Chapter 3

"Did you deliberately spy on me?"

Bella froze. Whatever sins she had committed in the past, on the second day of staying at Julia's residence, it seemed she had once again made a mistake.

Indeed, Bella had only intended to take in the morning air while strolling around the flower garden behind the house.

While passing by the swimming pool, Bella paused to observe Edward, who had just emerged from the pool shirtless. For a moment, Bella's eyes were captivated. It would be a lie to say she didn't admire the athletic and proportional appearance of Edward's body.

Unfortunately, due to being too engrossed, Bella lost track of herself. Before she knew it, Edward, who had been standing by the pool, was now right in front of her.

"Hey!" Edward's voice sounded again. "Are you deaf?"

"Ah, sorry, sir," Bella muttered when she realized.

"I think you deliberately stalked and spied on me."

Bella shook her head. She wanted to protest, but she didn't dare. How could she, who was beautiful, innocent, and kind, be considered a stalker and a spy by the master of the house?

"N-no, sir. How could I dare to do that? Originally, I was strolling around. But, accidentally—"

"Arghh!"

Edward sighed. Instead of listening, he chose to walk away as if reluctant to hear the explanation Bella would give. In reality, Bella wanted to clarify so that Edward wouldn't misunderstand.

Bella didn't know if she should be thankful or how to react. On the second day of staying at Julia's residence, she had already encountered many unusual events that made her highly awkward.

After the incident at the swimming pool, for the first time, Julia invited her to have breakfast together at the same table. Julia treated her so well as if she were an honored guest.

"You should eat nutritious food, Bella. I don't want you to lack nutrients when my child is conceived later."

Julia took a piece of meat and a salad, then poured mayonnaise onto Bella's plate. She then handed a glass of milk to Bella for later.

"Eat. After this, we're going to the hospital."

After breakfast together, Bella was finally taken to the hospital for a check-up. Edward chose St. Thomas Hospital among many health centers because his friend and colleague, Samuel Vinales, a renowned obstetrician, worked there.

"Samuel Vinales."

Julia greeted me warmly upon entering the room. Approaching the doctor, she extended her hand for a handshake, and Edward did the same. Afterward, they were all invited to sit.

"So, is this the woman who will undergo the Surrogacy process?"

Samuel stared closely for a moment and then cast a scanning gaze. He carefully observed Bella's appearance from head to toe, seemingly mesmerized by the woman before him.

"Yes, Sam. It is the woman I told you about the other day. What do you think?" Julia inquired.

Samuel smiled, leaning back in his chair, then turned his attention back to the beautiful woman before him.

"What is your name, Miss?" Samuel asked directly to Bella.

"Bella. My name is Bella Stone."

Samuel nodded. Then, he shifted his gaze to Julia, sitting beside Edward.

"The woman you brought is quite beautiful, Julia. Are you sure you chose her to be the surrogate mother?"

Julia reflexively laughed.

"Why not? Besides, I've checked her background."

"It's not her background that concerns me. I want to know, aren't you afraid that Edward might be attracted to her in the future?"

Then, Samuel glanced at Edward. He chuckled at seeing his friend shake his head disapprovingly.

"Stop your nonsense, Sam."

Whether Samuel's question was meant as a joke or serious, Julia responded casually. She was not offended or provoked in the slightest.

From the beginning, Julia had no worries about this. Being married for over three years, she knew Edward's loyalty well and knew he wasn't easily attracted to other women.

"Oh, come on, Sam. We both know Edward's preferences. Besides, my husband is a faithful man. Isn't that right, sweetheart?"

Edward sighed softly. Instead of responding extensively, he diverted the conversation.

"Do the examination soon, Sam. Please don't waste time. Besides, I have a lot of work after this."

Samuel chuckled. Rising from his seat, he directed Bella to follow him to the patient's bed. Then, with the help of his assistant, Samuel conducted a thorough and careful examination.

It took almost 60 minutes. When the examination results were ready, Samuel immediately read them to Julia and Edward, who were still patiently waiting.

"From the examination I conducted, it can be concluded that Bella's uterus is in excellent condition, fertile, and ready for fertilization."

Julia smiled radiantly.

"What did I say? From the beginning, I was sure I made the right choice."

"I need to repeat," Samuel interjected. "Because you chose Gestational Surrogacy, your eggs and sperm that I collected earlier will undergo fertilization first. And after successfully developing into a healthy embryo, the embryo will be implanted into Bella's uterus until it's time to give birth."

Julia nodded in understanding.

"I know that, Sam. So, when will the embryo transfer process be done?"

"Maybe tomorrow. Because today, I have to check again to see if there are any chromosomal abnormalities or specific diseases in the embryo. If not, the embryo can be injected immediately."

"Does that mean Bella has to stay in the hospital?"

Samuel confirmed that.

"Yes. To facilitate all the processes and monitoring, it would be best for Miss Bella to start staying in the hospital from today."

***

Bella tried to relax. While lying down and waiting, she chose to call Renata.

"Rena."

"Bella!"

The woman on the other end sounded excited. "Oh my God. Finally, you called me. I've been looking for you for days."

There was a hint of joy in Renata's words. She had been trying to contact Bella for the past few days, but her friend needed help.

"Sorry. For the past few days, I intentionally turned off my phone."

"But you're okay, right?" Renata inquired. Although it was Renata who led Bella to become a surrogate mother, she had no idea about Bella's condition after being taken by Julia to her residence.

"I'm fine. Now, I'm in the hospital to undergo the IVF process."

A slow exhale was heard from the other side. Shortly after, Renata spoke again.

"I pray that everything goes smoothly."

"Thank you, Renata. But, before ending this call, can I ask for your help?"

"Of course. What do you need, Bella?"

"Please visit my mother occasionally. If she looks for me, tell her I'm still in training, preventing me from visiting her for the next few months."

"Alright. I'll convey that to Aunt Jessica. Again, if you need help, don't hesitate to contact me."

Just as the call ended, a nurse picked up Bella and took her to the delivery room. There, Samuel was already waiting and ready to perform the procedure.

"Good morning, Miss Bella. How are you today?"

"Fine. But I'm a little nervous."

Samuel smiled. Putting on gloves, he invited Bella to chat.

"You don't need to be nervous. The embryo transfer process is not painful and won't take long. Just relax a bit."

Bella nodded. Surrendering herself, she let Samuel focus on his task. Once done, Samuel immediately approached Julia and Edward, who were waiting outside the room.

"How is it, Sam? Did everything go smoothly?"

Samuel nodded.

"I've completed all the processes well. After this, I'll give Bella synthetic progesterone hormones in pill form. Please remind Bella to use them for the next 8–10 days. These hormones are essential for supporting the growth and development of the embryo in her uterus."

"And when can I be sure the IVF process has succeeded?" Julia asked for the last time.

"Two weeks from today, please bring Bella back for a pregnancy check-up. If successful, Bella will undergo antenatal care."

Julia nodded in understanding and appeared delighted. She couldn't wait for good news in the coming two weeks.