Chapter 2
That afternoon, I carried two old suitcases into the guesthouse beside the Moretti estate.
Luka stood in the doorway and calmly gave me his instructions.
“You’ll visit the private medical center once a week.”
“The obstetrician, nutritionist, and nursing team have already been arranged.”
“Don’t leave the estate alone without permission from the security team.”
I nodded.
After Luka left, I dropped onto an eighty-thousand-dollar handmade mattress.
My body sank into the soft bed.
I pinched my thigh hard.
It hurt.
This was all real.
I let out a contented sigh.
From now on, I only needed to eat on time, sleep well, and deliver the baby safely.
Then my life would keep getting better.
The baby’s voice returned.
【I thought Mom had finally gotten smarter.】
【But now that she has the money, all she wants to do is eat and sleep without making any preparations.】
【Once she starts eating whatever she wants and loses control of her weight, the Moretti Family will think she can’t even take care of herself or the baby.】
【By the time Dad’s first love, Sloane, returns and mocks her, it’ll be too late for regrets.】
I sat up immediately.
If the baby was working this hard to warn me, I couldn’t let her down.
I picked up my phone and booked the best prenatal yoga classes available.
I also hired a prenatal nutrition team to plan every meal according to my medical reports.
I needed to keep exercising.
I also needed to keep my weight within the range recommended by my doctors.
My appearance and clothing mattered too.
I had grown up on a farm.
Most days, I wore jeans and old shirts.
I knew nothing about dressing for formal occasions or following the rules of the Moretti Family.
But now I had money.
I hired a makeup artist who worked with movie stars and a personal stylist.
I also had the Family arrange for an etiquette instructor who understood the traditions of the old Families.
Some things were best left to professionals.
The baby cooperated with me too.
She stayed quiet while I slept.
Whenever I exercised, she moved gently.
I experienced almost none of the usual discomforts of pregnancy.
I slept until I woke naturally every morning.
My complexion improved by the day.
Two weeks later, Luka returned to the guesthouse.
I had just finished my etiquette lesson.
I wore a pale maternity dress selected by my stylist, and my makeup artist had done my hair and makeup.
I didn’t panic when Luka entered.
I stood according to the rules I had learned and greeted him calmly.
Luka’s eyes visibly brightened when he saw me.
He quickly concealed the reaction.
“What happened between us was an accident.”
“All you need to do is take care of yourself and deliver the baby safely.”
“Don’t start imagining anything more between us or with the Moretti Family.”
The baby gave a dissatisfied snort.
【Dad is so good at pretending.】
【Mom was his first woman, and he’s obviously already falling for her.】
I smiled slightly.
My voice remained calm, and I made no attempt to approach Luka.
“You’re overthinking it.”
“I don’t want anything else from you.”
“I only want to look presentable enough that my child will never be mocked because of me.”
Luka stared at me for a long time.
The suspicion in his eyes didn’t disappear entirely.
But now there was also a hint of admiration.
He was about to speak when laughter came from behind him.
“I just got off the phone with the medical center.”
“The doctor said the baby is developing beautifully, and all of Elena’s readings are stable.”
Luka’s mother, Aviana Moretti, walked into the room.
Aviana approached me and removed an antique emerald bracelet from a jewelry box.
She fastened it directly around my wrist.
“The Moretti men have always struggled with fertility.”
“Octavian’s parents tried for years before they had him.”
“My husband and Luka were both born after fertility treatments.”
Aviana looked down at my stomach.
“If you give the Morettis a healthy child conceived naturally, we will never mistreat you.”
The baby became excited the moment she heard Aviana’s voice.
【Grandma is here!】
【Dad always misunderstands Mom, but Grandma has always treated her well.】
【Mom didn’t understand that in her previous life, and she threw the bracelet at Grandma just to prove she didn’t care about money.】
【Grandma must have been so hurt.】
I was so embarrassed that I didn’t know where to look.
Baby, I had no idea why my previous self would do something like that.
But I would never do it this time.
I gave Aviana a gentle smile and lightly held her hand.
“Mrs. Moretti, as a mother, I would take responsibility for my child even without these gifts.”
“Luka has already arranged the best home, doctors, and security team for me.”
“This bracelet is too valuable for me to accept.”
Aviana’s smile deepened.
She pressed down on my hand, refusing to let me remove the bracelet.
“I assumed any woman willing to accept this arrangement would only be interested in money.”
“Now I see that you have far more sense than I expected.”
I felt unexpectedly touched.
Then I gathered my courage and hugged Aviana.
“My child is fortunate to have a grandmother like you.”
“After she’s born, I’ll hand her over to the Moretti Family as agreed.”
“Even if I can’t see her often afterward, I’ll be at peace knowing you’ll protect her.”
My voice lowered as I spoke.
Tears slid from the corners of my eyes.
Aviana’s body stiffened slightly.
Then she raised her arms and gently embraced me.
“You will always be her mother.”
“The Moretti Family will never prevent you from seeing her.”
Luka cleared his throat beside us.
“I only told you not to imagine a relationship that doesn’t exist.”
“I never said you wouldn’t be allowed to see the child after she was born.”
“You can enter the Moretti estate whenever you want.”
“The security team won’t stop you.”
He hesitated for several seconds.
Then he reached out and gently patted my back.
It seemed my behavior had successfully pleased Mrs. Moretti.
I had also been granted unrestricted access to the Moretti estate.
The baby sounded confused.
【How did Mom suddenly become so smart?】