"Kita, I love you."

Kira fell back onto the bed, too weak-kneed to stand.

Her heart was beating so fast and so loudly, she couldn't hear anything else.

His words continued to ring in her ears.

She was on cloud nine.

Austyn held the phone away from his face and checked the screen.

The call was still connected, but Kim had not spoken for a full minute.

There was complete silence from the other end of the line.

Austyn laitted his brows.

What was happening?

Wasn't she happy to hear what he said?

It was the first time he used those three little words and declared his love for her openly, unambiguously and wholeheartedly. He thought she would be thrilled.

He was land of expecting a shy 'I love you, too,' or at least a whoop of delight.

Anything but silence.

Austyn cleared his throat. "Kira, you still there?"

It took her a long time to find her voice again. "I'm here."

'Did you hear what I said?'

'Uh-huh. 'She cupped her face in both hands.

'And?

And what

"Kurd is there a reply?!

This Is Not An Interview

Kica colled over in bed and buried her head in the pillow to muttle her silly giggles.

'Hira? Kira?'

She rated her head when she felt the oxygen getting thin

"Kira?' Austyn heard her gasping over the phone. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

'I'm fine.' Kina was glad he couldn't see her face right now.

It was flushed crimson

Her cheeks were burning het.

She couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear.

"Are you sure?"

"Do you want Jesse to come over? I'll give him a call.

"No, no, there's no need, Kira said in a hurry.

If the doctor came over and found out she was fine, just giddy with joy, he would laugh in her face.

Austyn gripped the phone.

But he couldn't help it

Men were capable of many things, but giving birth wasn't one of them.

He couldn't experience what Kira was going through, not even vicariously.

The pamphlet De Lynch gave him, plus the prenatal care book he bought to read on the plane, tilled his mind with horrific images-morning sickness, bloating. backpain, varicose veins, bleeding gums.........

By the third trimester, Kira's belly would swell up to the size of a basketball.

Austyn shuddered at that thought

How much pain would she be in?

Could she move at all?

And so many things could go wrong during the fest trimester.

Ever since he got on that plane, Austyn spent his days worrying about his mother and his nights worrying about kira

He wished there were more things he could do.

'How's your mom doing?" Kira changed the topic, sensing his anxiety,

she was fine and she didn't want him to worry.

Since Austyn had the time to call her, Kaguessed Charlotte must be doing better.

Austyn's voice gave nothing away. She woke up from the coma. Het condition has stabilised."

"That's great news! She was so happy for him.

Yeah?"

Eif I did something wrong, would you be able to forgive me?!

"Huh?" Kica was comfurd.

Where had that question come from?

Did you do something wrong

It's a hypothetical question, just humour me.'

"Well, it depends on what you did. Kirasat cross-legged in bed. "If it's something small, like you stealing my yoghurt out of the fridge, I'll forgive you after five

Kira wasn't a big fan of the plain pasteurised Greek yoghurt anyway.

"But if it's something more serious, like you disappearing on me for ten days!-she narrowed her eyes-"You're not thinking of pulling another vanishing me, are you?! act on

sky Just a reminder, though, you still have twenty days left on your mor

What sentence?

The sentence you go for uning off for days without belling me.

thought that was in the past."

"The ritme man, but the paelshmeet wasn't

Kira just decided to suspend the sentence on arcot of her pregnancy.

Aftersher birth, though, she would find a suitable time and resume the twenty-day silent-treatment sentence

Austynchuckle

So, does that answer your question!"

"It does,' Austymied.

"Olay, Oh, by the way, I went to school today."

'What for?'

'To apply for leave of absence. I've decided to take your advice and stay home."

'Good girl.'

Bal was going to take care of it, but the call from De Maning threw a mokry word in the works

Kira pulled out her chest, terling pood "One more thing,"

She told him about her encounter with am

"He's either a very good actor, or he really had nothing to do with the att

Austyn took in the news.

He had not forgotten about the attempt on his life in blumore.

It was just relegated to the backburnet for now,

Damian and Luca both had men on the case, but so far, they couldn't find a trace of the shooter

If it wasn't Liam, then who could it be?

Austyn pinched his nose bridge, fighting fatigue,

You did the right thing, staying away from him,' he said. "You should remain in the house, Don't go anywhere till I come back. If you need something, aksie to get it for you, or call esse.' 'Clay."

Kina, Mom wants to talk to you.

'ch, olay "Kira sat up straighter.

vants to have a videochal

'What? Wait! I'm in my pyjamas!" Kira was thrown into a panic. "Don't start the call yet, dive me a minute! I'm not presentable!"

Austyn smiled. She just wants to talk to you. This is not an interview."

"Just give me a minute!

Austyn held the phone and listened to the sounds from the other end.

Herried footsteps.

Deawers being pulled open and shut.

Fabricrustling.

And Kira muttering under her breath.

Then a cry of pain when the stubbed her toron a chair.leg

Her voice came back on the line three minutes later, sounding bathless. 'Okay, I'm ready-no, wait!"

She checked herself in the mer and made sure her hair was combed.

She was sitting in front of the vanity table with her back straight, her shoulders back and her head held high.

okay I'm good to go."

Austyn switched to video chat.

Kira's face appeared on the screen

She wasn't wearing makeup

Her hair was combed neatly into a ponytail.

Soft yelline light from a lamp overhead cast shadows of her long eyelashes on her face.

Austyn held back a laugh

The camera captured onde her face and part of herneck.

There had beenm point changing herclothes:Text content © .

the knewbetter than to tell her the truth

This Is Not An Interview

Austyn cleared his throat. 'Kira, this is my mother, Charlotte."

The camera panned to a woman sitting up in a hospital bed.

Kira's palms were sweating.

She had only talked to Charlotte once over the phone.

She had taken an immediate liking to her soft-spoken and incredibly nice mother-in-law, But would Charlotte like her?