POV: NikolaiThe breakfast room felt like a funeral parlor, and the fertility doctor was the one digging the grave. Dr. Aris was staring at his tablet like it was written in a language he’d forgotten how to read. He kept looking at Clara, then back at his screen, then at my father."I don't understand it, Victor," Dr. Aris said, rubbing his temple. "The physical symptoms are textbook. The morning sickness, the hormonal fluctuations—everything points to an early success."Victor leaned forward, his hands flat on the table. "And the blood work?""That’s the problem," the doctor muttered. "The HCG levels are all over the place. They spiked, then dipped, then flattened. It doesn't make sense with her physical state.""Is she pregnant or not, Aris?" Victor’s voice was low, the kind of low that usually ended with someone getting fired or worse."Technically? No. The tests aren't confirming a viable pregnancy. But her body is reacting as if she is. It’s like her system is being tricked."I s
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