The MC President's Forsaken Wife (Zara and Knox) novel Chapter 369

Chapter 182-2

I give a shaky laugh. “Yes.”

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“But I want to reassure you right off the bat, my entire practice is built around celebrating these exact milestones. You survived the hard part, Zara. You fought through the fire, and your body came out victorious. Now, we get to focus on the pure joy of growing your family.”

She glances toward Locke, giving him a warm, respectful nod. Locke nods back, a low, quiet gesture of acknowledgement, his eyes never leaving her face as he absorbs every single word, storing it away like a vault.

Locke and key.

“So,” Dr. Innis leans back slightly, her tone light and conversational. “How are you feeling? How was your holiday away?”

I laugh, a bright, easy sound that feels completely natural. “Honestly? It was wonderful. We spent Christmas up on the coast in complete peace and quiet. I think I gained about ten pounds just from Evelyn’s cooking… sticky cinnamon buns, roast dinners, shortbread cookies. I didn’t hold back at all.”

“Good! You were authorized to feast. Your body needs all the nutrition and strength it can get right now. What about morning sickness? Any nausea?”

“A little. It usually hits right when I wake up, but it passes pretty quickly once I get a few crackers or tea into me. Nothing I can’t handle.”

“That’s fantastic. Mild nausea that resolves easily is a great sign that your pregnancy hormones are steadily rising without completely overwhelming your system.”

“That’s a relief.”

Dr. Innis turns her tablet toward us. “Now, let’s talk numbers and dates. Based on your initial bloodwork and your intake form, you thought you were sitting right around seven weeks now,

correct?”

“Right.”

“Well, the early blood panels can sometimes offer a wide range, and in those very first few weeks after conception, pinpointing an exact date without an early scan can be tricky.”

“Oh–kayyyy,” I say slowly as Locke sits at attention next to me. “Is this – bad?”

“Not at all. Your latest hormone levels – specifically your hCG progression – came back

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I freeze, my eyes widening as I look from the tablet screen back up to Dr. Innis. “Wait… almost ten weeks?”

“Not seven?”

“Ten weeks…” I repeat, a breathless chuckle bubbling up in my chest as a tidal wave of sheer relief crashes over me. “Oh my God. I thought I was still in the thick of the early uncertainty. That means… that means that I’m only two weeks away from the end of the first trimester.”

“Ex–act–ly,” Dr. Innis beams, emphasizing every syllable. “That twelve–week mark is a massive mental milestone for every expecting mother, but especially for someone with your medical history.”

“That is so true.”

“So, you reaching ten weeks with such strong, vibrant hormone levels means the pregnancy is exceptionally well–established. You are right on track, Zara. You and your baby are doing pe rfectly.”

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, not tears of fear or exhaustion, but of pure, unadulterated happiness. I turn to look at Locke. His intense, brooding features are locked on me, his gray eyes burning with a low, fierce heat that leaves me breathless.

He doesn’t say a word, but the steady pressure of his massive hand around mine and the softening of his jaw say everything he could ever speak aloud. He’s right here, standing beside me through the magic of this moment just as he stood by me through the storm.

“Alright,” Dr. Innis says, standing up with a cheerful snap of her tablet folder. “Who’s ready to see this little passenger and get an official look?”

“We are.” My heart leaps into my throat as Locke nods. “Most definitely ready.”

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