Second Vows Adored by the Billionaire novel Chapter 20

"Victor, do you have a heart at all? Eloise is in the hospital. Her waist is injured, her face is injured, and she's pregnant. You tell everyone your wife comes first. Is this what first looks like?"

Victor went silent for several seconds, as though he could not understand the words. "What did you say?" His voice cracked slightly. "Eloise... is pregnant?"

"What else would I mean?" Chris snapped. "Get over here. She's waiting for you to decide. Your wife is pregnant, yet you're still taking care of someone else?"

Chris hung up hard, so angry her cheeks puffed as she breathed.

Eloise leaned back against the pillows, expression quiet, almost serene, as though she had already accepted what she would do either way.

Victor had been driving home. The second the news hit him, he changed direction and headed straight for the hospital.

He burst into the room, sweat at his temples, suit and tie askew from running.

"Eloise," he said, taking her hand with a tremor that looked convincingly real. "Is it true? You... you're really pregnant?"

Eloise withdrew her hand slowly. "Yes."

Chris stood and grabbed her bag. "I'll go buy food. You two talk."

The door closed.

Victor's face shifted into careful calculation, as though he were selecting words that wouldn't reveal his thoughts. "I never imagined this," he said quietly. "I didn't think you and I could have a child again."

Eloise held his gaze. "Neither did I."

Victor's mouth tightened, and then he pushed out what he had been rehearsing. "This is wonderful news. It's a blessing. It's just... the doctor has always said you're severely anemic. Pregnancy might be dangerous. I'm worried..."

Eloise's voice went flat. "So you don't want it."

"No," Victor said quickly, forcing a smile. "Of course not. I'm happy. I'm thrilled. Don't think like that."

Eloise nodded once. "Good."

Victor rose abruptly. "I'll... I'll go ask the doctor what's happening. Get some rest."

Eloise didn't expose him. "All right."

Victor left, but he didn't go to her attending physician. He went to Brook's office instead.

Eloise followed silently and stopped at the doorway. The door was not closed, and every word inside carried clearly into the hall.

"Explain," Victor hissed the moment Brook spoke, his voice low but sharp enough to cut. "You told me you were giving her long-acting contraception. So how did Eloise end up pregnant anyway?"

Victor sounded almost serene, as if arrogance had steadied him. "It won't happen. Even if that day comes, I can't guarantee Anita, but Eloise will stay. Eloise loves me more than anyone in the world."

Brook's voice carried reluctant admiration. "Eloise really is rare. I've never even seen her lose her temper. By the way, your birthday's in a few days. The guys want to get you out to celebrate. What's the plan?"

"Birthday night is off limits," Victor said without hesitation. "Eloise will prepare something. She always does, and she starts early."

"And Anita?" Brook asked, like he already knew the answer.

Victor laughed under his breath. "Eloise for the first half of the night. Anita for the second half. That's how it's always been. Why are you asking questions you know the answers to?"

Brook whistled. "You're unbelievable. Just don't get yourself killed one day."

"Enough," Victor snapped. "Get me the medication. Once it's past two months, forcing a miscarriage will damage Eloise's body too much."

*****

Eloise nearly laughed out loud.

Her tears had not disappeared. They had simply dried somewhere deeper, where no one could see them.

She returned to her room with a steady gait, the kind of steady that came after something inside had been snapped into place.