Chapter 176 Three Weeks Savannah “Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Blackwood, you're three weeks pregnant.” For a second, the doctor’s words didn’t even sound real. They just floated there in the air, colliding with everything in the room. My brain, however, was busy trying to process them—three weeks pregnant. Pregnant. Me. “Three weeks?” I repeated, blinking hard. “Already?” The doctor smiled, her hands folded neatly on her desk. “Yes. According to the test results, you’re roughly three weeks along. Everything looks good so far.” Three weeks. My heart did an odd, uncoordinated flutter. I turned to Roman, who sat beside me with that proud expression he wore when he was trying not to show his arrogance. His lips twitched, his jaw flexed, and his eyes softened the moment they met mine. “Three weeks,” I murmured again, a little dazed. “Which one was it that—” Roman cleared his throat sharply, cutting me off. His gaze darted toward the doctor, and I immediately realized what I’d just started to say. Oh. That. Right. Not the time to play guessing games about which day of the month we'd created a life. Silly me. The doctor chuckled softly, either pretending not to notice or too professional to care. “Would you like me to go over your medication and vitamins, Mrs. Blackwood?” I nodded quickly, cheeks warming. “Yes, please.” Roman leaned forward, his tone all business. “Is there anything she needs to avoid? Foods, spices, fabrics, activities, stress? Anything at all.” He sounded the way he did during meetings — that deep, commanding voice that made people listen, made deals close, made entire boardrooms fall silent. The doctor didn’t seem fazed by his intensity, though. She simply picked up her pen and smiled. “I’ll write down the prenatal vitamins she needs to take daily,” she said calmly. “Make sure she eats regularly and stays hydrated. And I strongly recommend she avoids stress of any kind at this early stage. The first few weeks are extremely delicate.” Roman’s expression didn’t shift. “Understood.” “And,” she continued, scribbling a note on her pad, “you’ll both come back in six weeks for the first ultrasound. That’ll be the moment you hear your baby’s heartbeat for the first time.” The rest of her words faded somewhere in the background. All I heard—all my brain would allow me to hear was ‘the baby’s heartbeat’. My baby. Our baby. Roman’s hand slipped into mine, his thumb drawing slow circles over my skin as if grounding me in that moment. My eyes burned, but I blinked the tears away and forced a smile. “Thank you, doctor,” Roman said, standing first. He extended his hand to her, proud as ever. “Congratulations again,” she replied warmly, shaking it. Roman helped me to my feet and guided me out of the office, one hand steady on the small of my back, the other carrying a white paper bag filled with prenatal vitamins and supplements from the hospital pharmacy. He led me through the corridor and out into the parking lot like I was made of glass. My fingers brushed over my flat stomach as I walked. It didn’t feel different. I didn’t feel different. Yet somehow, everything was different. Roman opened the car door for me, helping me in like a gentleman from another century. “Would you like me to drive you home, my love?” I tilted my head, studying him. “Are you going back to the office?” He nodded once. “Yeah. I’ve got a few things to wrap up before I come home.” “Is Reese home?” I asked quietly, fastening my seatbelt. He gave a half-shrug, eyes on the road. “No idea. Maybe he’s with Penelope. Maybe not.” I chewed my lip, debating, then smiled. “Can I stay with you, then?” His brow furrowed. “At the office?” “Yeah,” I said quickly. “I promise I’ll be quiet. It’s either that or be bored to death watching Lizzie binge gory horror movies again. And I don’t think my pregnant brain can handle decapitated humans right now.” He laughed—that soft, rich sound that made my heart flutter every single time. “Of course you can. You’re always welcome there, baby.” “Thank you,” I whispered, leaning across the console to kiss him. His hand found my cheek, holding me there for a breath longer than necessary.Then he smiled, eyes shining. “I still can’t believe it.” “Me neither,” I said softly, resting a hand over my stomach again. “Three weeks already.” “Three weeks of you being even more perfect,” he murmured, and for once, I didn’t roll my eyes at his smoothness. ~~~~~ Roman’s office always looked like it belonged in a luxury magazine—all dark walnut and sleek glass. His assistant nearly tripped over herself fetching me a blanket after Roman gave her what could only be described as a death glare. I wasn’t even cold. But it was Roman’s way of “taking care” of me, which apparently involved mild intimidation of his staff. “Happy now?” I teased as he tucked the blanket around me on the couch. He brushed my hair back from my face and kissed my forehead. “Almost.” Then he straightened his tie and crossed to his desk, already sliding into his work mode—the man who commanded an empire without ever raising his voice. Watching him work was one of my new favorite secret hobbies. The concentration. The precision. The way his brows knit when he read through figures and contracts like they were nothing more than puzzles waiting to be solved. Sometimes I wondered how he managed to switch so easily between the cold, ruthless businessman and the man who made me feel the most loved. “You good, baby?” he asked without looking up, his voice soft. I blinked, realizing I’d been staring. “Yeah. Just… thinking.” “About what?” His tone had a teasing tone to it, but his eyes stayed on the screen. “How focused you get,” I said honestly. “It’s kind of intimidating.” He smiled slightly. “You mean sexy.” “Intimidating,” I corrected, though the corner of my mouth betrayed me with a smirk. He finally looked up, leaning back in his chair. “Are you hungry? I can order something for you.” “I could eat,” I said, standing and letting the blanket slide off my lap. I walked over, stopping behind his chair. “Only if you eat with me.” “Of course.” He reached for me, tugging me gently into his lap. I settled there, straddling him, my head resting on his chest as he wrapped his arms around my waist and kept working. The steady rhythm of his heart calmed something deep inside me. “I’ll have whatever you’re having,” he said quietly. I smiled, tracing circles on his clothed chest. “You’re the sweetest.” He kissed me softly. “You’re seducing me at work. That’s against the rules, Mrs. Blackwood.” I laughed, pressing my forehead to his. “Wanna know what else is against the rules?” I shifted slightly, grinding my hips just enough to make his breath hitch. He groaned, tightening his hold on me. His lips brushed my ear. “Keep that up and I’ll forget what we were talking about.” I grinned, opening my mouth to respond—but his phone started ringing on the desk behind me. “Perfect fucking timing,” he muttered sarcastically, leaning forward to grab it. The moment he looked at the caller ID, the air changed. The warmth, the teasing, the laughter—it all vanished. “It’s Cole,” he said quietly. I straightened, my hands still on his shoulders. My earlier arousal disappeared. “Cole?” He gave a single nod and answered the call, putting it on speaker. The voice that came through was cool, professional, and instantly familiar. “Good afternoon, Mr. Blackwood,” the private investigator greeted. Roman’s tone hardened. “Cole. Do you have anything for me?” “Actually, yes,” Cole said. “I’ve confirmed that Zane Rubio does live with someone in Italy.” My stomach dropped. Cold ran through my veins. Roman’s head turned toward me instantly, his eyes narrowing. “Is it Chloe? Is it my sister?” I blurted, my voice shaky. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until the silence stretched on the line. Finally, Cole answered, his tone cautious. “No, ma’am. It isn’t.” My heart sank. “Then… who is it?” Cole hesitated again. The static of the call filled the room, thick and suffocating. Roman’s grip on my thigh tightened, his knuckles white…