The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty novel Chapter 298

“It will take time. We might fail once or twice, but if we keep trying, we’ll succeed,” Vivica explained patiently.

“Oh, that’s easy then!” Chaim beamed. “Uncle Joseph said he’s moving in, right? We can just have him sleep with us every night. It’s bound to work!”

Vivica pinched the bridge of her nose, managing a small nod. “Perhaps.”

The little boy was about to say more, but Vivica gently patted him. “It’s getting late. Time to sleep.”

“But Uncle Joseph isn’t here yet.”

Vivica glanced toward the door, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. She wasn’t sure if Joseph had brought a change of clothes. There was a bathroom at the end of the second-floor hallway; perhaps he had gone there to shower.

Chaim insisted he wanted to wait for his uncle, but Vivica hushed him. Once quiet, the boy’s energy quickly faded, and he drifted off to sleep.

Vivica wondered what was taking Joseph so long. She was exhausted herself. The previous night had been a late one, and while she’d napped on the train, it hadn’t been nearly enough. As soon as Chaim was asleep, she scrolled through her phone for a few minutes before her eyelids grew heavy.

Meanwhile, Joseph was in the second-floor bathroom, meticulously grooming himself. After showering and drying his hair, he stared into the mirror, frowning at the faint stubble on his chin. His hormones were clearly in overdrive; the clean shave from the morning was already wearing off by nightfall.

Before, when he was single, he wouldn't have cared. But the thought of sharing a bed with someone tonight made him suddenly self-conscious. He rummaged through his suitcase, found his razor, and carefully cleaned up his face.

By the time he emerged from the bathroom, the entire villa had fallen silent. Pushing open the master bedroom door, he felt an unexpected jolt of nervousness. He closed it behind him and turned, only to have his handsome face freeze in stunned disbelief.

On the large bed, both mother and son were sound asleep. Asleep!

He stood there, rooted to the spot, unsure whether to laugh or cry. He couldn’t quite describe the feeling in his chest. It was one thing for the child to be asleep, but how could she be asleep too? How could she possibly fall asleep!

After a few seconds, he took a shallow breath and walked toward the bed. It was massive, and Vivica and Chaim occupied only a third of it, leaving plenty of room for him. Yet, he didn’t go to the empty side. Instead, he walked to Vivica’s side and sat on the edge of the mattress.

Her phone was still clutched in her hand, the screen dark. He stared at it for a moment before carefully prying it from her grasp.

The movement startled her. Her body tensed, and she suddenly sat up, her eyes flying open. Their gazes locked, and Vivica was instantly awake. “You… you’re done showering…”

She immediately shifted into a defensive posture, a motion that disturbed the sleeping child beside her.

Chaim raised an arm as if about to wake up, and both adults held their breath, watching him intently.

Thankfully, the little one just rolled over, turning his back to them, and continued to sleep soundly. This simple act created a more private space for the two of them.

He tilted his chin slightly. “Move Chaim to the inside. I’ll sleep on this side.”

Vivica’s mouth fell open as she stared at him.

“What? Is that not acceptable either? I was trying to be considerate, to take this one step at a time. If you’re this resistant to even sleeping in the same bed with me, how are we supposed to move on to the next step?”

Joseph was being perfectly frank, analyzing the situation as if it were a work project, breaking it down into manageable steps. Vivica couldn’t find a single reason to object. He was being more than considerate; he hadn’t even insisted they start right away. Since she had agreed to this, she shouldn't be so coy.

After a moment of mental preparation, Vivica stood up. “Alright, I’ll move him over.”

Careful not to wake the child, she moved slowly, creating space. Then, she lay down beside her son.

Joseph turned off the lights and lay down on his side of the bed.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Vivica had been exhausted just moments ago, but now she was wide awake, her entire body as taut as a drawn bowstring.

Joseph initially lay on his back, behaving himself. However, for two adults who were attracted to each other, it was impossible to remain completely unaffected in such close proximity. After a long silence, he turned on his side. An arm shot out, wrapped around her waist, and with a gentle pull, the distance between them vanished. Their warm bodies pressed tightly together.