ANMELDENLabor did not begin the way Kimani expected. There was no dramatic scream in the middle of the night. No sudden rush of panic. It started… annoyingly. “Alaric.” He didn’t look up immediately, still focused on the document in his hand. “Hmm?” “Alaric.” Something in her tone made him pause. He slowly lifted his head. Kimani was standing in the middle of the room, one hand on her lower back, the other resting protectively over her stomach. Her expression was… off. Not pain. Not yet. But something close. “What is it?” he asked, already standing. “I think…” she hesitated, brows furrowing slightly. “I think something’s happening.” Alaric was beside her in an instant. “What kind of ‘something’?” he asked carefully. Kimani opened her mouth— Then froze. Her grip tightened on his arm. “…Okay,” she whispered. “That… hurt.” Alaric’s entire body went still. “How bad?” he asked. She exhaled slowly, eyes closing. “Not… terrible,” she said. “Just… weird.” A beat. Then ano
Peace in Alaric’s house never lasted long. Kimani had just started enjoying one of those rare, quiet afternoons—the kind where everything felt still, calm, and manageable. She was curled up on the couch, a bowl of cut fruits beside her (which she had insisted must include mangoes, strawberries, and—strangely—pickles), scrolling through her phone. Alaric sat nearby, working, though his attention shifted to her every few minutes like it had become second nature. Everything was calm. Suspiciously calm. Which meant— The door burst open. “WE’RE HERE!” Kimani didn’t even flinch. She just closed her eyes. “…I spoke too soon.” Alaric didn’t look up immediately, but the tightness in his jaw said everything. Ava walked in first, full of energy, sunglasses perched dramatically on her head like she had just returned from a red carpet event instead of… wherever she actually came from. Behind her, Alex strolled in like he owned the place, hands in his pockets, completely unbothered.
Bonus Chapter 1 Three Heartbeats Pregnancy, Kimani quickly discovered, was not the soft, glowing, effortlessly beautiful experience people loved to romanticize. It was chaos. Glorious, emotional, unpredictable chaos. And Alaric… was in the middle of it. --- It started small. At least, that’s what Kimani told herself. One minute, she was perfectly fine—calm, composed, enjoying her morning. The next? “I want mangoes.” Alaric looked up from his tablet. “Mangoes?” he repeated. “Yes.” “At eight in the morning?” “Yes.” He studied her face carefully. “You don’t even like mangoes that much.” “I do now.” Alaric leaned back slowly. “Noted.” Ten minutes later, he was on the phone. “Get me fresh mangoes,” he said calmly. “Not store-bought. I want them ripe, organic, and perfect. If they’re not perfect, don’t bother coming back.” Kimani blinked at him. “You’re threatening someone over mangoes?” “I’m ensuring quality,” he corrected. She stared at him for a moment. Then sm
THIRD PERSON'S POV Months Later The city glittered beneath them, alive with its usual restless energy—but inside the penthouse, time felt slower. Softer. It had been months since the island. Months since golden sunsets, salt-kissed air, and quiet mornings where the world felt distant and unimportant. Life had returned to its usual rhythm—meetings, schedules, responsibilities—but something had shifted. Something permanent. Kimani stood in front of the mirror, smoothing down the fabric of her dress for what felt like the hundredth time. It was simple, elegant, and soft against her skin—nothing too dramatic, but enough to make tonight feel special. Because it was. She smiled faintly at her reflection. “Relax,” she whispered to herself. “It’s just dinner.” But it wasn’t just dinner. It was their anniversary. One year since everything had changed. One year since a wedding that wasn’t supposed to happen had turned into the beginning of something neither of them could live wit
THIRD PERSON'S POV The moment the jet touched down, reality returned with it. The soft, dreamlike calm of the island faded as the tires met the runway with a firm, grounding thud. The gentle hush of waves and warm ocean air was replaced by the structured efficiency of the city—sharp, fast, unapologetically alive. Kimani felt it instantly. She sat still for a moment after landing, her fingers loosely intertwined with Alaric’s, her mind caught somewhere between the island they had just left behind and the life waiting ahead. Alaric glanced at her, already reading her thoughts. “Don’t tell me you’re already missing it,” he murmured, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. Kimani turned to him slowly. “Already?” she echoed. “Alaric, I started missing it the moment the plane took off.” He huffed a quiet laugh, bringing her hand to his lips and pressing a brief kiss against her knuckles. “Dangerous,” he said. “You’re getting sentimental again.” “And you’re not?” she challenged. He did
THIRD PERSON'S POV The tropical morning didn’t arrive with any noise, but with a hushed, reverent gold that seemed to coat the world in honey. On this final day, the sun itself appeared to linger just below the horizon, hesitant to break the spell that had settled over the private villa. For Kimani and Alaric, the past few days hadn’t just been a vacation or a business scouting trip; they had been a sanctuary—a suspended moment in time where the noise of their complicated lives had been drowned out by the rhythmic pulse of the Indian Ocean. The sky outside their bedroom window was a masterpiece of soft oranges, bruised purples, and shimmering golds. The light reflected off the endless expanse of the sea, turning the water into a sheet of hammered metal. Waves rolled lazily toward the shore, their steady, white-crested sighs echoing through the open balcony doors, mingling with the scent of salt air and blooming jasmine. Kimani was the first to stir. She didn't get up immediately.
KIMANI The closer I got to the dining room, the louder my heartbeat became. Each step felt heavier, as though I were walking toward something inevitable. I paused by the doorway, smoothing the hem of my blouse, and inhaled deeply. I could do this. Just breakfast. Just Alaric. Nothing awkward.
KIMANI I was actually quite eager to meet Alaric’s friends — don’t blame me. The man didn’t look like someone who had friends. He was the type to walk into a room, command it effortlessly, and walk out without anyone daring to breathe too loudly until he was gone. So, the thought of him having a
KIMANI The sound of soft chatter and laughter echoed faintly from down the hallway before the lounge doors opened. Danielle appeared, elegant as ever, leading my trio of chaos—Malik, Zendaya, and Denise—into the room. “Mrs Kimani, your friends are here,” Danielle announced politely before steppi
KIMANI Friday came, and I was practically buzzing with excitement. It had been a full week since I’d last seen Alaric — a whole seven days — and even though that might not sound like much, it felt like forever. The house had felt… emptier without him. His absence lingered in the quiet halls, in t







