Chapter 29 Afew weeks go by, and they are some of the most amazing weeks of my life. Despite the trauma of being kept in that hellhole, Sergei has done absolutely everything he can to make me comfortable. For starters, he's barely left my side since I came back. I keep telling him I'm fine and he can get back to work, but he insists I matter more than any business deal. It's kind of nice. Plus, he knows about the baby now. Somehow, instead of bolting or spiraling, he becomes even more protective of me. Of both of us. He's shifted into full-on caretaker mode, which is downright adorable. He read a few articles on the internet about healthy pregnancies, and suddenly he's an expert on all things baby. I have to keep reminding him that I actually am a medical professional and I have a good grasp on the situation. Liliya has been healthier this week than I've ever seen her. She's barely needed me at all and has told me multiple times over the past few weeks how happy she is that I'm safe. She's even happier that she's finally going to be a grandma. "These boys, I tell you." She shakes her head the day after I get back. "I was sure I would die without ever getting to spoil my first grandchild. Thank God for you, Nicole. I couldn't ask for a better person to be the mother of my grandbaby." That same night, Sergei asks me to move in with him permanently, and I don't hesitate. "Mom's doing much better now," he says when I tell him about our earlier conversation. "We don't really need you here as a nurse anymore. But I would be so happy if you'd agree to move in. Let's give this a real shot and raise our baby together." "Yes," I answer before he even finishes. The very next morning, he sends movers to my apartment to pack up everything and haul it to the mansion. He's bought out the rest of my lease, too. I'm learning he's both eager and impatient in the best possible way. Today, that impatience feels downright endearing. He's about to see our baby on the ultrasound for the first time. He's going to hear the baby's heartbeat. He's been vibrating with excitement since dawn. I sit on the crinkly paper at the OB's office, waiting for the ultrasound technician to come in and show us our baby. Sergei is beside me, his hand clasped in mine, warm and strong and steady. His thumb traces slow circles over my knuckles, bleeding some of his nerves into me. "You nervous?" he asks, voice low and gentle. I smile up at him. "Not really," I say. "Mostly I'm excited for you to meet our little bean. I bet you'll be every bit as obsessed with them as I am." He leans down, brushing a kiss to my forehead. "I'm sure I will." He smiles. "Even though we're definitely having a girl." "I don't know." I shrug. "I've been having serious boy vibes since my first ultrasound." "I bet you two million dollars that it's a girl," he jokes. "No fair," I pout. "You know I don't have that kind of money." "Everything I have is yours," he says, earnest now. "So when you're wrong and it's a girl, I'll cover it." The door swings open, and the ultrasound tech strolls in, all bright eyes and easy smiles. "Welcome back, Nicole," she greets me warmly. "Dad, are you ready to meet your little one?" Sergei straightens in his chair, and I swear he sits up like he's reporting for duty. "Absolutely." I let out a soft laugh and recline while the tech spreads cold gel across my belly. I still flinch, but Sergei's grip tightens around mine. "All right," she says, moving the wand across my belly. "Let's see what we've got here." The room falls silent except for the sound of soft static, and then, there it is. The rhythmic, galloping sound of our baby's heartbeat fills the room. Sergei's hand clamps around mine, and I turn to him. His eyes are wide, shining. His lips are parted slightly in awe. "That's our baby?" he breathes, reverent. "That's your baby," the tech confirms, beaming. "Healthy heartbeat. Perfect size. Nicole, based on your measurements, you're right around eighteen weeks." Eighteen weeks. It feels like everything is happening so fast and also crawling by. On the monitor, a little head, curved spine, and tiny arms come into view. The baby's bigger than last time. The little one has grown so much since I was here a few weeks ago. The next few months are just going to fly by. I blink hard against the tears burning my eyes. "Would you like to know the gender?" the tech asks, smiling as she looks between us. "Yes," I blurt out, just as Sergei says, "Absolutely." We both laugh. The tech grins and tilts the wand a little. "Well, it looks like you're having a little girl." The words punch straight through my chest in the very best way. A little girl. A daughter. A rush of emotions swirls inside me so fast I can't keep up. Joy, fear, excitement, and sheer panic collide inside me. I'm going to have a daughter. I'm going to be responsible for a little girl's entire world. How am I supposed to keep her safe? How do I teach her to be strong and kind and everything she'll need to be in a world like this? I blink again, and the tears finally spill. "I-" I begin, but no words come. "I guess I owe you two million dollars," I finally manage weakly as I look at Sergei. "I told you I'd spot you." He laughs, but his expression softens when he sees the panic on my face. "Hey, look at me." I do, even though my vision blurs and my lower lip trembles. He lifts a hand and cups my face, wiping away the tears with the pad of his thumb. "You're going to be the best mother to our little girl, Nicole," he says, voice low and steady and so full of certainty it roots me in place. "You're going to love her so much she won't know what it's like not to feel it. You'll kiss every scraped knee, and you'll teach her everything that matters. You'll be the heart of her world." More tears fall, and I can't help the sob that slips out. "I don't know what I'm doing," I whisper. "Neither do I," he says, brushing his forehead against mine. "But we're going to figure it out together." I throw my arms around his neck, and he holds me tightly, even with my belly slightly in the way. When I finally pull back, he presses a kiss to my lips, then another to my stomach. "I already love you so much, little one," he murmurs against my skin. "Your papa's got you. Always." The door clicks softly shut behind the ultrasound tech, leaving just the two of us in the dimly lit room. The monitor beside me still glows with the faint outline of our baby girl. Sergei's hand is still wrapped tightly around mine, his thumb brushing over my knuckles like he's afraid to let go. I turn to look at him, and the expression on his face is something I'll never forget. He's not just smiling, he's lit from the inside, his eyes glassy with emotion. "She's perfect," he murmurs, voice thick with awe. "I can't believe she's ours." A soft laugh escapes me, half joy, half disbelief. "I can't either. It still doesn't feel real sometimes." He leans closer, his hand moving from mine to cup my cheek, warm and steady. "It's real," he says more calmly. "She's real. And you've been incredible through all of this, Nic. I don't think you even realize how strong you've been." I shake my head, swallowing past the sudden lump in my throat. "I don't feel strong, Sergei. Not all the time." "You are," he insists. "After everything that's happened, the way you've handled everything. You've been through hell and somehow you've managed to come out even stronger. I've never met anyone like you." I want to believe him. I want to hold onto that version of me, the one who didn't fall apart when the world felt like it was crumbling. The one he sees when he looks at me. I smile, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear shyly. "You know," I murmur. "I'm really glad I texted the wrong number that night." He chuckles, deep and low, and it echoes around the quiet room. "So am I. That night changed everything. I never saw myself doing this," he admits, his voice quieter now. "Not the kid thing. Not the relationship thing. I thought I was too far gone. Too wrapped up in this life to even consider something like a family." My chest tightens, and I squeeze his hand. "But you changed your mind?" His gaze locks on mine, intense and unwavering. "You changed my mind. Before you, I didn't think I needed anyone. I was content running my empire, keeping people in line, making sure no one stepped out of place. It was all I knew. And I was fine with it." He pauses, his thumb sweeping over my cheekbone. "But then you came along, and suddenly everything I thought I knew didn't matter anymore. I started thinking about mornings with you, about what it'd be like to come home and have someone waiting. Someone who isn't afraid of who I am. I didn't know how much I needed that until you gave it to me." My throat tightens, emotion catching me off guard. I reach up and place my hand over his, anchoring myself in his touch. "I promise I'm not going anywhere," I whisper. His breath hitches slightly, and he leans in, pressing his forehead to mine. "Good," he murmurs. "Because one day, I'm going to make you my wife." I blink, stunned. The words settle between us like a spark waiting to ignite. "You are?" "There's no one else for me," he says, his voice a promise. "Not in this life. Not in any life." Tears prick the corners of my eyes, but I don't try to stop them. I just lean forward and kiss him, slow and deep, pouring everything I feel into that moment. Love. Gratitude. Relief. Hope. When we finally pull back, he brushes a thumb over my bottom lip. "I love you, Nicole." "I love you, too," I whisper, my heart swelling so full it might burst. He kisses me again, then pulls back slightly and places his hand over my stomach. The soft curve that's beginning to form is still small, but his fingers splay out like he's already protecting something sacred. The monitor behind us goes dim as the tech returns, smiling as she knocks lightly on the doorframe. "All good in here?" Sergei and I glance at each other, still holding hands, still wrapped up in this new, shared world. "All good," I say, smiling softly. More than good. We're absolutely perfect. In a romance-themed observation show, several participants undergo a series of interactions and conflicts filled with love, misunderstandings, and power struggles. In the end, one couple rises to over...