Chapter 230: The Bun In The Oven

The next day, after helping Diana move her belongings into the villa at Golden Water Bay, Luca and Sophie took Daisy to San Fierro Hospital.

With Director Harrington personally leading the way, they met Jennifer Grace, the hospital’s most respected child psychologist.

Jennifer had heard Luca’s name countless times and had even seen photos of him before.

Still, meeting him in person caught her off guard. He was far younger than she’d imagined.

As a seasoned psychologist, however, she recovered almost instantly and shifted her attention to Daisy.

After listening to Luca and Sophie explain everything that had happened to the little girl, Jennifer nodded thoughtfully.

"I’d like to speak with Daisy alone for a while."

Luca and Sophie exchanged a glance before standing up.

The moment they did, Daisy hurriedly grabbed Sophie’s skirt with both hands.

Her little lips puffed out as she looked up pitifully.

"Big Brother Luca... Sister Sophie... don’t you want me anymore?"

Her voice trembled with grievance.

Beneath it was a fear so faint it was almost impossible to notice.

Sophie immediately crouched down and gently hugged Daisy.

"Sweetie, don’t be scared. Luca and I will be waiting right outside the door. You just need to listen to the doctor, okay? Be a good girl and cooperate with her."

Daisy hesitated before giving a tiny nod.

"...Okay."

She didn’t want to cause trouble for the people who cared about her.

...

While Luca and Sophie waited outside for Jennifer’s evaluation, another story was unfolding hundreds of miles away in New Orleans.

Cecelia stepped out of the examination room holding a medical report, her expression dazed.

Roseline, who had accompanied her to the hospital, immediately stood up.

"Cecelia! How did it go? Are you okay?"

Earlier that morning, Cecelia had suddenly complained about feeling unwell, so Roseline had insisted on driving her to the hospital.

Cecelia looked down at the report in her hand.

"I’m... fine."

Her tone was strange enough to make Roseline even more anxious.

She quickly took the report from Cecelia’s hands.

A second later, her eyes nearly popped out.

"Cecelia... y-you’re... pregnant?"

Her mouth hung open in shock.

Realizing she’d spoken far too loudly, she hurriedly covered her mouth and glanced around.

Seeing Roseline react even more dramatically than she had, Cecelia couldn’t help smiling.

Almost instinctively, her hand rested on her lower abdomen.

’I’m really going to be a mother...’

Roseline cautiously leaned closer.

"Cecelia..."

She lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Is... President Hale the baby’s father?"

Cecelia blinked.

"Of course he is. Why are you asking that?"

Roseline immediately let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness."

Cecelia poked her lightly on the forehead.

"What goes on inside that little head of yours all day?"

Roseline scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

"Well... there are so many men chasing after you. I was worried that... maybe..." She coughed twice. "...President Hale got blamed for someone else’s child."

"If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll send you straight back to the office."

Cecelia laughed despite herself.

Young people these days really did have the wildest imaginations.

Even after everything she’d endured with her former husband and his family, she’d never once considered betraying a relationship.

Now, her entire heart belonged to Luca.

She would never do anything that could hurt him.

...

The two women soon reached the parking lot.

After getting into the car, Cecelia remained unusually quiet.

Roseline glanced at her nervously.

"Cecelia... are you mad at me?"

She knew she’d only been joking.

More importantly, she knew exactly what kind of woman Cecelia was.

Before meeting Luca, countless successful men had pursued her.

Some had openly offered to support her financially if she agreed to become their lover.

She’d rejected every single one.

Cecelia shook her head gently.

"No. I was just thinking... you young people really have very... modern ways of looking at things. Sometimes talking to you makes me feel old."

"Old?" Roseline nearly laughed.

"Anyone who says you’re old must be blind."

She grinned mischievously.

"If anything, I think you’re the progressive one."

Cecelia looked at her in confusion.

"Me?"

"Of course."

Roseline laughed.

"You and President Hale have only been together for such a short time, and you two already..." She coughed dramatically. "...skipped protection."

"That’s pretty bold if you ask me."

Cecelia’s cheeks instantly warmed.

The truth was, everything had happened the very night they became lovers.

To make Luca happy, she’d even fulfilled one of his more... unusual fantasies.

Thinking about it now still made her blush.

Roseline glanced sideways while driving.

"So... are you going to tell President Hale?"

That single question pulled Cecelia back to reality.

She hesitated.

"...Do you think he’ll be happy?"

She was overjoyed herself.

She was carrying Luca’s child.

But she was several years older than him.

He was still so young.

Would he really want to become a father this soon?

Roseline stared at her in disbelief.

"Didn’t you two talk about that possibility?"

Cecelia quietly remembered what Luca had said while holding her in bed.

"If you get pregnant... then we’ll keep the baby."

She smiled faintly.

"He told me to give birth."

Roseline immediately relaxed.

"Then what are you worried about?"

She laughed.

"If President Hale already said that, he’ll definitely be happy."

What Roseline didn’t know was that Luca wasn’t with only one woman.

Cecelia knew he had no children yet.

That meant she was carrying his first child.

Would that complicate everything?

The thought lingered for only a moment.

Regardless of anything else, Luca deserved to know.

He was the baby’s father.

Before arriving at the company, she finally gathered her courage and sent him a short message.

...

Back at San Fierro Kanda Hospital...

Luca’s phone vibrated.

Inside the consultation room, Jennifer was explaining her initial assessment of Daisy when he quietly apologized.

"Excuse me."

He took out his phone.

The instant he read the message on the screen, he froze.

His eyes widened.

He shot to his feet so abruptly that the chair scraped loudly against the floor.

His mouth fell open, and even his legs felt weak.

Sophie quickly grabbed his arm.

"Luca? What’s wrong?"

Worry instantly filled her face.

She had rarely seen him lose his composure like this.

He looked at her, guilt flickering briefly across his eyes.

"...It’s nothing."

’I’ll tell you everything when we get home.’

He had already decided he wouldn’t hide something this important from Sophie.

Nor from Vivienne, Naomi, and the others.

After sending Cecelia a brief reply, he slowly sat back down.

His fingers tightened around the phone.

Meanwhile, in New Orleans, Cecelia looked at Luca’s response.

The tension she’d been carrying all morning finally melted away.

A bright smile spread across her face.

’He likes the news...’

’That’s wonderful.’

’Really wonderful.’