Chapter 285: Chapter 285 She is pregnant
Archer leaned back, his posture relaxed yet unyielding, and spoke in the same calm tone that could cut sharper than anger. "I will give you a house, a car, and one hundred million. I believe that is more than enough to feed you."
"Alright," Alexa replied smoothly, her voice calm, as if she had been waiting for this very moment all along. She lowered her gaze to hide the flicker of satisfaction in her eyes, masking it behind a serene expression.
Archer’s brows knit slightly as he studied her. Doubt stirred in his chest. For so long, she had clung desperately to Leo, her obsession with that man plain for everyone to see. Could it be that she truly wanted this divorce? The thought made his jaw tighten. But then, what about that night? His mind couldn’t let go of the memory, the subtle shifts in her behavior, the nagging suspicion that something about her wasn’t as simple as it appeared.
"Alright," he said at last, his tone clipped. He reached into the folder beside him, pulled out a warm stack of papers, and slid them across the table. A pen followed, placed neatly on top. The soft scratch of paper against wood sounded louder than it should have in the quiet room.
For a heartbeat, Alexa’s composure cracked. Her face flashed with anger, her lips tightening, her eyes burning with defiance, but it vanished just as quickly as it came. By the time Archer looked up again, her smile had returned, practiced and smooth, as though nothing had happened. Without hesitation, she picked up the pen and signed her name with a flourish, her hand steady despite the storm inside her.
Archer watched silently, his heart heavy with an unexpected ache. He had thought this moment would bring relief, a clean break, but instead it left him unsettled. He nodded once, a gesture more to himself than to her, and rose to his feet.
Alexa rose too, her movements graceful, though her eyes flickered with something unreadable. She took a single step toward him, then suddenly faltered. A faint gasp escaped her lips as she clutched her stomach and stumbled forward.
Archer’s instincts moved faster than thought. He caught her firmly before she hit the ground, his arms wrapping around her trembling frame. "Alexa," he said sharply, his voice edged with alarm.
She leaned into him, feigning weakness, her face pale as she whispered faintly, "I... I don’t feel well..."
Without hesitation, Archer lifted her into his arms and strode out of the room. His chest was tight, his thoughts scattered. His mind clouded with worry, while in her own heart, Alexa smirked silently, hidden from his eyes, knowing her plan had worked exactly as she intended.
Archer’s arms tightened instinctively around her slender frame as he carried her toward the door. Her head lolled against his shoulder, her skin cool to the touch, and though part of him suspected she was planning something, the sight still unsettled him. Without sparing another second, he strode out of the house, his long legs eating the distance to the driveway.
The guards, startled by the sudden scene, hurried to open the car doors. "Get the engine running," Archer ordered sharply, his voice low but firm. Within moments, the black sedan roared to life. Archer slid into the back seat with Alexa still in his arms, settling her gently against the leather as the car sped forward.
She shifted slightly, her hand pressing weakly against her stomach, her lashes trembling as though she were fighting to stay conscious. Archer’s gaze hardened. He hated uncertainty, hated feeling out of control, and right now, every instinct told him to get her checked immediately.
The ride felt endless, even though the driver cut through traffic with ruthless efficiency. Archer’s jaw remained clenched, his eyes fixed on her pale face. His thoughts circled like vultures. Why now? Why today of all days, when everything was supposed to end?
At last, the hospital’s glass doors came into view, sliding open as the car screeched to a halt. Nurses rushed forward at the sight of Archer stepping out with a fainted woman in his arms. Recognition sparked in their eyes. Everyone knew who he was, but no one dared to waste time gawking. A stretcher was brought forward, and Archer laid her down with unusual care, his hand lingering for a second longer before pulling back.
"Take her to emergency," he commanded.
They wheeled her away, and Archer was left standing in the stark white corridor. He moved to the waiting area, his tall frame rigid as he sank into the chair, elbows resting on his knees. He pressed his fingers together, staring at the floor, lost in a tangle of thoughts. The magazine he had been reading earlier, the neat divorce papers—suddenly all of it felt distant, blurred in this moment.
Minutes dragged like hours. Each time footsteps echoed down the hall, Archer’s head lifted, his gaze sharpening, only to fall again when the nurses passed by. The antiseptic smell of the hospital pressed into his senses, the beeping of machines and faint voices beyond the doors adding to the heaviness in his chest.
Finally, the door to the examination room opened, and a doctor in a white coat approached. Archer stood instantly, his height imposing, his face set in a grim mask.
"Mr. Archer," the doctor began carefully, his eyes flicking between the man’s cold expression and the file in his hand. "She fainted due to exhaustion, but overall she is in stable condition." He paused, adjusting his glasses before continuing. "However, congratulations are in order. Your wife is pregnant."
The words landed like a thunderclap. Archer’s body went still, his breath caught in his throat. His mind replayed the night he had been too careless, the doubts that had haunted him since. He swallowed hard, his lips parting but no words coming out.
Behind the door, Alexa lay quietly on the hospital bed, her lips curving into the faintest, most secretive smile. Her plan had worked. The chain had been fastened.
No way. Archer’s mind reeled, the words echoing louder than the doctor’s voice. For a long second, he stood frozen in the corridor, his fists clenching at his sides. A child. His child. The realization hit him hard, twisting through his chest with disbelief and frustration.