Her anxiety (2)

Gasp!

Startled, Annalise snapped her gaze to the person on her bed. His sitting posture exuded arrogance, and his body was covered in black clothing. Even his hands were gloved in black, but the only thing exposed for her to see was his eyes.

His dead, unfeeling honey-brown eyes.

Annalise laid a hand on her chest to calm her pounding heart, and a fearful whisper escaped from her lips, ''Jagan.''

''Watch your mouth slave,'' His sharp retort made her flinch. He continued, ''Don't think you are something just because you have the duke wrapped around your finger.''

''I hope you didn't forget the real reason why you approached him?'' His eyes narrowed at her.

Annalise nervously blinked her eyes once and Jagan was nowhere to be found on her bed. But the presence near her back told her his location.

A lump was stuck in her throat as his words made her snap back to reality. She clutched the soft material on her chest as she recalled the real reason why she has Dante in her life. The reason why Dante fell for her…the reason why she destroyed his marriage...the reason why she made him approach her. Everything was a scheme planned by her master, and she was a valuable chess piece.

Annalise's throat went down and up, and she stuttered quietly, ''I-I didn't forget.''

''Good. I see you are enjoying your life after we left you alone for years. Master hopes you are not getting carried away, Annalise?'' Those dead eyes fell on her figure once again.

''I am not,'' she whispered again.

''...If you say so.'' was his short reply.

Annalise did not feel his presence emitting the feeling of death, which made her to breathe normally. She inwardly sighed in relief, and her hand dropped to her side as she stared at Jagan near the opened window in the room.

''Take care of the child in your belly. Master is waiting for you to put on a good show. Hopefully, this will make the duke not to easily escape your clutches, slave.''

After saying that, he blended into the night, and Annalise slowly went to lock the windows.

She looked at her reflection in the glass, then put her hand on her lower abdomen which had a small bulge.

''My baby…'' she mumbled in melancholy.

'What should I do?'

—--

''mm..mm..mm, my precious child.'' a humming sound mixed with the warm atmosphere. The familiar flowers wiggled their stalks as if they were dancing to the melodious tune. The weather was warm and perfect for the still-closed petals to bloom and brighten the surroundings.

A feminine white hand continued to rub her bulging cream gown. Though the bump was not big or small, it was just in the middle.

Lovely blue eyes remained on the bump until a voice shifted them away.

''My lady, you have to stop coming here. The chilly wind is bad for the baby,'' Amelia hurried to the pavilion with her continuous nagging.

''What if my lady falls sick?''

''The baby too will be affected.''

''His excellency said I should take care of you. What would I tell him if he comes from the south, again?''

Isla smiled with a sigh as Amelia continued talking like a mother. Isla felt she was a chick and Amelia was the hen because of her over-protectiveness.

''Father won't come unless I tell him to,'' Isla giggled as she recalled the time her father came to the capital without her knowledge.

It was quite a surprise that her father, who appeared cold in her eyes, came just to visit her and the baby. It was a very precious moment to her, and she cherished every second with her father, whom she hugged the very moment her eyes landed on him.

She vividly remembered the shock in his eyes when she hugged him tightly. It brought pain to her heart that he would be stunned by her actions. It was normal for a father and daughter to be close, maybe not in the ancient era, but in her former world. It was common, and she wanted it with her father, whom she loved dearly.

The duke was not around, so she was happy to spend a whole day with him. For once, she found Dante pleasing to the eyes, as his presence would have spoiled her father's mood.

''Isla..'' Her father called her name with worry in the eyes that resembled hers.

''How dare he?!'' Then he gritted his teeth, and the familiar aura that had penetrated her bones since her young age appeared in the drawing room.

But this time, she knew she was not the reason for it. It was her husband, and she was quite happy about that.

''Oh...'' Her father seemed to have realized his mistake and awkwardly apologized, ''I-I am sorry...um..''

He avoided her gaze as he did not know what to say, and that made Isla laugh with him for the first time.

''I know, father.'' She also called father for the first time, and he looked at her, stunned by her words, especially the word 'father.'

She repeated the word with a warm smile, ''I know, father.''

''My lady is right. I was shocked to see his excellency smile like that. He even felt the baby!'' Back to the present, Amelia exclaimed with shock apparent in her eyes. ''I can never forget that sight.''

''Hmm..'' Isla agreed as she remembered her father's eyes on her stomach. It was obvious he wanted to ask about the child, but he did not. Maybe he still felt awkward with their warm relationship.

''Do you want to feel the baby?'' She asked. She took the first step in reaching her precious father.

If she had done that in her second life, maybe..just maybe things could have been different. Now she would not repeat the same mistake in this life.

''Can I?''

Isla nodded at his question, then stretched out her hand to grab his and gently placed it on her bulging lower abdomen. Her father's hand was calloused, rough, and hard. It was a hand that belonged to someone that worked hard…Just like in her previous life; he worked hard to protect her and her son, even if there was no hope in their relationship.

Isla chuckled softly at the memory, then stared at Amelia, who seemed to have something to say.

''What is it?''

''My lady...Are you not going to talk to the duke..at all?'' Amelia hesitantly asked.

''....'' Isla did not expect her to still ask about him. She thought her current behavior was enough for all servants to see that she did not want the duke's love.

''It's been four months since I last spoke to him,'' she said as if realizing that time had passed. It had been a long time since she talked to him, but she did not feel anything about it.

Her feelings for him had disappeared, and so he was just a stranger to her and her child. She could never see him as a father as he had never asked about their child in her belly..not even once.

At most, he could be considered a sperm donor. That's all he is to Isla.

''No, I won't,'' Isla gave her a conclusive answer to Amelia.

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