Jealous

Larisa exclaimed in surprise, "Now?!"

Doctor Jane ended the call, replying, "Yes Mrs. Huxley, Now."

Gently placing the phone down from her ear, Larisa turned to James and said, "Stop the car." She then took her handbag.

Still driving, James asked, "What?"

"I said stop the car!" Larisa yelled.

Pulling the car to the side of the road, James turned to face Larisa.

"I'll be stopping here," Larisa said. "I need to go somewhere important; you can go home."

"But Mr. Huxley said...." James was still talking when Larisa opened the door of the car, waved her hands to stop a passing taxi, quickly entered it, and drove past James as the taxi driver drove away.

Dumbfounded, James had no choice but to return home alone.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Larisa swiftly disembarked from the taxi, paid the driver, and walked into the hospital. She arrived at Doctor Jane's office and gently knocked.

"Come in," Doctor Jane invited from inside the office.

Nervously, Larisa opened the office door and stepped in.

"Mrs. Huxley, you're here!" Doctor Jane exclaimed. "That was quick!"

"I had to come quickly; it sounded urgent," Larisa replied.

Doctor Jane nodded and brought out a paper. She was silent for a while, her eyes darting from the paper.

Larisa was nervous but waited for the Doctor to tell her what was on the paper.

"This test result came out after you left the hospital," Doctor Jane said while raising the paper. "It's your emotional stress test results."

Larisa nodded her head and rubbed her sweaty hands together. "What does it say, Doctor?" she asked, biting her lower lip.

"Your emotional stress level is very high, Mrs. Huxley," Doctor Jane stated. She then paused and explained, "Emotions like stress and anxiety can increase particular hormones in your body, which can affect your baby's developing body and brain." After ensuring that Larisa had understood, she continued.

"During pregnancy, emotional stress can increase the chances of having a preterm baby - a baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. In other cases, a low-birthweight baby - a baby weighing less than 5 pounds 8 ounces - can be delivered. Babies born too soon or too small are at increased risk for health problems," Doctor Jane explained. "So, Mrs. Huxley, if you want to keep this baby, set aside anything that is stressing you out for the sake of your unborn child," she advised.

Larisa smiled awkwardly and gently nodded her head. She thanked Doctor Jane before taking the test result and left the hospital. Stopping a taxi at the front of the hospital, she entered it and the taxi driver drove off.

Larisa arrived home and slowly entered the mansion, her mind awhirl with thoughts about the divorce and her baby. Making her way to the master bedroom, she dropped her bag on the floor and sat on the bed.

"Where have you been?" a voice asked, startling Larisa out of her reverie. Looking up, she saw Marcellus staring at her. Taking a deep breath, Larisa muttered, "Good gracious, I almost lost my soul."

"I said, where have you been?!" Marcellus yelled, his eyes wide with anger. "Have you been cheating on me?" he asked.

Standing up from the bed, Larisa looked up at Marcellus in surprise. "Cheating on you? I should be the one saying that, since you have a mistress," she retorted."

"If you haven't been cheating on me, then where have you been?" Marcellus asked curiously, waiting for an explanation from Larisa.

"I went out to sort out a personal issue," Larisa said, meeting Marcellus' gaze.

"What personal issue?" Marcellus inquired.

Larisa chuckled and smiled. "We are divorcing soon, Marcellus, so you have no right to know."

"What?!" Marcellus yelled out in anger.

(Two Hours Earlier)

After Larisa had left, James returned to the mansion alone and parked the car in the garage. It wasn't long before Marcellus drove in and parked his car as well. James stood and waited for him to disembark from the car.

"Where is Larisa?" Marcellus asked James as he stepped out of his car.

"Sir .. she.." James stammered.

"What happened? Say it," Marcellus asked, his voice half-raised.

Mustering his courage, James replied, "Sir, on our way back from your parent's house, Mrs. Huxley received a call from someone, she told me to stop the car, and alighted from it. She stopped a taxi, got in, and left."

Marcellus nodded his head and told James to get some rest. Upon being greeted by Mrs. Mary and the maids, he walked into the master bedroom.

"Where could she be?" Marcellus asked himself as he sat down on the bed. He started visualizing Larisa in the arms of another man, kissing and cuddling. Shaking his head vigorously, he stood up from the bed, his anger rising with the thought of Larisa cheating on him and being in the arms of another man.

"She won't dare give what I own to someone else," Marcellus said, clenching his hands into a fist and frowning.

(Present)

Taking a deep breath to restrain his anger, Marcellus stepped closer to Larisa, silently looking down at her with an impassive expression.

As she stepped backward, Larisa nervously asked Marcellus, "What do you want? You're scaring me."

Marcellus was confused and uncertain of his emotions as he stepped closer to Larisa and said nothing. He asked himself, "What is this feeling? Am I angry or jealous? Why do I feel this way about her?" His emotions for Larisa were varied.

Larisa had nowhere to go as her back pressed against the wall, leaving her stuck in her spot.

Marcellus stepped up close to Larisa, putting his hands on the wall above her head and gazing down at her.

Larisa was taken aback as she leaned against the wall, looking up at Marcellus in surprise at his behavior.

Marcellus was about to kiss Larisa, his lips close to hers and his breath audible, when the door suddenly flipped open with an abrupt and startling "bang"!