He paused briefly before adding, “But it's a prenatal supplement, not vitamin Cc."

Theodore faltered, grappling with disbelief. Was he mishearing things?

He asked in a trembling voice, "Are you certain there's no mix-up with the report?"

Horace adjusted his glasses, his tone unyielding.

"Boss, there's no mistake. The test indicates prenatal medications."

A shadow spread across Theodore’s face as he flipped through the medical report before him.

It was a tough pill to swallow, but the contents of the report were undeniable. Several of the ingredients Listed were renowned for their use in staving off miscarriages. The report was irrefutable.

Horace sat, silent, avoiding Theodore's gaze. Ariana's audacity took him aback. Her secret pregnancy was one thing, but the deception added another layer.

She was surely testing Theodore's patience now.

As silence filled the space, Horace grew uneasy. Years as Theodore's right-hand man hadn't prepared him for this. Despite his usually steel-like nerves, he was filled with apprehension.

He knew Theodore's temperament well, and he was aware that the storm of his wrath was not something one wished to weather.

Theodore tucked away the report after some time, his face betraying nothing, void of any emotion. Yet Horace, attuned to his moods, could sense the storm brewing under Theodore's icy calm. Swallowing hard, he asked, "What's the next step?"

“You can leave for now," Theodore replied curtly before exiting the vehicle.

Watching his retreating figure, Horace let out a deep sigh.

“Ariana, you'd better pray."

Theodore, in his steely calmness, headed towards the elevator. As he reached for the door of Ariana's apartment, his hand wavered in the air. A split-second decision made him pivot towards the emergency exit instead.

Propped against the wall, Theodore fumbled for a cigarette. Under the faint glow of the emergency exit, his trembling fingers struggled to ignite the flame.

His usually placid face betrayed his frustration as he failed to Light the cigarette. It was only after a few fervent tries that the cigarette flickered to life.

Taking a long drag, he let the smoke fill his lungs before releasing it, his mind slowly settling down.

He thought back on Ariana's recent changes, her odd behaviors. It was all because she was pregnant. And here he had naively thought she'd gained some weight.