Edward hurriedly ran through the corridors of one of the major hospitals in the middle of London. He had lost count of how many times he glanced at his wristwatch, hoping not to be even a minute late this time. Ever since the incident when Chloe got angry and ordered him to sleep on the couch, Edward made every effort to be punctual. It felt so regretful to miss one night of embracing her.
Upon reaching the second floor, he headed straight to a room dedicated to pregnant and nursing mothers. Amidst the sea of mothers, his hazel eyes finally caught sight of his wife. She was a beautiful woman dressed in a navy midi dress, engaging in casual conversation and occasionally laughing with other patients.
“Sorry if I’m late,” Edward said after seating himself right next to Chloe. He was catching his breath from rushing to be by her side on time.
“No worries, I have two more patients ahead of you in line,” Chloe replied. Without being asked, she handed him a bottle of mineral water she had been holding. “Drink, you look like someone who just finished a marathon.”
Edward chuckled softly. He felt so relieved to have made it on time. That meant no scolding or punishment awaited him. Just as he finished sipping the water, Chloe’s name was called.
Confidently, Edward stood up, grasped his wife’s hand, and led her into the examination room.
“Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Martin, nice to see you,” greeted Dr. Agatha, the obstetrician who had been overseeing Chloe’s pregnancy. “Please have a seat. And Mrs. Chloe, you can go directly to the patient bed.”
Chloe complied. With the assistance of a nurse on duty, she slowly lay down on the bed, paying close attention to how Dr. Agatha maneuvered the ultrasound transducer to examine the baby inside her womb.
“The amniotic fluid is still sufficient, the gestational age is right on track, and the baby’s weight is also normal,” the doctor continued, moving the transducer from the left side of the abdomen to the right. “Are you sure, Mrs. Chloe, that you don’t want to tell Mr. Edward the baby’s gender?”
Edward and Chloe exchanged glances. Since reaching the six-month mark of the pregnancy, they had both agreed not to find out the baby’s gender. Chloe really wanted to make it a surprise for their entire extended family, although Edward had initially protested.
“Why keep it a secret?” Edward asked, puzzled. “I’m curious whether our baby will be a boy or a girl.”
Chloe, who was leisurely reading a book, turned to look at him. “Consider it a surprise, dear. Besides, whether it’s a boy or a girl doesn’t matter, right? The most important thing is that our baby is healthy when born.”
Edward let out a long sigh. When it came to debating with Chloe, he knew he would always lose, so arguing about it was pointless.
“Well then, if we want to decorate the nursery or buy baby stuff, how do we choose the colors without knowing the gender?”
Chloe sighed softly. “Just go for neutral colors like white or blue. Or if you don’t want to bother, just buy both colors. One for a boy and one for a girl.”
“Isn’t that just wasteful?”
Chloe shook her head.
“You’re a conglomerate, Ed. Buying some baby stuff won’t make you poor. Even if they end up unused, we can donate them to children in orphanages.”
Edward swallowed his saliva. She was right, wasn’t she? He would never win when debating with Chloe. She should have become a lawyer instead of being the CEO of a famous hotel. It’s such a waste that her argumentative skills go unused.
“No need, Doc,” Edward replied. “Let it be a surprise. Besides, the baby will be born soon, right?”
Dr. Agatha nodded. “Exactly, according to the schedule, Mrs. Chloe might give birth sometime this week or at the latest, next week.”
“I hope it’s on schedule. Because honestly, I can’t wait to see my child,” Edward’s eyes sparkled. He then welcomed Chloe as she got off the examination bed. “When should we schedule the next check-up, doc?”
Dr. Agatha glanced briefly at the calendar on her desk. “If, within the next five days, your wife doesn’t show any signs of labor, please come here for observation.”
Edward nodded in understanding. While waiting for Dr. Agatha to prescribe some vitamins, he affectionately kissed his wife’s wrist repeatedly. He couldn’t hide the happiness enveloping him.
****
“Shooting practice? Tonight?” Edward, who was on the phone with one of his friends, reflexively looked at Chloe. After returning from the hospital, he had brought his wife to the AlphaBeta building. “Sorry, but I don’t think I can join you guys. I can’t possibly leave Chloe alone at home,” he said during the phone call. “Alright, have fun then.”
Chloe, hearing her name mentioned several times, became curious. Without hesitation, she asked, “Who was that?”
“Kaivan was the one who called me just now. He invited me for shooting practice tonight.”
“And you don’t want to go?”
Edward shook his head. “I can’t possibly go. Besides, how could I leave you alone at home?”
Chloe smiled, feeling touched and flattered by Edward’s behavior. Countless times he had compromised. He deliberately didn’t choose to go with his friends to protect Chloe, who was heavily pregnant.
“If you want to go, please do. I won’t stop you,” Chloe said sincerely. She had promised herself to control her emotions better. She felt sorry if her actions sometimes made her beloved husband stressed or burdened. Oh no, during pregnancy, she did tend to be a bit unreasonable.
Forgive me, my dearest husband.
“No,” Edward shook his head firmly. “I don’t want to take the risk of leaving you alone.”
“I’ll be just fine, Ed,” Chloe insisted. “Besides, Letta and other household assistants will be here with me. If you want to join Kaivan, just go. I’m serious this time.”
Edward fell silent for a moment. He seemed to be weighing whether he should accept Kaivan’s invitation and go or choose to stay and accompany his beloved wife at home. Honestly, since the incident with the gunshot, Edward had not gone out just to hang out with friends, let alone participate in shooting practice.
It wasn’t because he was lazy. It was out of respect for Chloe’s constant worries. That’s why he chose to compromise instead of letting his wife be concerned.
“How about you accompany me tonight? That way, I have a reason not to stay long there,” Edward suggested.
Chloe laughed. It was clear that Edward really didn’t want to leave her alone at home.
“Okay, tonight I’ll come along. Now, just contact Kaivan and tell him you’ll be there tonight.”
And when the evening arrived, Edward indeed proved his words by taking Chloe along to the Shooting Arena. Slowly, he guided his wife to sit comfortably. After ensuring Chloe was seated well, he then approached his friends who were already in position at the arena.
“How could you bring Chloe?” Kaivan protested. “Is she going to be okay?”
While loading bullets into the gun he held, Edward replied, “I can’t possibly leave her alone, Kai. Chloe could give birth anytime. I don’t want to take the risk of not being by her side when she goes into labor.”
“You’re crazy!” Kenzi cursed. “If that’s the case, why did you come here? It’s better to stay home and accompany your wife. I can’t bear to see heavily pregnant Chloe here.”
Edward took a deep breath. Now, he was the one feeling torn.
“Just so you know, I insisted on declining Kaivan’s invitation. But Chloe insisted on me coming. Instead of worrying and being preoccupied while she’s alone at home, it’s better that I bring her here with me.”
“You two are such a strange couple,” Kaivan shook his head. “But I’ll pray for your wife’s well-being until you both return home.”
With nothing more to discuss, the three of them immediately stepped onto the arena, aiming their guns at the target boards prepared.
****
Sweat poured down Chloe’s face and body. She was thoroughly enjoying how Edward adored her body tonight.
Chloe’s aggressiveness didn’t need to be questioned. Ever since entering the last days before giving birth, her sexual desire had dramatically increased. Edward even noticed it, and it wasn’t a problem for him to satisfy his wife’s needs.
After consulting with Dr. Agatha, the doctor even suggested that they both be more active and have intercourse more frequently in the days leading up to the estimated due date as a way to stimulate natural contractions.
“Is this enough for you?” Edward whispered, still holding Chloe tightly from behind. His right hand gently caressed her swollen belly, occasionally feeling the baby inside responding with kicks to Edward’s touch.
“I still want you to hold me and kiss me,” Chloe whispered softly.
Edward continued to kiss the nape of Chloe’s neck as he whispered, “Anything you ask for, I’ll give it to you. Whatever it may be.”
In Edward’s embrace, Chloe smiled. For some reason, she felt so happy and at peace when she was in his arms.
“Thank you,” Chloe replied briefly.
“For what?”
“For the love you’ve given me all this time.”
Edward smiled again, tightening his hug.
“It’s my duty to make you happy.” He then glanced at the clock hanging on one corner of their bedroom, which showed it was already 1 a. m. “It’s late. You should go to sleep now,” he ordered.
In Edward’s arms, Chloe shook her head.
“I can’t sleep,” she complained.
“Why?”
Chloe took a deep breath and whispered, “I’m hungry. But I want you to cook for me.”
“Oh my…” Edward exclaimed. “Why are you telling me this now? What do you want to eat?”
“Seafood fried rice,” she answered loudly. “Can you make it?”
Edward nodded immediately. “That’s too easy for me. Come, let’s go to the dining room.”
Gently, Edward led Chloe down from the bed, holding his beloved wife close, and they went to the dining room together.
After pulling out a chair and making sure his wife was comfortable, Edward immediately searched for the ingredients to cook. With full concentration, he started preparing the seafood fried rice that Chloe requested.
While seated, Chloe just watched quietly. Occasionally, she laughed seeing how serious Edward was while cooking for her.
“Please try it,” Edward served a plate of seafood fried rice, filled with vegetables and shrimp, for Chloe to enjoy.
Without hesitation, Chloe took the spoon Edward offered and started eating.
“It’s delicious,” she said while chewing the food in her mouth. “Where did you learn to cook something so tasty like this?” Chloe asked enthusiastically because, undoubtedly, the seafood fried rice Edward served was indeed delicious.
Edward, who had taken a seat in front of Chloe, first handed her a glass of water to drink before answering her question.
“From Mom. I used to love bothering her in the kitchen when I was younger. Plus, back in college, I was used to living alone, so I had to prepare everything myself,” Edward replied.
“Including cooking?” Chloe asked.
Edward nodded. “Yes, that’s right. Besides, what’s so difficult about cooking like this?”
Chloe also nodded. “Honestly, this fried rice is really delicious.”
“If you like it, I’ll make it for you often, along with other dishes I can cook,” Edward said.
While sipping her drink, Chloe smiled widely. “I’d love that. I’m so lucky to have a husband who can cook like you.”
“In that case, quickly finish your meal. After that, you should rest,” Edward suggested.
After spending about ten minutes keeping Chloe company as she finished her food, Edward guided her back to their bedroom. Slowly, he helped her lie down, pulling the blanket to cover her entire body.
“Rest well. I hope you’ll have a peaceful sleep tonight.” Edward leaned down and planted a long kiss on Chloe’s forehead.
However, as he was about to get up, Chloe pulled his wrist again, making him sit back down.
“What now?” Edward asked.
“Ed…” Suddenly, Chloe’s face turned pale, and Edward could clearly see it. “I think I’m going into labor. My stomach has been hurting for a while, but now the pain is coming more frequently.”
Edward’s eyes widened. He couldn’t believe she was telling him this just now.
“Oh God, then let’s go to the hospital right away,” he said urgently.