43

"How far along am I in my pregnancy?" she asked nervously.

"One month."

A feeling of joy and fear overwhelmed her. Nathan couldn't know, not yet. She wasn't even sure how he would react, but she was certain it wouldn't be good.

"Fortunately, typhoid fever was detected in time. In a pregnant woman, if the fever exceeds 39°C, it can cause harm to the baby."

Her eyes filled with tears at the thought of what could have happened. She should have gone to the doctor immediately, but she felt so tired that she preferred to rest.

"Don't worry, you're out of danger now."

"Who brought me here?" she asked fearfully.

"Nathan. He called me from his cell phone, and he seemed very nervous on the way," he explained. "He's an old friend, and I swear I've never seen him like that before. He caused quite a commotion when they didn't let him into the emergency room."

"Nathan is here?"

"Yes, although I'm not sure how he'll react when he finds out he's going to be a father," he said thoughtfully.

That made Suzanne even more nervous, and the doctor noticed the change in her, so he quickly added:

"Well, if you're not ready to tell him yet..."

"I'm not..." she murmured, distressed.

"Sooner or later, he's going to find out," he looked at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Can we keep it a secret? Just for now... please," she scratched her neck, nervous. "I'll tell him later at home, when we're calmer."

"Alright, I won't say anything then," he was a bit surprised, as many women would be happy to experience such an event.

"Would you do that for me?"

"Of course, he's my friend, but you are my patient, and as a doctor, I must respect your decision."

"Thank you," she whispered.

Just at that moment Nathan entered the room, looking worried. He approached her and kissed her without hesitation.

"How are you feeling, honey?"

"Fine," she said distantly, still remembering what had happened that night.

"What's wrong with her?" the magnate asked, turning to his friend.

Suzanne looked at Jules, nervous, imploring with her eyes that he not reveal the pregnancy. He gave her a calm look.

"According to the tests conducted..." he began to say, but Nathan interrupted him.

"Get to the point, Harper."

"Who is the doctor here?" he said, and Nathan glared at him but remained silent. "As I was saying, according to the tests conducted, the results indicated typhoid fever, but everything is now under control."

"Thank God," he whispered, a bit more relieved.

"When will you discharge me?" she said, ignoring Nathan, something he did not miss.

"You'll have to stay the night here. In your condition, it's too risky for the fever to rise."

"In her condition?" Nathan asked, frowning.

"She has a bit of anemia, and that can worsen the situation," Jules hurried to say.

"Hmm, in the past few weeks, she's had a lot of nausea and vomiting. Does that have anything to do with typhoid fever?" Nathan asked, curious.

"Indeed, those are some of the symptoms, along with headaches, general discomfort, and abdominal pain," explained the doctor.

"When will the pain go away?" Suzanne asked, as her head and stomach still ached a bit.

"Fever and pain usually disappear 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment. It's important to complete the treatment," Harper said.

"How long will it take for her to recover completely?" Nathan asked this time.

"It will probably take about three weeks for her to fully recover," the doctor said. "During this time, she will need to rest, stay hydrated, and above all... eat very well."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure she follows everything to the letter."

A nurse entered, requesting Dr. Harper's presence on the second floor, and Suzanne thanked him before he left.

They were alone in the room, and the silence was uncomfortable. Nathan didn't know what to say to make up for the mistake they had made.

"Suzanne..."

"Not now, Nathan. I'm tired," she said, yawning.

"Rest, honey. There will be time to talk," he said, placing a tender kiss on her forehead before moving away.

«He's leaving», she thought.

Even though she was angry with him, she wished he would stay with her and their baby.

She looked at him curiously when she saw him approach the small table next to her bed. He sat there and took her hand.

"Does it hurt?" Nathan asked, caressing her abdomen. She shivered.

Their child was there. How would he take the news?

"No, it doesn't hurt anymore," she forced herself to say, with a lump in her throat.

He gave her a tiny smile.

Suzanne closed her eyes, with his hand still on her abdomen tracing imaginary circles. It was something he often did, but now it felt different.

"Pregnant."

And with that thought, she fell asleep.

***

When Suzanne woke up, she saw the man sitting on the sofa with his head resting on his hand.

He looked so tender and harmless when he slept, his brown hair falling messily over his face. She brushed the hair from his face and watched him sleep; he seemed like a different person.

She was stroking his silky hair when he opened his eyes, and she quickly withdrew her hand, feeling awkward.

"Good morning, beautiful," he whispered, as he sat up straight on the sofa.

She noticed that his jacket, as well as his tie, were gone.

"Good morning," she said.

"How are you feeling today?"

"Better, I want to go home already."

"As soon as the doctor discharges you, we'll go to my place. You need to rest."

"I'm not going to your house," she said seriously.

"Suzanne, you're not being reasonable."

How dare he say that after what he had done? She was fuming.

"I think after what I saw that night, I'm being very reasonable," she said through gritted teeth, angry.

"What you saw that night was just that, nothing more happened," he explained.

She looked at him suspiciously, she didn't know if she could believe him.