Austyn's body went rigid

"Twas gone for six hours, and you worked yourself up into a lather. Imagine how I felt when you disappeared for ten days."

Kira's voice was glacial. "Now you've got a taste of your own medicine'

Austyn had to close his eyes and suck in a deep breath. "You said you would stay mad at me but you wouldn't pull a vanishing act. Why are you doing this 'Bed Sue me"

"What's gotten into you?

Her red and patty eyes had not escaped his notice.

Austyn refused to believe Kira did this to get back at him.

She wasn't the vindictive type.

What made her cry?

He had talked to Dr Morrison, who called and told him Kira was at Stamford General

Leland's condition was stable.

So it couldn't be about her father.

Then what?

Kira turned away again.

Austyn, frustrated, grabbed her hand and tried to draw her in. "Answer me, what's gotten into

'You! It's you!! Kira lost it.

She showed him back in the seat and yelled at him. 'It's all your fault! You big fat liar! Pinocchio has nothing on you! He'll probably call you teacher!! "What are you talking about? Austyn's brows were deeply furrowed A throbbing pain radiated from his chest wound, but he had no time to check if it was bleeding again.

'Drop the act!' Kira roared. 'You've been lying to me from the start!!

Austin's heart sank

He had a feeling where this was going, but he still held out a glimmer of hope.

Maybe it wasn't what he thought.

But Kira had gone to see her father without letting him know,

Dr Morrison told him Kira cried for a long time in Leland's room.

Could she know.7

No, no way.

Dr Morrison said he didn't get a chance to talk to Kira.

Besides, he wasn't in on the plan from the start, so there was no way he could have let something slip. Then why was Kira so upset?

'When are you going to tell me about Aiden, YOUR SON? she shouted at the top of her lungs.

In the driver's seat, Kai winced.

When enraged, even a mild-mannered woman like Kira could turn into a shrew.

Austyn breathed our

It wasn't what he thought

She didn't know about Leland...

He waited for his heartbeat to return to normal.

Kira took his silence to be an admission of guilt.

Well? What do you have to say for yourself? What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?

Austyn smiled, which infuriated Kica further.

'That's why you called me a liar?" he asked. 'Because of Alden?"

Kira glared at hirm

If looks could kill, Austyn would be reduced to a pile of smouldering ashes by now.

"How can you still smile? Don't you have any sense of shame at all?!

"Why should I feel ashamed? Austyn leaned back in the seat and crossed his legs at the ankles, completely relaxed.

"You told me you went to Blamore to take down Santoro! But you never mentioned the boy! You went there to protect your son! You and Deborah's son!" "Where did you hear that? Austyn frowned. 'Did Deborah tell you that?" "What does it matter? That's not the point! The point is, you have a son, and you never told me!"

Kal pulled into the basement carpark at Alvernia Park Hospital and quietly shut down the engine.

He caught a look from Austyn and got out of the car without a sound.

Kira didn't notice.

She stabbed a finger at Austyn's shoulder. 'You put them up at the condo in Sunglade, didn't you? is that your plan? Spend your weekdays at the villa best streak off to see your mistress and your son over the weekend?! Austyn caught her hand. 'How many times mast I tell you? She's not my mistress.

But you

u didn't deny he's your son!"

Har loud voice reverberated in the narrow confines of the car.

Austin's ears were ringing

He patted her hand. "Will you calm down first?'

'How can I be calm?"Text content © .

The more composed he was, the more worked up she became,

Had he decided to give up all pretence since she already found out?

Was he betting that there was nothing she could do?

Kira fought back tears. I wouldn't have stopped you from spending time with your son. Why did you lie to me?'

Austyn sat up straight. "You wouldn't?"

'I want to, but I can't!" Kira yelled

Her vision was blurred by tears, so she didn't notice Austyn's intense and searching gaze

'He's only six years old,' she sobbed. Such a cute little angel. It would have been easy to hate him if he's an unruly, annoying bear like other kids, but he

Kira would have been thrilled if her u

unborn baby grew up to be a little cherbo Aiden.

'I know what it's like to grow up with only one parent.!

As much as she hated to agree with Deborah, she had to acknowledge the woman had a point.

Alden was innocent

He shouldn't be dragged into the adults' conflict.

"What I can't understand is why you insist on keeping me in the dark about everything

Kira wiped away the tears with the back of her hand,

The outburst had drained her.

She stared down at the floor, tallding more to herself than to Austyn. 'You don't have to sneak around my back. If you want to see your son, it's your right. If you want to bring him home, it's your call. I can't and I won't stop you. Just stop..Jying to me.' You're Hurting The Baby

After Leland divorced Helen, he never tried to stop her from seeing Kira even though she voluntarily gave up custody.

He didn't want Kira to grow up without ever knowing her mother.

Helen was capable of showing maternal love, just not towards Kira.

Kira realised that eventually, but she never held a grudge against her father.

In fact, she was grateful.

Leland gave her a chance to get to know Helen and allowed her to form her own opinion of the woman.

Kira Imagined herself at six years old.

She might have hated her father if he forbade her from seeing Helen.

Which meant Aiden had to feel the same way.

Kira loathed Deborah, but she couldn't bring herself to bear little boy away from his father.

She didn't want to turn into a mean-spirited, spiteful woman like her mother.

Why couldn't Austyn see that?

Why couldn't be understand that ignorance was NOT bliss?

If she had not run into Deborah today, she would probably be kept in the dark for the rest of her life!

Austyn reached for Kira's hand

She slapped his arm owray.

"You're willing to let me bring Alden home?' he asked.

"You don't believe me??" Kira had no strength to shout anymore.

She smiled weakly. 'He's your son. How can I separate a boy from his father? I'm not a monster.'

Somehow, Liam's face flashed through her mind.

He was born out of wedlock.

Austyn's father took him and his mother to live with the McCarthy family.

The missus and the mistress, living under one roof.

That must have been a traumatic childhood for both Austyn and Liam.

Kira shuddered and whacked Austyn's shoulder. "But don't you dare bring Deborah into the villa! If I see her there, I'm going to claw your eyes out!"

She could tolerate living with his son, but not his mistress!

Austyn had not stopped smiling this entire time.

Kira flew into another rage when she happened to look up and caught his smile.

She had half a mind to strangle the brazen bastard 'Stop grinning like an idiot!"

Austyn burst out laughing. 'You adorable dummy!'

How could she be so

so generous and kind and big-hearted?

He knew how much she disliked Deborah, yet she was willing to take in Deborah's son.

Austyn, a freethinker, started to believe in the existence of karma.

He must have done a million good deeds in a previous life to be rewarded with such a good wife in this one

He ruffled her hair and would have drawn her in for abg if she hadn't looked like she was about to punch his lights out.

"What did you call me? Kita went berserk

He was insulting her to her face

She pounced on him and sank her teeth into his shoulder.

"Ouch!' Austyn grimaced.

She had not held back

The bite drew blood

Stop it." He lightly pinched the skin on the scruff of her neck.

Kira refused to let go

She vented all her frustration and d hurt and anger in flat one bite.

The muscles in his shoulders tensed

Kira tasted the coppery smell of blood

"That's enough. He forcefully pulled her back.

Before she could resume ber attack, he drew her in and kissed her hard.

Kira punched his aruss.

They were in the middle of a fight!

How could he be in the mood to make out?

"Stop it!" Her protest came out weak and muffled.

Austyn's hand slipped under her t-shirt.

Kira bit his lips. I said stop!"

The gynaecologist's pamphlet was still in her bag.

Sensing Kira's apprehension, the doctor had advised her to stay away from all strenuous activities, including sexx

Exercises of moderate intensity were fine, the doctor said.

But Kira couldn't tell what was moderate and what was strenuous.

She only knew that Austyn was getting aggressive.

His hands were exploring every inch of her skin, urgent and lustful.

It had been more than ten days since they last had sex.

Knowing the man's stamina, Kira could see a long night ahead of her if she allowed him to continue.

She struggled harder. Let go! Let go of me!"

She pushed back at him with one hand and covered her belly with the other.

She was lying on her back in the backseat with Austyn's full weight pressing down on her.

She kept her hand between her body and his 'Get off me!!

Austyn was put out by her rebuff.

He missed her like crazy.

How could she not miss

s him?

"Come on.' He nibbled her earlobe. 'It's been such a long while. Don't you want it?'

He kneaded her waist with one hand.

She did miss him, but that was not the point!

And this was the wrong place, the wrong time!

'I don't Get off me!

There wasn't enough space in the backseat for her to move away.

She scooted on her butt and groped for the door handle.

Austyn cought her hand.

'It's okay.' He whispered in her ear. 'Soon, you'll be begging me to stop."

'I'm begging you to stop NOW!!

"You know that's not what I meant." He chuckled 'Let me help refresh your memory."

His hand stole towards her bra.

He cupped her breast.

Kira yelped

His other band almost ripped off her t-shirt.

'Stop!" She kneed him in the groin but it missed its target.

Austyn dodged in time.

He straddled her. 'That's not nice

You're Hurting The Baby

Kira thrashed about but she was almost completely pinned in place by him.

He buried his head on her shoulder. 'We never did it in a car before."

There had been one abortive attempt, in the Hummer parked on the side of the road at night.

It ended with her kneeing him in the groin. 'You're going to hurt the baby!' she blurted.

Five Weeks Along

Austyn froze

Kira didn't notice.

When he continued to lie on top of her, motionless, she thought he didn't hear her.

"The doctor said to stay away from sex for the first three months. It's not safe. It might hurt the baby.."

Kira was making this up as she went along.

The kindly gynaecologist actually said sex was olay as long as they were careful.

But Kira didn't want to take any chances.

It was her first pregnancy.

She wouldn't do anything to jeopardise the safety of her baby.

Thrown into a panic, she started reciting everything she'd read from the pamphlet.

*... The embryo looks like a tadpole, but it has a beating heart. Then it will start to develop eyes and ears and limbs. It needs a safe environment. It will be moving, but the mother can't feel it at this point..Hormone surges are to be expected. Morning sickness, mood swings...

She was babbling, her mind in a complete mess,

This was not how she planned to tell him.

She had wanted to sit him down, show him the test result, and tell him about the next doctor's appointment.

She had wanted to find somewhere private, away from distractions,

But Austyn didn't give her a choice.

When she finished her recitation, Austyn still had not moved.

Kira pushed his shoulder. "Get up."

The air was getting thin in the back of the car.

She heard his heavy breathing

Austyn didn't get up

He kept both arms straight and planted them around her head like he was

was doing a push-up

He raised his head and stared into her eyes. 'Say it again."

'Get up!"

"Not that! You said I was going to hurt the b-baby." He stuttered.

'So you did hear it."

"Kira!' His lips trembled. "Are you are you pregnant?'

She nodded. 'I don't know how far along I am, though. The doctor said-

Before she could finish, Austyn sprang up from the seat.

He hit his head on the roof of the car but didn't notice.

He fumbled for the door handle and scrambled out of the car.

Kira was left alone in the backseat.

His reaction stunned her.

Was he running away?

She Bet

up

and looked out the window,

Austyn didn't run away.

He was pacing back and forth in the carpark like a caged beast, yanking on his hair one moment and tugging at his collar the next.

He wrenched off his tie and balled it up.

He muttered to himself.

Then he suddenly bent over and placed both hands on his knees.

He was hyperventilating

Kira took in his every move.

Was this how she reacted in the gynaecologist's office!

She couldn't recall.

Her mind was completely blank at

Kira watched the man who was struggling to get hold of his emotions.

He appeared overwhelmed.

Kira's hand went to her fat belly.

"Baby, your daddy seems to like you.."

Austyn jogged back to the car

Kira met his red-rlimmed eyes.

He just stared at her with his mouth open.

After a long while, he managed to find his voice again.

He whispered, "Can can I touch it?"

Kira took hold of his hand and placed it on her stomach

'It's probably just a few weeks old. You won't be able to feel anything."

The pamphlet had a page of sonograms taken at a baby's different gestation ages.

At this stage, the baby's crown-rump length was measured in centimetres.

The foetus was probably no larger than the size of Kira's thumb

Austym's hand shook

He wanted to press down further as if that could bring him closer to the baby, but he was afraid of hurting Kira.

Then he withdrew his hand. "You said something about a doctor's appointment?"

Kira nodded. 'A HCG test to measure how far along the pregnancy is.

'T'll go with you" He palled open the car door, gesturing for her to come out. 'Come on."

'Walt, what, you mean like now?'

He nodded. 'We're already at the hospital anyway."

But the appointment is scheduled for the day after tomorrow."

'I'll talk to someone at the hospital and get it moved up to today." He took out his phone.

Bur-

'Come on.' His voice was soft, I can't rest easy until I low everything's line!