52 - At least for a while

Helena was under no obligation to heed Sebastian's request not to leave the apartment. She knew she had to maintain her anonymity, no one should know she was there, she was supposed to have traveled abroad for a job and was not incubating the son of a wealthy family.

The redhead had a key to the apartment and she could, if only to go for a walk to clear her mind of those four walls, But it was that very place that now brought her the security she had been looking for so long.

What if she went outside and ran into Alan?

Or even worse, what if her predator recognized her and followed her?

She had no way of knowing, as she still could not recognize her attacker's face.

The very idea of the man following her from the shadows and trapping her in her own home simply made her repulsed and nauseous, as well as a terror running down her spine.

Finally the day came when Sebastian showed up at the apartment to take her for her first checkup. The former secretary had not realized until that moment how much she missed the contact with another person.

-They are going to see us as soon as possible, I told them we were in a hurry," said the CEO in the waiting room, he knew that the longer he was away with Helena the greater the chances of being discovered.

-It's okay," replied Helena, it being the first time she had spoken in days, feeling her voice raspy from the long silence.

-Miss Deluna," called the doctor.

-Yes..." she answered getting up from her seat and walking towards the doctor's office, feeling Sebastian following her from behind.

"Of course, he has every right to see his son," she thought before it even crossed her mind not to allow him to enter.

-There he has the changing table and inside is the robe he needs to put on-

Helena nodded and walked silently towards the dressing room, where she could hear what the doctor and her former boss were talking about.

-Is your wife feeling well?

Sebastian felt like he was almost choking on his own saliva when he heard this, but he tried with all his might to remain calm.

-Yes, it's our first time," he lied nervously.

As the redhead took off her clothes she couldn't help but smile sideways at hearing this, feeling her cheeks flush just imagining how different her life would be if she had a husband who loved her and a child that was the product of love.

"If nothing else, you could pretend for a while," the little voice in her head told her.

-You must be very excited," the woman said cheerfully.

-We are..." replied the CEO shyly.

Helena came out of the dressing room, grabbing the attention of both of them, she tried to cover her body with her hands as she walked to the gurney, she didn't feel very comfortable to show her bare legs and arms.
But what could she say? It was assumed that for this doctor, Sebastian was her husband, and that he already knew her inside out.

-Lie down on the stretcher, my dear.

The redhead obeyed, allowing herself to be helped by the gentle and firm grip of "Her husband."

-The woman exclaimed as she tried to lift her patient's shirt, but was quickly stopped by Helena's grip, who held her by the wrist.

The new mother's reaction surprised the doctor as much as Sebastian, who, trying to keep up appearances, exclaimed:

-Darling, you must let the doctor check you out.

Helena looked worriedly at Sebastian, knowing that she could no longer hide her marks. He slowly let go of the doctor's wrist, letting her lift the shirt.

Helena simply wasn't able to look, directing her gaze to a fixed point in the distance.

She didn't have the courage to confront Sebastian's look of bewilderment as he saw that her slightly swollen, whitish belly was decorated with red lines, some older some more recent, that she had done to herself in the moments when she couldn't stand it.

None of them said anything.

But the doctor exchanged a puzzled glance with the father, who stood firm but inwardly felt himself dying, not knowing what to make of it.

Suddenly, the young mother felt an icy liquid in her belly, causing her expression to contract.

Tentatively Sebastian's hand rested on Helena's, causing the redhead to finally turn to the CEO, meeting a dark and worried gaze, like a cloudy sky of gray clouds. Then Sebastian smiled sideways at her, and the young woman felt him stroke her hand with his thumb, showing support.

-Okay, Mommy ready to see your baby?

Helena looked with her big blue eyes at Sebastian, silently pleading.

-Will you leave us alone for a moment, doctor? -ordered the heir politely.

-Yes, of course," he answered, leaving the office.

-If you don't feel comfortable we can come another day," he exclaimed quickly, afraid of pressuring the young woman.

-No, it's not that...

-What is it then?

-It's that... -the redhead bit her lip, almost opening a wound- It's that I think it's time to assume it- she smiled sideways, although her eyes didn't show happiness.

-Hey... -the CEO exclaimed softly- I know it may not mean anything to you, but you are not alone, I am going to accompany you through the whole process.

Helena felt her eyes fill with tears and her throat closed up.

-I'm afraid," she exclaimed with a broken voice, letting out some tears.

-Me too," answered the CEO honestly, holding both of the redhead's hands in his, "I guess it's something normal, isn't it?" he smiled as best he could.

-Yes..." answered the redhead, smiling back. They both remained silent as they looked into each other's eyes, experiencing the energy of love that was transmitted from their souls to their pupils.

-I'm ready," she finally exclaimed in an unconscious impulse as she felt the security that Sebastian generated in her.

-Are you sure?

-Yes," she answered confidently, lying down again on the stretcher.

The doctor returned and proceeded with the control, placing the gel again and resting the device gently on Helena's belly.

Helena was unable to look at the monitor, but when she felt Sebastian again take hold of her hand she was able to get the courage she lacked, tightening her grip and finally directing her blue sky-like orbs towards the black and white monitor.

-He's still very small- exclaimed the doctor pointing to where her baby was- We can't tell the sex yet.

Helena barely heard everything the doctor said, because her eyes were glued to the screen with a strange magnetism, some natural force of love that did not let her gaze stray from that little creature that was growing in her womb.

-It's... It's...

-It's perfect- exclaimed the CEO finishing the sentence of the one who, at least inside that office, was his wife.

Sebastian would never cry in public, but he felt how at that moment his eyes burned with tears of happiness that wanted to come out.

Never before had he imagined himself feeling so much love for someone he had never even met. But he felt an energy inside him, a need to protect this being and his mother.