Chapter 14

Ivy’s POV

I stood in front of the mirror in the room Zayn had given me, staring at myself for a long time without moving. The reflection staring back didn’t feel like me anymore. My face was still the same, but everything else had changed.

My eyes looked tired in a different way now.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

I turned slightly.

The door opened, and a maid stepped in quietly.

“Good morning, ma’am,” she said politely. “Mr. Kane said you should be ready. The driver is downstairs.”

My fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the table.

Mr. Kane.

“Okay,” I said softly.

She nodded and left immediately.

I exhaled slowly, turning back to the mirror.

Today was antenatal day.

The words echoed in my mind like something I was afraid to touch too hard.

I placed my hand on my stomach gently.

“We’re doing this together,” I whispered.

I took a slow breath and finally stepped away from the mirror.

The car was already waiting outside when I came down. The driver opened the door immediately when he saw me.

“Good morning, ma’am,” he said respectfully.

I hesitated for a second before getting in.

The seat was soft. Everything around me felt too expensive to be real.

Zayn was already inside.

Sitting calmly, looking down at his phone as if nothing about this morning was unusual.

As if taking a pregnant woman to antenatal care was just another part of his schedule.

He looked up when I entered. His gaze paused on me for a brief second.

“Good morning,” he said.

My throat tightened slightly. “Good morning,” I replied softly, adjusting my dress as I sat properly.

Silence followed.

The car started moving.

I watched the buildings outside slowly pass by, my thoughts scattered.

“I don’t even know what to expect,” I said quietly after a while.

Zayn didn’t look away from his phone when he responded.

“It’s routine.”

“Routine for you maybe,” I muttered under my breath.

That made him glance at me briefly.

Then he said, “You’ll be fine.”

The way he said it made something inside me settle slightly. Not because I believed everything would be fine, but because it was coming from him.

I looked away quickly, staring out the window again.

The hospital was different from the last one. As soon as we arrived, staff began moving quickly, recognizing him immediately.

“Mr. Kane,” one of the nurses greeted respectfully.

He gave a slight nod.

I followed behind him slowly, my steps unsure.

Being guided through a place like this… without being ignored felt new. We entered a private waiting area, and within minutes, a doctor came in.

“Good morning, sir,” the doctor said, clearly familiar with Zayn.

Zayn only nodded again.

Then his eyes moved to me.

“Proceed,” he said calmly.

The doctor turned to me with a gentle expression.

“We’ll begin your antenatal registration and check-up,” he said. “Don’t worry. We’ll take it step by step.”

I nodded slowly.

My hands were slightly cold.

Zayn didn’t leave, and I noticed that immediately. He stayed standing near the corner of the room, silent, observing everything.

The examination began.

“How far along are you?”

“Any bleeding since the last episode?”

“Any dizziness?”

I answered everything carefully, my voice softer than usual.

At some point, I felt his eyes on me. Like he was paying attention to details I didn’t even know mattered.

When the doctor finally finished the basic checks, he smiled gently.

“You’re still very early,” he said. “But considering your previous complications, we’ll monitor you closely.”

My fingers tightened slightly. “Is it… dangerous?” I asked quietly.

The doctor hesitated for a moment. “It’s high-risk,” he said honestly. “But manageable if you follow instructions strictly.”

High-risk.

Zayn finally spoke. “What instructions?”

The doctor turned slightly toward him. “Rest. No physical stress. Proper nutrition. Emotional stability. Regular visits.”

Zayn nodded once. “I’ll ensure it.”

Something about the way he said it made the doctor pause slightly.

But he didn’t question it.

Instead, he turned back to me. “You’re not alone in this,” he said gently. “Support is very important.”

I lowered my gaze.

The doctor finished writing notes and left the room.

Silence returned.

Just me and Zayn again. I slowly adjusted myself on the chair.

“I don’t even know how to repay you for all this,” I said quietly.

“You don’t need to,” he replied immediately.

I sighed softly. “I feel like I keep hearing that from you.”

I looked at him then.

He was still standing in the same place, hands in his pocket, expression unreadable.

“I’m trying not to depend on you,” I admitted after a moment.

“You’re not depending,” he said.

I blinked slightly. “What am I doing then?”

“Let’s not talk about this again.”

That made me pause.

My hand moved slowly to my stomach.

“O…Okay… I’m just scared…” I said softly without meaning to.

The words just came out.

Zayn looked at me properly now.

For a moment, the room felt quieter.“What are you scared of?” he asked.

“Losing this child.”

Then he replied. “You won’t.”

I closed my eyes briefly. I wanted to believe that more than anything.

After the appointment, the nurse handed me some papers and instructions.

Zayn took them without hesitation and read through them quickly.

I watched him carefully.

“You don’t have to do that,” I said quietly.

He didn’t look up. “I already am.”

We left the hospital shortly after. The ride back felt different from the one coming.

When we arrived back at the house, I stepped out slowly.

Before I could walk away, I heard him call my name.

“Ivy.”