Unfazed, Leonel spoke gently. "Evelyn had her checkup today. The doctor's optimistic about her recovery. Try not to stress too much."

Alexis glanced at him and asked, "What exactly did the doctor say?"

Leonel's smile was tinged with bitterness. “Apart from Evelyn, it feels like nothing else matters to you, not even the baby. You don't love or even want this child, do you?"

Alexis remained silent.

Disappointed by her silence, Leonel chose not to press the issue further. Instead, he shared the doctor's update, his tone serious.

"It seems like we'll be here for a while."

It was a risky choice, knowing they could be discovered at any moment.

But with the doctors' optimism about Evelyn's condition, Leonel wasn't ready to abandon hope.

Alexis let her arms fall limply, her gaze fixed on a point in the room as she remained silent.

Softly, Leonel offered, "The servants made your favorite dish. Will you join me downstairs for a bite?"

Throughout her pregnancy, Alexis had eaten sparingly.

Despite the absence of morning sickness, her appetite remained low.

Leonel often encouraged her to eat more.

After speaking, he rose to his feet, intending to help her up, but she grabbed his hand unexpectedly. The gentle touch caught him off guard, leaving him motionless. Eventually, he turned to face her, his gaze fixed on her.

His voice hoarse, he murmured, “Alexis?”

It had been ages since she'd reached out to him. Tears threatened to spill from Leonel's eyes.

Alexis held onto him tightly, her touch transporting him to the past.

Suddenly, Ollie's bark from downstairs brought him back to the present.

Meeting his gaze, Alexis spoke up softly. “Leonel, you might keep me tied to you with this baby for a year or two, but can you really keep me forever? Deep down, you know I'll leave eventually, don't you?"

Her words stirred a whirlwind of emotions in Leonel.