Olivia

Seeing the live scan of my baby before my eyes brought all shades of emotions to my heart. Seeing the life of another person inside me made me feel overwhelmed. I didn't try to hide away my tears from the doctor. "As you can see, your baby is living inside you pretty fine," she said with a smile as she rolled the tissue over my visible baby bump.

I lifted my body on the bed to a standing position. My vision turned blurry as I found myself staring at the screen before me. "Is that my baby?" I cracked out, still in disbelief.

"Yes. That's your baby. I will print the photo scan for you. I'm sure you will need it," she said, proceeding to take her seat. I followed suit. This time around, I was careful with my steps. I didn't want any slight movement that would harm my baby.

I grabbed my seat facing the doctor while sniffing my tears. "I'm sorry for getting too emotional," I apologized.

The doctor shook her head. "It's a normal thing. We doctors are used to it. If we get easily swayed, we won't be able to do our jobs. I'm glad you are taking care of your health. But I still need to address some issues." The way she leaned forward and fixated her eyes on me made it clear that whatever she was going to say would be serious, and I wasn't sure whether I was prepared for it.

"It's about your partner," she said. The words dropped in my chest like a stone. I had expected that. "You have been the only one coming to the hospital for checkups, which weren't that consistent. This is an important stage where you need full support from your partner or anyone responsible for the pregnancy."

How do I tell her that I have no idea how to go about it? How do I tell her that Logan is busy with his affairs, and he has no time to follow me around to the hospital? Even if he did, he wouldn't want anything that could harm his reputation in any way. Should I blame him for that? Should I force him to go by my book?

I managed to force out a smile before taking a deep breath. "He's supporting me in every way. It's just that he's too busy to tag along."

I'm sure the way I said that didn't sit well with the doctor. Her eyes didn't waver from staring at me. "You shouldn't try to defend him. If he's really supportive like you said, I should be able to see that on your face. I'm not a mind reader, but I know what pregnancy does to women, especially to women like you who are fragile. Anyways, I'm glad you and the baby's health are in perfect condition."

"Thank you, Doctor," I answered, cracking a more serious smile this time around.

Her eyes squinted at me. "Don't thank me yet. I want you to come with your partner next time. And you should come on the date of the appointment. You haven't been sticking to it."

I nodded my head in agreement, even though I wasn't sure whether coming with Logan would be possible. But then again, I hadn't told him about the doctor wanting to see him. I shouldn't blame him that fast. I know if I asked, he'd probably tag along.

"How did it go?" Jamie asked as I exited the elevator. She had stayed behind in the waiting room for me. She didn't follow me to the doctor's office, knowing I might see her and get emotional. In the end, I still cried in the doctor's office. That was how emotional pregnancy gets me.

I flashed her a smile. "It's normal. The doctor gave me a photo scan of the baby." I handed her the white envelope.

"Oh my god. Look at your tiny baby, Olivia," she cried out, pulling me in for a hug. "I'm so happy for you," she uttered, patting me on my back.

"I'm fine. This is it," I said as we pulled away. Jamie stared at me with a sad look. "Stop looking at me that way," I warned, snatching the photo, sliding it back inside the envelope, and tucking it into my bag.

"I know. I'm proud of you. On that note, allow me to spoil you. Bills on me!" She cheered, dragging me away.

My mouth hung open as I stared at the menu in front of me. "How can a one-plate meal cost this much?" I said, scanning the book. Jamie had literally taken us to a five-star restaurant.

Jamie rolled her eyes. "It's not like I can't afford it. I just want to spoil my best friend. Is that a bad thing?" The way she said it, waving her arms in the air, made me chuckle. If Jamie wanted to spend her fortune on me, who was I to decline.

"Then allow me to choose a full-course meal. Don't blame me for your pocket, though," I warned as I proceeded to place my order.

It took our orders some time to arrive, obviously because I had chosen more than two plates and also some takeout to bring back to the clinic. The moment the dishes were laid out in front of us, I wasted no time in digging in. After all, I was hungry.

"Easy there. No one is taking your food away from you," Jamie exclaimed as she attacked the chicken wings with her teeth. I didn't even pay attention to her.

"This is really delicious. Why didn't I know about this place before?" I said with my mouth full.

"Trust your friend on that. My boss made me set a reservation for him and his family. I was piqued by their dishes. So think of it as a privilege. I'm sure Logan doesn't know about this place." My hand stopped mid-air at the mention of Logan.

"What? You don't want me to talk about him?" She blurted out.

I took a sip of my water before leaning forward. "I don't know what to do about Logan. I feel like he's not what he appears to be."

"What do you mean he's not what he appears to be? Is he not human?" Jamie's eyes widened as she covered her mouth with her palms, checking around the surroundings.

I couldn't resist rolling my eyes. "I'm talking about something serious here. The way he's acting around his family. I don't know, but I feel like there's more to him. The way he shut himself away, it's mysterious."

"So you want to do what? Thought his family had made it clear to you not to meddle in their affairs, and Logan couldn't even defend you. And now you're talking about mysterious," I heaved out a deep breath. I know what they said should be a wake-up call for me, but I couldn't help but get worried. Why was I thinking meddling in their business should be my priority? I mean, I'm married to someone from the family. I'm part of the Nero household too, right?

"Shouldn't you help me come up with a solution?" I said, reaching for her hand on the table.

"Solution like what? Telling Logan to get his act together? Because I fail to understand why you're trying so hard for that family. They don't seem appreciative at all. The least they should do is thank you for being there for their daughter. And Logan? I don't even understand. Does he even like you?"

If I say I was expecting Jamie's last question, I'd be lying. Because that was the question I myself don't have the answer to. Could it be it's a one-sided love? Am I the only one having these feelings?

"Let's be honest here, Olivia," Jamie went on again, this time her soft voice and the way she held my hand made my whole body weak. I'm sure I needed a word of encouragement from my best friend.

"I know you have feelings for Logan, but I fail to understand where his attention is directed. He's supposed to be with you through this pregnancy journey, but look. Not even a single text from him or a call to check up on you. Is that what you want?"

"No," I confessed. "This isn't what I want, Jamie. I want him to support me in every way he can. I want him to put my baby first before everything else, before his work. But tell me how to make him do that without it looking like I'm forcing things. I don't want to appear desperate towards him, forcing him to accept me." I raked my hands through my hair as my eyes began to well up.

"Let's not talk about it. I don't want to look like a mess right now. Let's just eat," I said. Jamie didn't let go of my hand. Her eyes also didn't leave mine.

"I don't think you should care about what he thinks or what his family thinks. This is about your life, Olivia. I know how good you are at hiding your inner emotions. Remember, your happiness comes first. So I think you should just take matters into your own hands."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, shooting her a questioning look.

"Come clean and tell Logan your feelings. Make him understand that if he's not going to take a step, then you will. For the future of your baby. His family has no choice but to accept you. You two didn't do anything wrong spending the night together."

The conversation we had with Jamie had really shaken me up a bit. I know whatever she said was indeed true. Why should I shy away when I didn't do anything wrong? They might not accept me right away, but they will eventually. Because I'm married to the family and also carrying an heir of the family. I'm really blessed to have Jamie in my life. She knows when to come through for me.

As I made my way through the entrance door, the sight of the family dining for dinner greeted me. Logan was absent. We didn't even see much of each other today. I'm sure he was busy with work as usual. I didn't waste time dwelling on the matter and carried on upstairs. I'm sure they won't appreciate me joining them. Thank God the takeaway from the restaurant was enough to satisfy my remaining hunger. I won't have to worry about going to bed hungry tonight.

As I closed the door behind me, I dropped my bag and headed straight to the bathroom. I enjoyed a calming shower, the hot water soothing my body and mind from the events of the day. I changed into my nighties before I reached for the photo scan. I trailed my fingers on the photo, a smile curving up on my lips. "Hey, baby," I hushed out. I stayed in that position for what felt like forever before I finally slid the photo into the bedside drawer.

My phone lay dormant on the bed. There were no messages or notifications. Maybe it was time to talk to Logan and come to a decision once and for all. I would be open to him about my problems. If he's not ready to face his family with the truth, then I will take matters into my own hands.

Are you available to talk?

I typed and hit the send button. I bit my bottom lip in anticipation of getting a reply from him, but all I got was silence. The message was left unread. I gave it some time before I stood up and aimed for the door. I took a long breath as I stood in front of his door. "I'm doing this," I mentally said to myself. It's now or never. We won't ever come to a decision. Mysterious or not, I would have to take a decision for myself and my baby.

As I placed my hand on the doorknob, ready to open the door, Liam's voice sounded from behind me. "Logan is not at home."