Alejandro strolled into the garden, a charming smile spreading across his face as he came right after jogging. "I didn't know you like to sit in the garden in the morning and spend time with nature."

Amara looked up and passed him a small smile. "I felt like having fresh air. The room was suffocating me."

Alejandro nodded in understanding and took a seat next to her on the bench. Opening the water bottle he was carrying, he drank from it thirstily, savouring the cool of the water.

A week had passed since she came back into the mansion, and a week of Killian trying to make things better between them. She didn't know what had changed him, but his affection and care felt more suffocating and poisonous than his coldness and hatred toward her. Surprisingly, Lucas had warmed up to Killian and even preferred to stay with him if she was not around. Elijah, fortunately, hadn't tried anything yet, but she feared it was only a momentary calmness.

"How's my champ doing?" Alejandro asked, his eyes softening as he gazed at her stomach with affection. Amara stiffened, her body tensing at his question. She detested any mention of the baby; it sucked all the happiness around her like a black hole, leaving a gaping wound in its wake. Every time someone brought up the baby, it felt like a heavy weight pressing on her chest.

Alejandro, oblivious to her inner turmoil, looked up at her with a smile. "It's your second trimester, right?" he asked, his tone warm and gentle.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She couldn't bring herself to share in his enthusiasm or even acknowledge it. The baby, to her, was a constant reminder of everything that she has suffered through and the agony she was forced to go through.

He took another sip from his water bottle before looking back at her. "Did you and Killian go to the doctor to check the gender of the baby?" he asked, his curiosity evident.

She sucked in a deep breath, her chest tightening at the question. "Alejandro," she called softly, waiting until he met her eyes. "Killian and I don't share a normal relationship like any other couple, nor will we ever. The baby is just something that has forced us to come together, nothing more."

He nodded, but the next moment, he watched as Amara stiffened slightly, a small, involuntary wince crossing her features as she instinctively cradled her belly.

His concern deepened. "What happened? Are you okay?" His voice held deep concern.

She managed a faint nod, her expression conflicted. "The baby kicked," she confessed softly, her eyes flickering with a blend of discomfort and pain.

"Can I feel it, please?"

She noticed his hesitation, and it stirred an unexpected twinge of guilt within her. Not wanting to extinguish the light in his eyes, she nodded silently.

A smile slowly spread across Alejandro's lips as he gently reached out his hand towards her belly. He hesitated for a moment, as if unsure, before finally making contact. His hand rested there, waiting expectantly, but there was no movement from the baby. After a minute passed without any sign of stirring, a frown creased his forehead.

"The baby isn't kicking," Alejandro remarked, a hint of frustration in his tone. He looked up at her with an expression akin to that of a disappointed child who didn't get what he had wished for.

Amara couldn't help but smile at his reaction. "You are pouting, Alejandro." She laughed.

Quickly, Alejandro adjusted his expression, crossing his arms over his chest and puffing it out slightly. He narrowed his eyes playfully. "I am not." He retorted seriously but a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips gave it away.

Suddenly, a cold voice cut through the air like a knife.

"What's happening here?"

Amara turned to see Killian standing before them, his gaze fixed on Alejandro with a chilling intensity. His eyes, dark and cold, bore into Alejandro with an unspoken threat. Slowly, he shifted his gaze to her and like lava yielding to the gentle rain, the hardness in his eyes melted right away as they softened, looking at her with a gaze so tender it could have stirred the heavens themselves.

She stood up from the bench seeing him.

Killian walked towards Amara with purposeful steps, his presence commanding and his gaze focused solely on her. Without hesitation, he reached out and gently wrapped a hand around her waist, the touch surprisingly tender as his palm pressed gently against her stomach.

"What were you doing with him? I told you to take rest. Come with me-" His voice caught abruptly, mid-sentence, as a subtle movement beneath his hand interrupted him. Time seemed to freeze in that instant. He stood motionless, his eyes widening in astonishment and disbelief. He felt the fluttering of tiny feet against his hand—a small and gentle sensation that left an indelible mark on his soul.

"The baby... It kicked." He whispered in awe and disbelief.

His gaze dropped to her stomach, and he tightened his hold around her lower abdomen unconsciously. The baby kicked again, a delicate sensation against his palm, as if responding to its father's touch. A lump formed in his throat, his Adam's apple bobbing as he struggled to process the overwhelming emotion that hit him hard.

Slowly, a hand began to pry apart his hold from her stomach. He looked down to see Amara's delicate hand, small and fragile compared to his, resting on his. She gently removed his hand from her stomach, the warmth of her touch lingering for a moment before she let go completely.

Amara didn't know what to feel but one thing was certain—she didn't like the way the baby responded to Killian's touch. If the baby hadn't responded to Alejandro, why did it react to Killian's touch, especially when he hadn't intended to elicit a response in the first place? The connection that seemed to spark between father and child made her feel unsettled and restless.

Killian, who was still overwhelmed from the sensation of the baby's kick, spoke, "You need to have your breakfast and then take your medicines as the doctor prescribed."

She shook her head, her expression weary. For some reason, she doesn't feel like eating anything.

Killian opened his mouth to argue, but Alejandro cut in, "You can't say no when it's about your health, Amara."

Killian's jaw clenched at Alejandro's interference. The urge to punch him was strong, but he restrained himself for Amara's sake, not wanting to frighten her. The last thing he wants is to scare her and make her stressed.

"Let's go for breakfast," Killian said, directing her inside the mansion.

When they reached the dining room, Elijah and Killian's father were already seated. Alejandro took a seat beside Elijah, his eyes flicking briefly to Killian and Amara.

Amara reached for a chair, but Killian quickly stepped in, pulling it out for her with a deliberate, protective gesture. "You don't need to stress your body with this." Caught off guard by his unexpected chivalry, Amara was momentarily speechless. She sat down without responding to him and focused on the breakfast that the maid was serving them. Killian took the seat beside her, that was the place for the head of the family since he is the leader now.

"Where is Lucas?" Killian asked, his eyes scanning the room for the little boy. Not finding him, he turned to one of the guards. "Bring him here."

"No!" Amara quickly interjected, her voice firm. "Can you take his breakfast to his room, please?" she asked the guard, her tone softer.

Killian's father's gaze hardened as he looked at Amara. "Women in our family don't go against the orders of their husbands, Amara."

Amara shivered, shrinking back in her chair under his piercing stare. "I-I..." Her voice faltered, fear visible on her face.

Killian's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "When you speak to my wife, you will do so gently and respectfully, father. I won't tolerate anyone scaring her." He raised his voice, a dark edge to his words.

The room fell silent and his father's jaw clenched tightly. Turning back to the guard, Killian issued his command. "Take Lucas's breakfast to his room." The guard nodded, quickly obeying and leaving the room with a tray of food.

Breakfast passed in a tense silence, the air around them thick with conflicts. As they finished, Elijah wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin and broke the quiet.

"Amara" He called and she looked at him immediately. "Today is your appointment with the doctor. They will run a thorough check-up to ensure the baby is healthy and fit," Elijah announced, his tone authoritative. "Alejandro will accompany you to the hospital."

Alejandro looked at his father in surprise but nodded nonetheless, accepting the decision.

However, Killian's reaction was immediate and fierce. He raised his head and fixed Elijah with a cold, unwavering gaze. "Amara is my wife, I will take her to the hospital." His voice held finality, leaving no room for discussion.

***

Amara entered the room and saw Killian at the desk, engrossed in a pile of papers. The clock on the wall approached 11 a.m. She realised she had little time before their appointment with the doctor, so she decided to take a quick shower. Grabbing her clothes, she slipped into the bathroom, closing the door softly behind her. She undressed and adjusted the shower to a comfortably lukewarm temperature. As the water poured over her, it eased the tension in her muscles, offering a brief relief. She took a deep, calming breath. Her body had been aching more frequently lately and she made a mental note to inform the doctor about it in the appointment.

After several minutes, feeling refreshed and slightly more at ease, she finished her shower and dressed quickly. Stepping back into the room, she saw Killian standing outside with a file in his hand. She frowned but didn't say anything and moved towards her cupboard.

"Amara."

She turned to look at him, feeling the intensity of his gaze. Killian walked towards her, ceasing the distance between them, causing her to instinctively clutch her dress tighter.

"Yes?" she managed to say.

He approached her, extending the file he had been holding. "It’s yours,"

She frowned, her confusion evident. "Mine?"

Killian nodded once, his expression unreadable. She took the file from him, her curiosity clear. Opening it, her eyes widened in shock as she saw property papers inside. She skimmed through the document, her heart racing as content inside the file stunned her. When she reached the end, she raised her head and looked at Killian in disbelief.

"You named this mansion in my name... Why?"

He closed the distance between them with a determined stride, his presence overwhelming her as he stood just inches from her. His eyes locked onto hers with a piercing intensity. "You said you had no home," he said, his voice low and filled with raw emotion. "This mansion is now yours, Amara."

Her breath caught, her body instinctively recoiling as she took a step back. "I can’t... I don’t want this mansion. I don’t want anything from you. Why are you doing this?"

"It's too late, Amara," He stepped closer, forcing her to stay within his proximity. "This mansion is yours—every inch, every corner, every place is now in your name. You are my wife, Amara, and you can never be homeless. If you want, then I can name hundreds of mansions in your name, you just have to say it." He reached out and gently took her hand, holding it with a possessive grip that refused to let go. His touch was firm yet tender, claiming her ever so gently. "But now," he breathed against her skin, his voice a low murmur, "you have made me homeless."

“Make me your home, mi amor,” Killian said, each word heavy with emotion, coming straight from his heart. “Even if it’s a broken home, but make me yours.”

Amara jerked her hand away from Killian’s grip, her eyes brimming with tears that threatened to spill.

“Remember you called me an orphan?” Hurt flashed through his eyes. He regretted calling her an orphan. How can she be an orphan when she has him? When she carries his name with her? He tried to step closer towards her but she shook her head, halting him in his place.

“Orphans don’t have any home.” She smiled tearfully.

***

Thoughts on the chapter? On the changed Killian? His gentle side with her?

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