His Regret Arrived Three Days Late novel Chapter 3

Marriage was a high-stakes gamble, and Annika had lost everything. Tears streamed down her face as a sharp, stabbing pain shot through her abdomen. Her body trembled as she slid down the wall to the floor.

Suddenly, her phone rang.-

“Hello?” Annika’s voice was faint and weak.

“Annika, are you okay?” Conrad’s voice was incredibly gentle.

“I’m fine. Haven’t you boarded your flight yet?”

“We’re about to take off. It’s getting cold, so have Beth make you some nourishing soup for your period.”

He remembered her cycle and assumed her discomfort was from her period.

“Okay…” Annika whispered, the smile on her face freezing as the world went black and she collapsed. The phone clattered to the floor, and just before she lost consciousness, she thought she heard Conrad’s frantic voice shouting her name. “Annika!”

...

When Annika woke, she was staring at a white ceiling, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling her nostrils.

Who had brought her to the hospital?

“Mrs. Beryl, you’re finally awake.”

Annika turned toward the voice. It was Hank, Conrad’s loyal assistant. Her eyes scanned the room behind him, searching.

Hank knew she was looking for Conrad. “Mr. Beryl flew to Eirlandia,” he explained.

Two years ago, Serena had gone to Eirlandia for medical treatment and had fallen out of contact. Last month, Annika had overheard her mother-in-law, Yazmin, mention that Serena had been spotted at a hospital there. Annika also happened to know that today was supposed to be the day of Serena’s surgery. Conrad’s hasty departure could only mean one thing: he was rushing to be by his beloved’s side.

A deep, aching pain spread through her. “Why didn’t you go with him?” Annika asked Hank, trying to keep her voice steady.

“Mr. Beryl asked me to look after you.”

“That’s not necessary,” she said, shaking her head weakly.

Hank’s expression was a mixture of pity and some other, unreadable emotion. After a long moment, he said, “Mrs. Beryl, the doctor said… you’re pregnant.”

Annika’s face was so pale she looked like a fragile porcelain doll. “Hank, if you want Mr. Beryl to be happy, please don’t tell him about this.”

Hank certainly wanted Conrad to be happy, but he wanted Annika to be happy even more. He wanted to protect her from more pain. “Mr. Beryl didn't go to find Serena…”

Annika knew he was just trying to comfort her. She closed her eyes, exhausted. “Please, just leave me alone.”

Hank hesitated, then placed a small gift box on her bedside table. “This is a birthday present from Mr. Beryl.”

Annika opened it. Inside lay a delicate necklace with two tiny goldfish, their mouths touching as if blowing bubbles to each other.

Last year for her birthday, Conrad had given her an expensive set of jewelry, and she had told him, “I would have preferred something simple, like a necklace of two kissing fish.”

“Are you feeling better?” he asked.

“I’m fine… Have you landed?”

“Just got here. It’s freezing…”

Suddenly, another voice cut in, a familiar, saccharine tone. “Conrad, I opened a bottle of red wine. It’s been two years, we should celebrate.”

It was Serena.

Annika’s lips turned white, and her hand holding the phone began to shake.

Serena paused, then asked loudly, “Is that Annika?”

Her voice sounded perfectly healthy.

“Annika, it’s Serena. How have you been these past two…”

Before Serena could finish, Conrad’s voice took over. “Get some rest. I’ll be back in a couple of days.”

Before Annika could even ask why his “business trip” had taken him to Eirlandia, he had hung up. The dial tone buzzed in her ear, mixing with Serena's words, feeling like it would shatter her eardrums.

Annika clenched her fists, but she couldn’t stop her body from trembling. The thought of Conrad and Serena together was unbearable, making her want to fly to Eirlandia at once. But she knew that even if she went, she would only find more humiliation.