Maybe," Rachel said calmly.
Nancy's heart sank.
Rachel was pregnant?
She was actually pregnant!
This news hit Nancy like a ton of bricks.
Almost instantly, a dark, terrifying thought took root in her mind.
She couldn't let Rachel have this baby.
Nancy had always known how much Rachel meant to Steven. Despite his infidelity, his love and loyalty were still with Rachel. As long as Rachel was around, nothing else mattered to him.
Steven's deep affection for Rachel would only grow stronger with the arrival of their child. Rachel's importance in his heart would only increase.
Moreover, Nancy's dream of replacing Rachel as Mrs. Martinez would become even harder to achieve.
Steven might even completely end their affair, and her luxurious lifestyle would disappear.
She would lose his tenderness and affection.
What started as a heart confused by greed and envy had gradually been overtaken by love.
She loved Steven.
That intense possessiveness screamed at her that she couldn't lose Steven.
She couldn't let Steven abandon her.
Compared to Rachel, she was only a dash of flavor in Steven's bland marriage, never the main ingredient.
Layers of resentment surged in her heart, almost overwhelming her sanity.
Rachel saw the complex emotions on Nancy's stunned face and smiled, asking, "Why are you spacing out? Are you unhappy to hear that I'm pregnant?"
Nancy snapped back to reality. She plastered on a sweet smile, walked around the table, and linked arms with Rachel, her face full of joy.
"Not at all! I'm happy for you. I was just so surprised and shocked that I didn't react right away. It's great news for you. I want to be the godmother of your child. How long have you been pregnant?"
Her smile was so genuine that if Rachel didn't know her true nature, she might have believed her.
Nancy seemed more concerned about whether Rachel was pregnant than Rachel herself.
Even though they had been friends for eight or nine years, Rachel felt like she was only now truly seeing Nancy's true colors.
In the past, Rachel had lived in her deception.
"I just tested it, so I don't know yet."
"Does Steven know?"
"I haven't told him yet."
Nancy's eyes darkened, but her smile widened, "He'll be over the moon when he finds out. You've been married for over three years; it's about time you had a child. Otherwise, your mother-in-law might start to have opinions about you."
Rachel couldn't find a single flaw in her expression.
But she caught the underlying message in her words.
The relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had always been tricky, but she and Heather got along well.
At least on the surface.
Was Nancy trying to stir up trouble?
Her thoughts were a chaotic mess.
She thought, if she was really pregnant, it would be hard to terminate the pregnancy once Steven and Heather knew. But maybe she could use Nancy.
A miscarriage would be harmful to her health, but compared to the pain and despair she would face in the future, it was a small price to pay.
If she wasn't pregnant, that would be the best outcome.
"Pregnancy is all about fate."
Nancy raised an eyebrow slightly.
Fate?
She smiled and asked, "How about going to the hospital to check? See how far along you are, if the baby is healthy, and when the due date is. Knowing all that will give you peace of mind."
"If you want to surprise Steven, I can go with you for the check-up?"
Rachel looked at her fake kind demeanor and guessed she had an ulterior motive.
Rachel paused for a moment, thinking it over.
Whether she was pregnant or not, she had to make Nancy believe she was.
After deciding on a plan, she hesitated and said, "The Stargaze Gallery might be busy this afternoon."
Nancy cut in with a smile, "It's fine, the check-up won't take long, and the afternoon isn't busier than the morning."
Rachel looked at her and slowly nodded, "Alright, let's go."
After lunch, the two of them drove to the nearby Mercy Medical Hospital.
The head of the OB-GYN department, Jennifer Bell, happened to be a close friend of Rachel's mother, Joan. On the way, Rachel sent Jennifer a message on WhatsApp.
At the entrance of the OB-GYN department, a middle-aged woman in a white coat waved at her, "Rachel!"
Rachel immediately walked over, "Jennifer, long time no see."
Jennifer smiled, "It's been a while. You mentioned on WhatsApp that you're here for a prenatal check-up. How far along are you? Any severe morning sickness?"
"I just tested it today, so I wanted to confirm."
"Finally decided to have a baby? That's great. Come on, I'll run some basic tests first."
"Okay."
Jennifer ran three tests: a complete blood count, a urine test, and an ultrasound.
The results of the first two tests took a while to come out.
When they entered the ultrasound room, Nancy was stopped outside.
In the ultrasound room, it was just Rachel and Jennifer. After examining her, Jennifer slightly furrowed her brows and said, "Rachel, your test must have been a false positive. There's no gestational sac in your uterus."
Rachel was stunned and sat up, "So I'm not pregnant?"
Jennifer nodded, "That's right. Today is the start of your menstrual cycle. Even if it's a few days late, it's no big deal. Stress, worries, and emotional disturbances can cause hormonal imbalances, leading to missed periods for months."
Not pregnant!
Rachel felt the weight on her chest finally lift, and she could breathe again, "Okay, I understand."
Jennifer, worried she might be disappointed, reassured her, "Don't worry. You're still young. There's no rush for a baby. Bring your husband in for a comprehensive check-up sometime."
Rachel hesitated, "Jennifer, could you give me a pregnancy confirmation note?"
Jennifer was surprised, "Is Steven's family pressuring you?"
Rachel shook her head, "No. I just really need this proof right now."
Jennifer didn't understand but saw the urgency in her expression. She swallowed her questions and printed out the modified ultrasound report.
Rachel took it, "Thank you, Jennifer."
Jennifer sighed and patted her hand, "If you ever have any issues you can't talk to your dad or brother about, call me anytime, okay?"
"I know, don't worry."
Leaving the ultrasound room, Jennifer advised, "Be extra careful in the first three months. Avoid spicy and cold foods, and definitely don't wear high heels, got it?"
Rachel smiled and nodded, "Okay, I know. Thank you, Jennifer."
Nancy listened to their conversation, her heart sinking.
Her eyes flashed with malice as she looked at Rachel's abdomen, but she quickly put on a happy and gentle smile, linking arms with her, "Congratulations, Rachel. You're going to be a mom. When do you plan to tell Steven?"
Rachel calmly withdrew her arm, waved goodbye to Jennifer, and turned to say, "Tonight, when he gets home."
Nancy's eyes flickered, and she smiled, "Sounds good."
Back at Stargaze Gallery, the elevator reached the third floor, "Rachel, you go ahead. I need to use the restroom."
Rachel nodded, "Alright."
As she walked towards her office, her phone buzzed with a text message.
[Steven renewed the Sunbeam Hotel room 1408 for another year at 2:48 PM. Nancy called Steven from the restroom, asking him to meet her at the hotel tonight.]