The Billionaire's Secret Lover novel Chapter 87

I rolled off the bed as soon I heard my phone rang and stood up to go pick it up. I had been pretending all morning because I couldn't bring myself to look into Michael's face without blotting out the truth.

I can't believe he doesn't want children __ well, for now as he said. What am I to do now? I can't possibly have an abortion, this was my first baby...

My God, Nina, you're so naive. Why didn't I think of his feelings and maybe ask him to use protection but alas no, I had to get pregnant almost immediately after the wedding. Who does that?

“ Nina Miller, the stupid girl ” My subconscious replied as she dropped her drink on the table and turned to glare at me. 

I returned the stare and growled at her. “ Thank you for stating the obvious, ” I told her. She scoffed at me while I stuck my tongue out at her.

I saw a note Michael had left me on the bedside table, it was simple and rushly written. He was telling me not to go to work but rest to recover my strength. 

I smile sadly at his gentle gesture. He would have made a good father to our baby. I always thought he wanted a baby anytime he looked at me whenever I was carrying Joey but I guessed I had interpreted the gesture wrongly

The phone ringing the third time pulled me out of my thoughts as I went to pick it up. Seeing the caller's ID didn't serve to reduce my pain any bit.

“Hello, baby!!” Lillian's excited voice greeted me on the other side of the phone. I sigh heavily as I sat back down on the bed, sad and tired. I wish I could share her enthusiasm. But I can't do that. Every time I saw the envelope lying in the drawer, I keep remembering Michael's words to me last night...

“ Hey, girl. How are you?”  I called silently into the phone. I tried to force back the tears that threatened to fall. I had kept them away last night at dinner because I didn't want Michael to be worried about me but now hearing Lillian's excited voice. I couldn't help tears that stream down my face.

“ Are you okay? What's wrong ?” I heard Lillian's voice across the phone but I couldn't bring myself to speak. What do I tell her? That Michael doesn't want children? No, she will be so devastated. 

“ Nina Miller, talk to me!!” Lillian's loud scream jolted me out of my thoughts as I gulped nervously before bloating out the truth.

“ Michael doesn't want children ”

“ He did what?” Lillian screamed across the phone. I could hear Danny telling her to calm down and that Joey was sleeping.

“ That selfish bastard. How can he say that? Did you tell him about the result?” Lillian asked me after she had scowled profanities at Michael. I wanted to tell her not to swear at him that it was my fault but I let it go, seeing that he had hurt me badly.

“ No. I couldn't bring myself to tell him not after he had told me that he doesn't want children ” I told Lillian gently, repeating Michael's words to me last night to her.

“ That bastard ” Lillian cursed loudly. I could imagine her pacing through her sitting room, chewing her bottom lips when she's angry.

“ He doesn't want children at all or is there a time frame for this?” Lillian asked me. I could hear Danny's voice in the background asking her “ Who doesn't want children?” 

“ Your friend, Michael ” Was Lillian's loud reply to him. 

“ There is, he said maybe in five years or more ” I replied gently as I stood up from the bed. I needed to bathe and go downstairs for breakfast else Emma will be in my room any moment from now.

“ Five years? That's such a long time. '' Lillian exclaimed bitterly across the phone. I couldn't help sighing in anger. I wish there was anything I could do to change Michael's mind but there's nothing.

“ When is your club bonding with Michael, today?” I heard Lillian ask Danny, I guess they were both in the sitting room. Though I don't know why she was asking him that but I was curious to see where this was going.

“ Around 2 pm. Why?” I heard Danny's response over the phone. I remember Michael telling me something like that at dinner yesterday. He told me that he, Danny, and Andrea will be going over to the club today.

“ Don't worry, I'll tell you, later ” I heard Lillian tell him before turning to the phone in her hands “ Are you still there, Nina?” She asked me.

“ Yes, what was all that about?” I asked her because I was curious to see what she wanted to do about all of these.

“ I'm going to go give that son of bitch a piece of my mind ” Lillian exclaimed bitterly as she shouted into the phone in anger.

“ Lillian, please can you stop with the swear words already. That's my husband you are cursing ” I told her gently. I know she was angry and I love the fact that she's always defending me but it really needs to stop.

“ Fine ” Lillian replied reluctantly as she mumbled across the phone, but I could hear her saying ‘ Husband my foot!!’ I decided to ignore that as I didn't want to get on her bad side seeing that she was helping me resolve my issues with Michael.

“ Are you coming over to the club, today?” Lillian asked me after some time as she waited silently for my response.

“ No, I would love to but I'm meeting my parents for lunch, ” I told her, shrugging as I refused her invitation. Michael had also asked me the same thing at dinner yesterday and I had refused. Initially, I had wanted to go but after his words to me last night I couldn't bring myself to be with him.

“ I have to go. Thank you for lending me a listening ear, ” I told Lillian with a gladdened heart. Talking to her has helped alleviate my sadness.

“ Sure. Anything for a sister like you ” Lillian replied as I walked over to my wardrobe to pick out my dress for lunch with my parents.

“ Say hello to your parents for me, ”  Lillian told me over the phone.

“ Sure, I will. Bye,” I called into the phone as I pulled out a yellow off-shoulder gown. The price tag causes me to shrink in fear. I still can't believe the amount of money Michael's spent on my dresses alone.

“ Bye ” Lillian replied as we both hung up and I walked into the bathroom to shower and prepare for my outing.

                               ***

“ So, how have you been?” Mom asked me coming over to the sitting room with a tray of juice and glasses.

“ I'm okay, Mom” I replied as I stared around the place I've come to know as home. A lot hasn't changed since I got married except for the cushion chairs and dining which have been replaced.

“ Are you sure there are no issues in your marriage?” Mom asked me as she handed me a glass of juice. I gulped as I nodded at her, I kept forgetting that I was in a place where they all know me more than I know myself.

“ I'm fine mom, Michael has been taking care of me” I replied as I avoided her eyes. It was the truth, Michael does take care of me, it is just that he doesn't want kids yet.

“ That's good. I just want you to feel free, talk to me about anything. Everyone knows that marriage isn't a bed of roses, there are bound to be problems. You just have to be patient and solve them gradually” 

“ Thank you, mom,” I told her, smiling at her. I love talking to her because she always knows what to say to lift my spirits just like right now.

My phone ringing pulled out of my thoughts as I turned to search for it in my bag after excusing myself from my mother who sat watching me with a knowing gaze.

Immediately, I saw the caller's ID, I dropped it back in my bag as I wasn't in the mood to talk to him. What do I say to him? I know he just wanted to check up on me but I can't bring myself to listen to him right now__ the same voice that had told me that he wasn't interested in having kids now...

“ Are you okay?” Mom asked me pulling me out of my inner struggle. I nodded at her while forcing a smile on my face but mom wasn't buying any of that“ Then, why didn't you pick up your call?”

“ I___ It's__ not ___impor_____”

I was saved from answering as I heard the gate opening to usher in a car which I assume to be my dad“ Is that dad?” I asked mom, feigning ignorance.

“ Good job on trying to change the topic, Nina but you know, I'm not done with you yet” Mom glared at me as I shivered under her watch. I've forgotten how angry she could be when one tried to play smart with her.

“ Linda! Linda!!!” Mom screamed, shouting their housekeeper's name who rushed out of the kitchen with a towel in her hands, obviously trying to wipe her wet hands dry.

“ You call me, ma'am” Linda replied as she turned to smile at me across the room. It has been a while since I last saw her and I could see that she had changed, she had added weight, evidence that my parents were feeding her well.

“ Set the table for lunch,” Mom told her, waving her off into the kitchen just as the door opened, ushering in Shane and my dad. Mom stood up to go greet him while I smiled up at Shane.

“ Look who's here, dad?” Shane called excitedly to my dad who smiled at me. I miss him and his enthusiasm. I wish I had that in me right now.

“ Nina, how are you?” Dad greeted me as he came around to hug me. 

“ I'm fine, dad. How's the company?” I asked him, I still couldn't help feeling guilty that I had left him to handle Pandora alone. I wish there was anything I could do to help him.

“ Everything is fine and with Shane's help, we are good to go?” Dad replied, shrugging as he settled himself into the chair beside mom while Shane sat beside me.

“ Shane?” I asked him a bit surprised. Shane was still too young for the company's issues. He needed to focus on his study, not business.

“ Yes, sis. I love working at Pandora. It's fun there” Shane replied excitedly, clearing my doubt that maybe Dad was forcing the responsibility on him.

“ You're working at Pandora now?” I asked him in shock before turning to stare at my father. Dad wasn't wasting time in trying to make sure that his second child would inherit his company when he retired but does he not think it's too soon? 

“ Just during the holidays,” Dad replied with a smile on his face as he gazes at Shane with love on his face. I could see that whatever Shane was doing at the company, dad was obviously proud of it.

“ I'm having him start at the basic which is at the factory, then he will work his way up to being the CEO. I don't want everything handed to him easily, he must work for it and earn the board's trust. So far, he has been doing a good job” Dad told me as he continued his explanation. I couldn't help nodding at his explanation, it was a good idea. 

“ I love working at the factory. I'm already having ideas for the new product launch of Pandora. I'm thinking that we could make a female sandal with sequins and it will be for young girls since they like fancy and shiny things. There's a girl in my class, she loves wearing shiny shoes and would never accept plain things from her parents. I think_______”

“ Wow!! Slow down, Shane. It's okay, I could feel the passion oozing out of you, okay?” I told him as my brain was already turning fuzzy from his blabbering but I was happy for my father that he was finally going to get his wish that one of his children take over his company.

“ Whatever? I don't like journalism either.”  Shane counter back sticking his tongue out at me while I reciprocated back at him.

“ That's enough. Let's go for lunch” Mom shouted at us trying to keep us from tearing each other's hair off as she rushed us off to the dining room which had already been served.

We all sat down and began to eat, no talking was allowed during meals, one of my parent's long-standing rules which Shane and I break often but I wasn't in the mood to talk, I ate quietly while thinking of my problem.

                             ***

Mom and I were relaxing in the garden and haven't been through with lunch. Dad and Shane had gone back to the office as he had a lot of work to do.

My phone rang again, this time I didn't bother checking the caller's ID since I knew it was Michael. He has been calling me throughout lunch but I had ignored it with the excuse of my parent's long-standing rule. 

“ Don't tell me you are not going to pick that up again? We are not eating right now” Mom pointed out when she saw my reluctance to pick the call.

“ I'm not in the mood. Moreover, it's not important” I told her, it was partially true since I knew Michael only wanted to check up on me and ask about my health.

“ What's really going on, Nina?” Mom asked me gently as she reached out across the table to hold my hands. 

I couldn't help the tears that stream down my face from that simple gesture of hers. Was it the pregnancy hormone already working? I don't know but I told her the truth. I couldn't keep it in me anymore “ I'm pregnant”

“ What? Did I just hear that right?” Mom asked me again, trying to be sure. I nodded since I couldn't speak because of the lump in my throat.

“ Oh My God!! Congratulations, Nina. I'm going to be a grandmother. Wow! I need to call your father, he will be so excited. Just the other day, he was saying how nice it would be if you got pregnant on your honeymoon. I can't believe his wish came true” Mom blabbered on as she reached across the table to pick up her phone, preparing to dial dad's number.

“ Mom, you don't understand” I screamed at her in frustration as she didn't even give me time to explain myself.

“ Understand what, Nina? Don't you want the child?” Mom asked me in shock, her voice already taking in the angry edge which I don't like.

“ It's not that, mom. I____”

“ Then what?” Mom shouted at me as she stood up and paced around the garden with sadness on her face.

“ I know you are scared but it's a privilege all women want. Why don't you want the baby? Michael is rich and _______”

“ Michael isn't ready yet. He said maybe in the next five years or so?” I blotted out cutting her off from her assumption that I wasn't interested in my baby. Of course, I want my baby!!

“ He said what? That bastard?” Mom exclaimed in shock just as my phone rang again. Mom collected it from me and switched it off in anger.

“ You are not going back to that house. I want him to come here and tell me to my face that he doesn't want that baby in your womb right now” Mom shouted at me before she turned into the main building and screamed Linda's name.

“ You call me, ma'am” Linda replied as she rushed into the garden with her head bow on the floor immediately she saw the anger in mom's face

“ Prepare Nina's room, she will be spending the night here,” Mom told Linda, waving her off to bid her request.

“ But Mom____” I tried to protest but Mom being mom was ready to shut me off with her excuse.

“ No, but___ and I'm seizing your phone. I don't want you calling him in the night to apologize” Mom replied, taking her stand as she dragged the phone from my hands.

 And just like that, I spent the night in my parent's house, with a smile on my face knowing fully well that I'm going to keep my baby. I rub my hands on my stomach lovingly as I succumbed to sleep.