Ariana's heart fluttered with astonishment. She peered up at Theodore and blurted out, “Can't we have our own child?"

Theodore remained silent this time; his gaze softened as he gently caressed her head, offering no verbal response.

Ariana's heart sank, and she refrained from pressing further.

Cradled in Theodore's arms, a whirlpool of emotions surged within her.

Her instincts told her that Theodore might not react favorably if she revealed her pregnancy at this moment.

Ariana opted not to continue the discussion. Nestling her head deeper into the pillow, she murmured, "I'm weary. I wish to slumber now."

Subsequently, she closed her eyes, bringing the conversation to a close.

Her mind was in a state of turmoil. The exhaustion of the day had taken its toll, and before long, she was sound asleep.

The following day, Ariana didn't wake up until noon. Waking groggily, she found Theodore absent and a note left for her on the bedside table.

She picked it up. It said, “I am off to the company to address some issues."

Upon reading the note, she set it aside. Her thoughts were instantly drawn to her pregnancy, prompting her to nervously rake her fingers through her hair.

Bewildered and apprehensive, Ariana was at a loss.

She had to make a decision soon, lest the window for intervention close.

Yet Theodore's response left her feeling unnerved.

Sighing deeply, Ariana caressed her abdomen and whispered, "Little ones, what should I do?"

Her fear was that Theodore, upon learning of her condition, might insist on them being aborted.

She was carrying Theodore's offspring, and the thought of terminating them was unbearable.

Snapped out of her reverie by the buzz of her phone, Ariana, sitting on the bed, picked it up.

The screen displayed a message from Sonia, not a word but rather punctuated by a flurry of exclamation marks.

Puzzled, Ariana responded with a question mark. This was followed by a lengthy voice message.