Chapter 2

Grace caught the look on my face and smiled, like she knew exactly what I was thinking. "Looks like you've figured it out. Let's get an ultrasound to confirm. I'll write you a referral."

My hands were sweating as I clutched the ultrasound referral. No way. This couldn't be happening. I thought Grace must have made a mistake. She didn't know Thomas's condition.

I lay on the ultrasound table, feeling like my blood had turned to ice. The cold probe slid over my lower abdomen.

The young ultrasound technician stared at the screen and let out a surprised "Hmm?"

My heart jumped into my throat. "What's wrong? Is it something serious?" I asked.

The technician ignored me and turned to her assistant. "Quick, go get Dr. Warren."

My mind went blank, like it was about to explode. I would be over. It must be some terminal illness. My life was only starting to get good. Was it going to end like this?

Soon, a more experienced, older doctor walked in. It was Grace who had examined me earlier. She took the probe and started the scan herself, her eyes glued to the screen.

Time dragged on, every second feeling like an eternity. I was so nervous I could barely breathe.

Just as I was about to lose it, Grace suddenly burst out laughing. Her laugh was all surprise and excitement.

She turned to me, looking at me like I was the rarest treasure she'd ever seen. "Congratulations, Mrs. Sterling! This isn't an illness. It's the best news you could get."

My mind went completely blank. I had no idea what she was talking about.

Grace's voice rose with excitement, getting louder. "You're pregnant! And..."

She pointed at the screen, her voice shaking with excitement as she showed me a few tiny black dots. I had no clue what they meant.

"It's triplets! All three gestational sacs are developing perfectly," she exclaimed.

I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. I was frozen on the table, unable to move.

Pregnant? Triplets? How was this possible? This couldn't be my scan. Someone must've messed up the results.

My world was spinning, and all I could hear was Grace's voice echoing in my head, "Congratulations. Triplets!"

Just then, my phone started ringing like crazy. It was Thomas. I grabbed the phone like it was my lifeline, my hands shaking as I answered.

On the other end, Thomas had just finished a meeting, and I could hear a hint of exhaustion in his voice. "Rebecca, did you get the results? What did the doctor say?" he asked.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. My silence tipped Thomas off that something was wrong.

His voice went cold, suddenly calm in an almost scary way. "Which hospital? I'm coming over."

I stared at the three unmistakable black dots on the ultrasound report, my palms slick with cold sweat.

Cold sweat trickled down my temples. I thought I would be done for. I had no idea how I managed to walk out of the ultrasound room.

Grace and a few nurses gathered around me, their faces lit up with excitement.

"Mrs. Sterling, what a blessing. Triplets! We haven't seen something like this in our hospital in ages."

"Yeah, you need to take good care of yourself. It's not going to be easy from here on out."

"Mr. Sterling is going to be absolutely thrilled when he finds out."

Every word of their congratulations felt like a needle stabbing into my heart.

I gripped the thin ultrasound report so tightly that the edges were almost crumpled. Those three tiny black dots on the paper were like three burning brands, making my palm numb.

How was I supposed to explain this to Thomas? How would I tell my mother-in-law, who loved me like her own? And how was I supposed to tell them I was pregnant, but the babies weren't Thomas's? No, that was impossible.

Ever since I married Thomas, I've been completely faithful. I kept my distance from other men and even avoided dinners with male friends.

How did these babies happen? My mind was a tangled mess, like a ball of yarn a cat had played with. There was no way to make sense of it.

I sat on a bench in the hospital hallway, feeling completely lost, waiting for Thomas to show up. It didn't feel like I was waiting for my husband. It felt more like I was waiting for fate to pass judgment on me.

Half an hour later, the sound of strong, urgent footsteps echoed down the hallway, getting closer and closer.

I looked up and saw Thomas. He was wearing a perfectly tailored black suit, standing tall with an air of authority, his eyes deep and intense.

He'd rushed over, so there was a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, and his always-perfect hair was slightly out of place. But even like this, he was still the most dazzling presence in the crowd.