CHAPTER THREE — WELCOME TO HIS WORLD

POV: Myra Carter

The bank agent's warning was still ringing in my head when the black car sent by Aiden's lawyer pulled up to the house two days later, and after I finished helping my mother and brother settle into the quiet rental apartment I had secured with the initial contract payment, I loaded my single suitcase into the trunk and took the long drive to Aiden's estate.

When the car stopped in front of the main entrance, a housekeeper in a plain uniform immediately stepped out to meet me, taking my bag from the driver while she looked at me with a polite smile on her face.

"Welcome to the house, Miss Carter, my name is Sarah and I manage the staff here," she said, motioning for me to follow her through the front doors as she carried my bag down the hallway. "Miss Celeste picked out the flowers for the front entrance this morning, and she left instructions for us to show you directly to your room so you can unpack before dinner."

"Thank you, Sarah, is Aiden or Celeste at home right now?" I asked, walking behind her while looking at the large picture frames hanging along the wall, every single one of them showing Aiden and Celeste together at dinner parties, trips, and family events.

"Mr. Blackwood is in his home office, but Miss Celeste is resting in the main bedroom upstairs," Sarah replied, stopping in front of a door at the end of the guest hallway and pushing it open for me. "This is your room for the year, and as you can see, it is located in the guest wing so you can have complete privacy whenever you need to rest."

"It's very nice, thank you," I said, setting my purse down on the small table near the bed, and before Sarah could walk out into the hall, Celeste appeared in the doorway with a warm smile on her face.

"Myra, I'm so glad you arrived safely," Celeste said, walking into the room and taking both of my hands into hers while she looked at me. "I wanted to make sure the room was comfortable for you, and I had the kitchen prepare a special dinner for us tonight so we can talk about the upcoming medical appointment."

"Thank you, Celeste, you really don't have to go through all this trouble for me," I said, pulling my hands back gently while I looked over at the suitcase sitting by the closet.

"It's no trouble at all, because you are doing something incredible for Aiden and me," Celeste insisted, leading the way out toward the dining room. "Come sit down with us, because Aiden just finished his calls and he's waiting at the table."

We walked into the dining room where Aiden was already sitting at the head of the long table, looking over some papers on his phone, and when he saw us walk in, he set the phone down and looked over at me.

"Did the car arrive on time to pick you up from your mother's place, Myra?" Aiden asked, pointing toward the chair across from Celeste so I could sit down.

"Yes, the driver was very prompt, and the bank confirmed this morning that the initial payment cleared my father's immediate debt," I replied, sitting down on the chair while the staff brought out the food plates.

"That's wonderful news, Myra, now you don't have to worry about anything except taking care of yourself," Celeste said excitedly, leaning forward with her hands folded together. "I've already started designing the nursery upstairs, and I chose soft yellow paint for the walls, but I would love to know what kind of furniture you think would look best near the window."

"Well, maybe a simple rocking chair near the window would be nice for feeding times," I suggested quietly, taking a small sip of water from my glass.

"That's a sweet idea, Myra, and of course, once the baby is born and you return to your own life, Aiden and I will redesign everything to fit our long-term routine," Celeste said, giving me a polite nod before turning back to Aiden with a bright smile.

Her words hung in the air for a second, reminding me instantly that no matter how kind she acted, every detail of this house and this baby belonged strictly to them, and I was just a temporary guest filling a role.

Later that night, after dinner was finished and I was walking down the quiet hallway back toward my bedroom, I heard low voices coming from the cracked doorway of Aiden's private study.

"Aiden, what if she gets attached to the baby while carrying it for nine months?" Celeste's voice came through the crack, sounding anxious and strained. "What if she changes her mind when the time comes and makes things difficult for us?"

"She won't do that, Celeste, because she understands the contract she signed, and she knows she needs the remaining money to secure her family's future," Aiden's voice answered back, steady and calm as he tried to reassure her. "She is doing a job for us, and I will make sure she sticks to every single clause in that agreement without any exceptions."

I stood silently in the dark hallway for a moment, resting my hand flat over my stomach before turning around and walking back to my room without making a sound.

Early the next morning, Aiden drove me directly to the private medical clinic on the other side of town, and after two hours of preparation with the specialists, the medical team completed the formal embryo transfer procedure.

When the doctor finally allowed me to sit up from the table, a wave of intense dizziness and nausea hit me so hard that my legs trembled when my feet touched the floor, and I had to grab the edge of the medical table to keep myself from falling over.

Before my knees could buckle completely, a strong hand grabbed my arm, and Aiden caught me around the waist, holding me steady right beside the table.

"Are you alright, Myra?" he asked, looking down into my face with a look of genuine concern in his eyes, his hold on my waist firm and steady.

"I just feel a little dizzy from the medicine, but I can stand on my own," I said, looking up into his eyes, and for a brief second, there was no coldness, no legal contract, and no distance between us.

Before either of us could say another word, the clinic door pushed open, and Celeste walked into the room holding a bottle of water in her hand.

"Aiden, I brought the water the doctor recommended," Celeste said, stopping in her tracks as she looked at the two of us standing so close together.

Aiden immediately released his grip on my waist, stepping back toward the wall before walking straight over to Celeste's side and taking the water bottle from her hands.

"She just felt a bit dizzy after standing up, but the doctor said she can rest in the car now," Aiden told Celeste, wrapping his arm around her shoulders while he guided her back out toward the reception area.

I watched the two of them walk down the brightly lit corridor together, holding onto the edge of the medical table until my head stopped spinning, seeing clearly the boundary line that I could never cross.

That night, as I lay awake in the quiet guest bedroom with my hand resting gently over my stomach, I stared up at the blank ceiling, knowing that I was carrying his child inside me, but I would never be the woman he came home to.