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Chapter 1

DAHLIA

“You're pregnant,” my gynaecologist announced, smiling very broadly at me.

“Congratulations Dahlia, you'll become a mother soon,” she kept smiling.

I sat there, glued to the seat and speechless.

“She is playing a prank on me,” I repeatedly told myself, finding it hard to believe the sudden revelation.

Suddenly getting pregnant after being told I'll never be able to have a child of my own felt like a dream.

“Yo…you should redo the test…Have you forgotten, I can't get pregnant,” I reminded her, stuttering and trying not to give myself high hopes.

“That would mean redoing the pregnancy test for the sixth time. You're pregnant Dahlia. This is your reality!” She said louder this time, full of smiles.

I shook my head in denial, but then she placed the fifth result of the pregnancy test on my palm.

“See for yourself…”

I glanced down at the paper, then my face slowly contoured in shock.

“I'm pregnant,” I mumbled, trying to come to terms with it.

“I'm pregnant!” I said aloud, as the truth slowly crept in.

Five years ago, I got married to the love of my life, Desmond. We focused on running our company for a while. A company I started about three years before I met him. We ran the company together ever since then. When we decided to start having children two years ago, since the company was now doing really well, I was suddenly hit with the news about how I can't ever get pregnant.

Desmond had comforted me, saying he didn't mind as long as he had me by his side, but that wasn't the case for me, having my own child, being a mother has always been my biggest dream.

“I'm pregnant!!” I repeated more loudly this time.

Out of excitement, I pulled out my phone and dialed my husband's number. I didn't have the patience to wait for him to get back from the office.

Smiling, I waited for him to pick up, but then, he never did. After trying a few more times without getting any response, I resigned and decided to head to the company.

“I'll just tell him there,” I told myself.

I wasted no time getting back into my car and quickly drove to the company.

After discovering my inability to conceive, I blamed it all on me working too hard. Right from the moment I founded my company, I had worked tirelessly, getting very little sleep each day. I blamed myself for my predicament. To make more time for myself, I made Desmond the CEO and took on a smaller role. In fact, I barely visited the office these few years and spent more time with my gynaecologist, trying to make a miracle happen and then it did happen.

I packed my car and headed right into the reception. This would be the first time I'm stepping foot into the company in about a year, if not more.

I walked past the reception without sparing a glance at the receptionist, it's my company anyways.

“Excuse me, ma'am. You can't just walk in like that,” the young lady called out to me, making me halt.

I turned around to look at her, only to notice she was unfamiliar.

“When were you hired?” I asked, approaching her. The last receptionist was hired by me.

“Anyways, don't answer that, “ I was too excited to go meet my husband.

“I'm Dahlia Gregory,” I introduced myself.

“You're related to the CEO?” She asked, staring at me.

I could only smile.

“I'm his wife…” I said, I noticed her eyes bug out, making me smile. Without another word, I walked away.

“But ma'am, Mrs. Gregory is already…” she was saying but I paid no heed to her and got into the elevator.

Getting off the elevator, I found my way to Desmond's office. But then, I couldn't help but notice the new faces of the employees. In fact, there wasn't a single familiar face.

“What's going on?” I could only mumble inwardly.

I couldn't find a single employee I hired nor the ones that started the company with me.

“When did Desmond change the staff and why?” I was confused.

But then, recalling that I haven't been here for over a year now, made me shake my head.

“I would have known if I visited more,” I blamed myself.

Getting to my husband's office, I finally found a familiar face. It was Tony, an old employee, who now worked as Desmond's assistant.

“Tony,” I called out the moment I walked in. His office was right outside Desmond's.

“Da….Dahlia….” He stammered, his eyes nearly falling off his sockets the moment he caught sight of me. He stood to hurry over to me as if to stop me from going further, but then he staggered.

“What are you doing here so suddenly, work hours are nearly over?” He threw a series of questions at me, looking visibly uncomfortable.

“Something's wrong,” I told myself.

“I just dropped by,” I waved him off.

“Is Desmond in?” I asked, glancing at the slightly ajar door that led to his office.

“No…” he was quick to speak.

“Then why is the door open?” I asked, walking over to the door.

“I mean yes…he is in but he is very busy,” he quickly spoke.

“He has a lot of files to go through….” He stuttered, nearly breaking into a cold sweat.

I nodded, not saying a word and walked over to the door.

I noticed Tony trying to protest and stop me from opening the door, but that made me want to open it even more, not giving him time to say another word, I pushed the door open and walked in.

The sight that welcomed me was indeed what Tony had said.

Desmond was squatted on the floor covered in sweat, with documents scattered all over the floor. He had his headset on, explaining why he didn't hear my entire conversation with Tony, otherwise, he would have walked right out to welcome me. A few buttons of his shirt were left undone, and his hair was disheveled, instantly making me clamp my legs together.

I quickly blamed my pregnancy for making me like this.

“Baby!” I called out, walking over to him and gently tapping his back, bringing his attention to me.

He was quick to glance up with a stern look on his face. But then when his eyes met mine, his gaze softened and he looked really surprised.

“Dahl?” He called out pleasantly surprised.

“Surprise!” I smiled, throwing myself into his arms.

At that moment my eyes caught sight of a familiar figure behind him, Sophia, my former assistant.

Just like Desmond, she was covered in sweat and looked exhausted.

The atmosphere suddenly got awkward, as I stared at her.

I instantly felt uneasy.

“What is she doing here?”