Departure with a Belly (Alaric and Victoria) novel Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Gandra.

General Hospital.

“Congratulations. You’re pregnant. The baby is in good health.”

 

Victoria Selwyn’s hands clenched around the report as she dazedly stared

at the doctor.

Pregnant? It was a happy surprise. She could not believe her ears.

“Remember to come in for regular appointments. Where is the father? Call

him in. I have some instructions for him.”

The doctor’s words snapped her out of her thoughts. “My husband’s not

with me today,” she replied with an awkward smile.

 

“Honestly, even if he’s busy, he should still be with his family,” the doctor

exclaimed.

It was drizzling when she finally stepped out of the hospital. She stroked

her abdomen.

There is now a tiny life growing in there. A child that belongs to Alaric and

me……

Her phone buzzed. She pulled it out; it was a message from her husband,

Alaric Cadogan.

‘It’s raining. Get an umbrella to this address.

She glanced at the address sent; it was L’Indigo Country Club.

What was this place? He had a meeting today, right?

Still, she did not question it too much and asked the Cadogans‘ family

 

driver to send her to the country club.

“You may head back first,” she said to the driver upon arrival.

“Do I not need to wait for you, Mrs. Cadogan?”

 

She paused for a moment before shaking her head. “It’s fine. I’ll wait to

head home with Alaric.”

Since she was here for him, she would head home with him.

With that, Carter, the driver, soon drove off.

The rain had started as a drizzle, but it was now a heavy storm.

 

With the umbrella held over her head, she walked to the entrance of the

country club.

 

It was a luxuriously decorated golf club. She was stopped at the door.

“I’m sorry, miss, but please show me your member card,” the employee

said.

She took a moment to think about her next action before finally

messaging Alaric.

‘I’m here. When are you done with work? I’ll be waiting for you downstairs.‘

Once she was done, she stood near the entrance with the umbrella. As

she stared at the rain, she thought about the pregnancy report.

Perhaps she should tell him when he came out? Or should she wait to

surprise him on his birthday?

 

She was lost in her thoughts. Unbeknownst to her, she was a

laughingstock for a group of people upstairs.

They were pressed up against the window as they gazed down at her.

“She’s not your actual wife, but she’s quite good at it, Al. She is actually

here with an umbrella because you asked. She doesn’t really think you

would walk through the rain, right?” one of them asked.

“Is she so in love with you that she has forgotten all about logic?”

“What nonsense.”

A languid voice rang out from a corner of the room.

 

The speaker was a tall man with long legs and a cold face. His fair skin

and wide, slan ted eyes highlighted his incredible attractiveness. Dressed

in a gray bespoke suit, he sat there with crossed legs.

 

He raised his hand, revealing the exquisite and luxurious watch on his

wrist. “Hand it over.”

The friend who did the prank had no choice but to return the phone.

“Tsk. Are we giving back the phone that quickly?” someone commented.

“Enough. If Claudia wasn’t here, you wouldn’t even have a chance to lay a

finger on his phone.”

The crowd continued to joke and laugh as they turned to look at the

beautiful woman seated beside the man. She was dressed in a white

dress which made her look kind and gentle.

 

She pursed her lip in a smile when she heard that. “All right,” she softly

said. “It was wrong of you to use Al’s phone for a prank, and now, you’re

making fun of me.”

The friends did not plan on letting up on their teasing as they called out,

“Everyone knows you’re the most important person to Al, Claudia.”

“That’s right. Alaric would say that as well, right?”

When Claudia Johnson heard that, she could not resist glancing at Alaric.

Alaric smiled and did not deny it.

When the group saw that, the teasing worsened.