“You are skipping breakfast again.”
Devon froze in her feet when he heard Daemon from her back. She just finished drinking water which will last her for the whole day. She got no appetite especially now that Maddy’s presence frequented the house. Daemon also stopped taking her to events. She is just ignoring it but she is not dumb to hear that she is the center of the gossips of the helpers in the mansion.
They talked behind her back. They ridicule how a once princess of a great mafia family was easily overshadowed by a mere prostitute.
“Don’t worry. I am eating enough. I am healthy enough to be the surrogate of your sons,” she replied and walked past him.
“Devon.” He reached for her arm and captured her eyes. He scanned her appearance and sighed. “You are not eating enough. You barely eat your food I delivered in your room yesterday.”
“I am okay, Daemon.” She pulled her arm away from him. “You’re always out of the house to do your business so you can’t see that I’ve been sneaking in the kitchen. I’m good. Go now. Just leave me alone.”
“You know I can’t do that. Your family will blame me.” He dragged her back to the table and ordered a maid to serve her food.
She was surprised when he moved a chair beside her and sat down. He personally put food on her plate and even reached for the knife and fork and began slicing the meat for her. She just watched him. He looked like he is a caring husband tending for his sick wife.
“You don’t have to bother, Daemon. I can eat by myself.” She stood up carrying the plate. “I can eat in the room.”
He also stood up and held her hand as firmly as possible.
“Sit down,” he ordered. “Sit down and finish your food, Devon.”
He asked for another food for himself and motioned to the seat next to him. “Join me or would you like me to feed you yourself? Just say so.”
He stood up again and gently pushed her down to the seat. He picked up her fork, pierced a meat, and gave it to her.
“Open your mouth. If you still don’t eat, then I’ll make you eat even If I’ll wait here for an hour. Look at your arms. They’re thinner. I don’t want your family to get the wrong idea.”
She let out a bitter smile after taking the meat from the fork and shoving it down to her mouth, swallowing it as a whole without even chewing it.
“Satisfied now?”
He sighed and studied her. “You’re too weak for my own sake, Devon. If you really wanted to stand by me as my wife, then grow stronger. Act like one if you are not one. Fake it. Don’t just sulk around and wait for people to baby you. If you die, you die. No one will cry for you. Remember, you ditched your family for me. Do not live your life for others.”
His words cut to the deepest part of her heart. “Really, Daemon?” She raised her eyes to meet his gaze. “No one will cry, not even you?”
“Yes,” he whispered. “Especially not me.”
That did it. She sighed nonchalantly and continued eating. “Okay. At least, it’s clearer.”
She stood up with the plate in her hand and smiled at him. “I believe today is our doctor’s appointment. I have to get ready now.”
She left him with a questioning look while restraining with all her might the tears in her eyes.
Devon undergone many tests: immunity tests, infectious diseases, whole body check-ups, mental health screening and many other more sorts of tests. Next week is scheduled for egg and sperm harvesting from Maddy and Daemon then it would be implanted into her uterus.
After all the procedures, a guard escorted her out of the hospital into Daemon’s car but she almost wasn’t able to move when she saw who is waiting for her in the driver’s seat.
It was Maddy looking as gorgeous and lethal as always. The nude lipstick on her lips looked so good on her that she can’t help but be insecure with her own pale appearance.
“You can still say no, Devon. I mean, I know how hard it is for you to carry our baby in your womb. It won’t hurt your pride if you will beg your way out of it. I will gladly tell Daemon that you changed your mind.”
Instead of getting inside the car, she just let the door open and stared at her beautiful face. She will never be able the ride home with this woman.
“I won’t,” she answered in the firmest voice she can afford. “I will be the birth mother of your babies. This is the least I could do for Daemon for saving me from my own family.”
“Really?” She smiled smugly. “He saved you? I thought it’s the other way, dear little Devon,” she said trying to be a little mysterious.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Devon,” someone called her from behind.
Daemon is approaching them with a keen eye to Maddy as if saying to her to not continue what she is talking about.
“I’ll take her home.” He held her waist gently. “I need to make sure she is safe first. You can go, Maddy. We’ll talk later.”
Devon cannot help but left the scowling Maddy with a triumphant smile
“Drink this.” Daemon handed her with some kind of supplement when they’re in a different car.
“I need to take this, right? To be healthy? Just like what you wanted, right?”
“I like you being sarcastic. Keep doing that. It’s a good sign.”
She looked away and drank the syrup. “You know what is the best sign? Me being pregnant so I’ll finally be able to regain back my freedom from you. I got past my own family. Now, this time, I want a full control of my life.”
He fell silent before he answered, “You will be free someday, Devon. Not now obviously because you still have to be my sons’ vessel. It’s the rent you have to pay for staying with me.”
Until now, the thought of it stung her feelings but she’s learned to slowly accept it. The romance she’s been fantasizing with this tough man will never materialized.
Her much dreaded day came. The day of the transfer of embryo to her uterus. During the procedure, she tried hard to numb her heart not even looking at the doctor’s way even for just a second.
When everything is done and when she’s walking back to where she left Daemon outside the facility because she doesn’t want to see him inside with her, she felt nothing.
Even when his face lit up upon seeing her, she still felt nothing.
“It’s done. I am now pregnant with your twin sons, Daemon.”
What he did next puzzled her.
He hugged her so tightly and kissed her head. “I know you will be a wonderful mother, Devon. You will be.”
She just hugged him in return without saying anything.