Chapter 159; Leo’s birthday
Alina’s POV
Why do I feel so weak? My head hurts so much it is literally killing me. Forcing myself out of bed, a sudden wave of intense nausea hits me. The moment my feet touch the floor, I have to rush straight into the bathroom to vomit.
Once the dry heaving finally stops, I rinse my mouth out and lean heavily against the cold edge of the sink, panting for breath. The last time I felt this exact kind of debilitating sickness was when I was pregnant with Leo.
Wait. My eyes widened in the mirror, horror and shock washing over me. Am I pregnant?
No, that’s not possible, right? But even as the thought crosses my mind, reality crashes in. What do I mean it isn’t possible? Lucian and I have been having unprotected sex. Oh no... I really, really hope I’m not pregnant right now.
A sharp knock on the bedroom door snaps me out of my panic. I wipe my face, step out of the bathroom, and open the door only to find Aiden standing there. There is a strange, flickering look of pain written all over his face.
"What is the matter?" I asked as he brushed past me into the room.
"Alina, you are going to answer my questions right now," he said, his tone dropping into a deadly serious register.
"What questions?" I asked, my brow furrowing in deep confusion.
He locked his eyes onto mine, searching my face. "Are you pregnant?"
My heart skipped a beat, but I forced my expression to remain completely blank. "What? Why on earth would you think I am pregnant?"
"So you aren’t pregnant?" he pressed, stepping closer.
"I am not pregnant," I lied smoothly.
Instantly, a bright, relieved light flooded his eyes, the heavy tension leaving his shoulders. "That’s great news then," he said, a genuine smile breaking across his face. "For a moment, I was incredibly worried that... never mind. Breakfast is ready downstairs."
"Alright then, I will be out soon," I replied.
Aiden nodded, completely satisfied with my answer, and left the room. The second the door clicked shut, I walked straight back to the bed and sank onto the mattress, my mind racing. What if I am pregnant? It should be a good thing, right? Lucian would be absolutely thrilled. But a baby with Lucian would also ignite an all-out war between him and Aiden. I tried to tell myself it shouldn’t matter since I am no longer Aiden’s wife, but everything is just so incredibly messed up right now.
I need to know for sure, I thought, taking a deep breath. I will go to the doctor’s appointment next Friday and find out.
After taking a moment to compose myself, I finally headed downstairs for breakfast. To my immense relief, Emily wasn’t sitting at the table, meaning I didn’t have to endure her rude remarks this morning. I couldn’t help but smile softly as I watched Adrien gently feeding Leo his baby food.
"Alina, I have already made all the arrangements for Leo’s first birthday party," Aiden announced, wiping Leo’s chin with a napkin.
"Oh, really? Shouldn’t I also contribute to the planning or the costs?" I asked, surprised.
"No, you don’t have to do a single thing, okay?" he said, looking up at me with an unexpectedly soft expression. "I just need you to know that it’s all handled. And... you can invite Lucian and his people if you want."
The offer caught me completely off guard. I froze, staring at him in utter disbelief.
"Lucian?" I repeated, my voice laced with confusion. "You actually want him here?"
"Of course. I mean, you always say rogues aren’t entirely bad, so I am willing to accept them. And besides, Boca is Leo’s uncle, so he absolutely should be present," Aiden said.
Hearing him say that made a warm smile spread across my face. "This is great. I will let them know."
"Good," he responded simply, turning his focus back to playing with Leo.
But as I watched them, my smile slowly faltered. A sudden wave of anxiety washed over me. I really didn’t think Lucian would tolerate the idea of stepping foot inside Aiden’s house, let alone to celebrate Leo’s birthday under his rival’s roof. Still, I tried to reassure myself—Lucian loved me, and I was sure he would swallow his pride if I was the one asking him to come.
****
"Alina," Lucian breathed the moment he saw me, instantly pulling me into a tight, fierce embrace. "I missed you so much."
"We have only been apart for a single day, Lucian," I giggled against his chest.
"It feels like forever," he murmured, breaking the hug just enough to plant a soft, lingering kiss on my lips. He looked down at me, his eyes shining. "I actually have something to tell you."
"What is it?" I asked, leaning into his touch.
"You know Leo will be turning one in just a few days," he said, a bright, excited smile breaking across his handsome face. "I decided we should celebrate his birthday properly. I’ve already made all the arrangements for a party here."
My eyes widened in absolute shock, the words freezing the blood in my veins.
Lucian’s smile instantly dropped, his brow furrowing as he looked at my pale face. "What’s the matter, Alina? Did I say something wrong?" he asked, total confusion in his eyes.
"No... no, you didn’t," I stammered, trying to find the right words. "It’s just that... Aiden has already made all the arrangements for Leo’s birthday at his place. I actually came here today to invite you and your people to attend."
"Oh," Lucian said.
The excitement completely drained from his face, replaced by a cold, rigid silence.
"I had no idea you were going to make arrangements. I would have stopped you," I said.
"Oh," he said.
"Is that all you’re going to say? ’Oh’?" I asked calmly.
"I really have nothing to say, Alina. I mean, Leo isn’t my son, so I don’t have the right," he said.
"You can come," I said.
"No."