Chapter 1 Preparing for Pregnancy

At 40,000 feet, on a private jet.

The bathroom door opened, and a man walked out wrapped in a bathrobe.

The belt was loosely tied, and several suggestive hickeys remained on his well-defined chest.

His long legs beneath the robe were inadvertently exposed as he walked, the thigh muscles toned and powerful.

James Williams had always been in control of his desires, until this moment when that control became impossible.

As soon as he came out, he saw the woman lying on the bed, legs slightly bent, a pillow propped under her waist.

Meeting his unfathomable gaze, Gloria Mitchell explained, "James, the doctor said this makes it easier to conceive."

James looked down at Gloria. Her flawless face still showed traces of passion, cheeks flushed pink, eyes misty with desire, hair gently spread across the pillow.

Gloria, whom he'd been taking care of for years, was both delicate and alluring. Even without deliberately showing her charm, she was incredibly sweet.

James slowly leaned down, his dark shadow falling over Gloria. He raised his hand to stroke her cheek, gently pinching her soft, delicate earlobe.

His low, husky voice carried endless sensuality, "Did the doctor say anything else?"

The doctor had said her follicles were mature and she was about to ovulate. These few days were the best time to conceive.

That was why she had appeared on his private jet.

Before Gloria left the entertainment industry, she had injured her uterus while filming. She'd been trying to get pregnant for three years without success.

It took so much effort to get her body back in shape. Knowing he loved children, Gloria paid special attention to this ovulation period.

Even though they were an old married couple, making love at over 40,000 feet was a first for her too.

She seemed particularly shy and inhibited, almost wanting to bury her head in the pillow. "No, nothing else."

She heard James whisper tenderly, "Happy third anniversary, honey. Please continue to be with me in the future."

Landing at Stellara International Airport, James carried Gloria off the plane wrapped in a thin blanket.

The blanket slipped, revealing a corner where Gloria's ankle was visible.

Her skin was smooth and delicate, with a faint red mark on it, looking quite suggestive.

Sure enough, the rumors were true.

James loved his wife dearly, cherishing her to the point that no one else could even see her true appearance.

During their days abroad, Gloria experienced what could be called sexual indulgence.

James was busy with work, with many social obligations during the day.

She would rest at the hotel then, but at night, he transformed into a wolf.

Pressing her against the bathtub, the sofa, the floor-to-ceiling windows—they left traces everywhere.

For four days and three nights, Gloria accompanied him on his business trip.

Until the day they returned home, she was exhausted, nestled in James's arms, his hands that had been roaming her body now gripping her slender waist.

She tried to push him away. "Stop it, James. I'm tired."

Hearing her murmur, James's low laughter rippled by her ear. He tightened his grip on her waist inch by inch, his eyes showing a hint of affection. "Honey, even if we never have children, I'll love you forever."

Something cool touched her neck—James had put a necklace on her.

He kissed her lips with devotion and tenderness. "Gloria, stay by my side, don't leave me."

When Gloria woke up again, she was already in the big bed at home.

She casually put on a silk nightgown and went downstairs in soft slippers. The maid Pearl had already prepared a table full of delicious food.

"Where's James?" Gloria glanced around. They came back together, so where did he go?

"Mr. Williams has a social engagement. He specifically asked me to make nourishing soup for you."

Pearl said with a smile, "Mr. Williams really loves you. He specially picked a bouquet of your favorite roses from the flower room and watched you sleep for a while before leaving in a hurry."

Gloria looked at the bright flowers on the table, a faint smile playing at her lips.

She raised her hand to touch her flat stomach. Over these three years, she and her husband had been disappointed so many times over the child issue.

This time, she hoped it wouldn't be in vain.

She had to get pregnant.

She opened her phone and found an entertainment news notification—some celebrity's relationship exposed, with suspected photos of her boyfriend visiting the set.

Gloria looked at the blurry outline of the man in a suit, her gaze freezing for a moment.

Then she looked away, finding her fleeting thought ridiculous.

How could it be James? They'd been childhood sweethearts for eighteen years. Every man in the world might cheat, but never him.

After dinner, Gloria tended to the flowers and plants.

As dusk fell, James entered the yard with the last rays of sunlight.

The sunlight fell on his ash-gray suit, coating him with a soft glow that made his gentle, jade-like features look flawlessly handsome.

Who could tell they were both people who had clawed their way up from the lowest depths?

He was noble and composed, clearly a refined CEO.

Gloria, wearing a white dress, dropped the flowers in her hands and ran toward him.

"James, you're back."

James raised his hand to ruffle her hair. "Rested well?"

She lightly punched his chest. "Jerk, you can't be so excessive again."

James held her hand and kissed it gently. "Okay, I'll listen to my wife."

How could such a gentle James possibly betray her?

Gloria completely put that entertainment news out of her mind.

In the following days, James barely stayed home, frequently going abroad. He was incredibly busy trying to secure this major project.

Gloria's period was already three days late.

Thinking James was too busy, Gloria didn't tell him yet.

She bought several brands of pregnancy tests, testing them with nervous and anxious anticipation.

Three years—since her injury, she didn't know how much medicine she'd taken, how many ovulation treatments she'd undergone.

Disappointment after disappointment—this time she didn't dare hope too much.

During the few minutes waiting for the results, she was anxious and uneasy.

When the timer alarm went off, Gloria quickly looked at the pregnancy test.

A knock sounded at the door, startling Gloria so much that she dropped the pregnancy test.